Thriller analysis - GoodFellas

After doing light research, I came to the conclusion that a thriller is normally classes as a suspenseful story that may include sub genres and can be based on a true story such as GoodFellas.

The opening to this film is actually inmediasres, where the story/film begins half way through the actually story to add effect, followed by the actual start of the story, where the opening is explained. This happens in many films such as many Quentin Tarrantino, many directors including Martin Scorsese use this technique to engage the audience thus leading them to watch the whole film. In this case, Scorsese bases his opening scene on his Hollywood stars killing a man that is in the boot of the car, for a reason that the audience will need to watch on in order to know the reason. Directors also uses an effective sequence to establish their characters, settings and also theme and genre.

Unlike most opening sequences, instead of using an establishing shot, GoodFellas uses a tracking shot of a fast moving car in very dark lighting, informing the audience that it is at night, followed by a plain text informing the audience that it was set in New York, 1970. Next he uses a medium shot taken at an angle where you can clearly see all three actors and their profiles. When using a medium shot, we can easily see characters facial expression and analyse the mise en scene in detail, for example, we can see that they are all wearing suits, connoting that they are important people with a high status. Looking at their facial expression, it is almost relaxed turning to confusion when they begin to hear a banging noise which perplexes the audience and the actors, we also note that the actors have no facial hair or tattoos, no make-up, hair combed back and an all over neat appearance. Along with the suits, they also wear jewellery which can be seen as them being rich or even business men and respectable men, however the shovel that Joe Pesci is holding in the back seat lets us think otherwise.

It then cuts to a long shot of the 3 actors looking for reassurance with each other and standing behind the rear of the car in what seems like the woodlands; shovel and car keys in hand, now as the audience we can see their whole profile, then cuts to a medium close up of the car boot, showing significance towards it, the red lights given off by the brake light connote danger and violence, what I find peculiar is the fact that there is still no soundtrack added to the scene but only diegetic sounds and non diegetic sounds such as the passing cars and banging noise coming.

Zooming in and panning is also used constantly, rather than shot reverse shot, in the clip which can be seen as a convention of thriller, creating suspense for the audience. We realise that the banging noise emitting from the boot of the car is in fact a person, other props used here is fake blood which is smeared across the character who has facial hair and is struggling to breathe. A high angle is used here to signify that those who are standing in front of the car is at higher status and that they are superior, at this point we are shocked as we do not know what has happened to this person [which is later revealed], then cuts to a medium long shot of Joe Pesci holding a knife and panning as he goes to stab this mystery character, effects are used here as you can here the sound of the blade slashing. So already the director has established Joe Pesci’s character as merciless and aggressive, even through his informal speech we know that he is Italian and not very polite. Next is a medium long shot of Robert De Niro reaching into his back pocket whilst hearing Joe Pesci shouting insults, so non diegetic sounds are used here also. We also learn through this little clip that Robert De Niro’s character is as merciless as his companion.

As Ray Liotta goes to close the car boot, a sound track of 1970’s music is played and the director uses the special effect of freezing here, followed by an over voice of Ray Liotta informing the audience what type of person all three of the characters are, gangsters.