View Full Version : How does Goodfellas compare to The Godfather?
thegodfather15
08-14-04, 02:00 AM
I saw The Godfather, but I haven't seen Goodfellas. I heard from friends and read reviews that Goodfellas is one of the best mob movies ever. Some people even told me they like it better than The Godfather. And thats pretty big because The Godfather was amazing! But are they even the the same type of film? How do they compare?
Holden Pike
08-14-04, 03:05 AM
I prefer GoodFellas to The Godfather, but while both center on the Mafia, they're also quite different in many ways.
First off is style. Coppola's is a slow and Operatic arc, espcially in the original 1972 film not even taking into account parts II or III. The characters are archtypal, and the story is essentially about family as much as it is about the Mafia itself. The real draw of the film, the thing that makes it timeless, is not really Sonny graphically getting shot at a tollbooth, but the pain of Vito Corleone on hearing the news. It's the anxiety of a father wanting his children to do better than he did, and the uneasy inevitibility of a son following in his father's footsteps. All that kind of stuff. That's what is at the core of The Godfather.
GoodFellas aims to strip the romance and timlessness of that myth Coppola's film cemented by showing the struggles and dumb luck of a mid-level Mobster who is not a revered member of a real or even exteded family, but a cog in a bigger machine that is driven by money and fear. There is dark humor, there is a kind of comaraderie to a point, but ultimately you can't trust anybody, and the little boy who as far back as he can remember wanted to be a gangster - the kind of gangster perhaps best personified in The Godfather, learns the hard way that no such honorable notion exists. Scorsese tells his tale kinetically, letting us feel the high of the highs like being treated like a big shot at The Copacabana, and the lows of the lows like a drug-hazed day of being persued by real and imagined law enforcement agents closing in.
Those are some of the basic differences. Ulitmately, like most things, it'll just come down to a matter of taste. I love both films, but I'd pick GoodFellas over The Godfather every day of the week.
http://www.dvdplanet.com/productimages/front/43589.jpg
If you're contemplating a "blind buy" of the new GoodFellas S.E. that streets next week, I say unreservedly go for it. No matter which you prefer in the long run, GoodFellas is a great film from a great filmmaker.
I love both movies equally :yup:
D'yer Mak'er
08-14-04, 11:13 AM
I prefer The Godfather. Usually, i would like to avoid comparing these two movies and enjoy them each seperately, but if this is about deciding which one is better.....
I don't think you will ever come across a person who doesn't like Goodfellas. It is one of the most enjoyable films to watch and entertains with such ease that it is on the same par as a hollywood action movie. After watching the 2.5 hours of it you'll wonder where all the time went. Undoubtedly it is a great film, worthy of the title 'classic masterpeice'. Although the biggest problem i have found with it is that it just isn't rewatchable enough.
As a person that has spent numerous hours watching Goodfellas(or Scorsese films for that matter), i find that even Casino is easier to watch in multiple viewings. I have watched Goodfellas probably only about 8 times but if i was to watch it more than once a year these days i would lose interest quickly. You seem to absorb every aspect of the film too quickly in your first viewings and that doesnt leave much for the other times.
On contrary, i have watched The Godfather about 12 times and always feel an inate addiction to watch the film after every month or two, and every time i always experience a new feeling or perceive something differently. Both of the movies are timeless and in the end it boils down to the age old question, "If you were stranded on a deserted island and were given the choice of watching Goodfellas or The Godfather for the rest of your days, which would you pick?"
I would pick The Godfather.
thegodfather15
08-14-04, 11:21 AM
If there is a movie that even compares to The Godfather, and some people even say is better, it's a movie defintely worth checking out. I guess Goodfellas is one of those films.
AboveTheClouds
08-14-04, 01:10 PM
I myself Prefer goodfellas. I prefered the plot, there was more action. And I like the fact how it didnt center around a MASSIVE group of people.That and I prefer the directorial style better.As Holden said, Coppola is much slower..
I also love both films, but prefer the direction and pacing of Goodfellas to that of The Godfather. The Godfather is the second best mob flick in my mind....
leeched
08-14-04, 07:12 PM
I also love both films, but prefer the direction and pacing of Goodfellas.
I agree wholeheartedly. Also, I assume that this thread is comparing Godfather I and Goodfellas, but I would choose Godfather part II over part I anyday.
I think maybe it all has to do with my love of De Niro.
thegodfather15
08-14-04, 07:32 PM
Well I guess this thread can be about Goodfellas compared to both Part I and II of The Godfather. Like the Godfather (part I and II), Goodfellas is a mob movie, but I just wanted to know if the movies were similiar, how they differ in the style, pace, etc. And ultimately, which was the better film.
i love Goodfellas but Godfather was a better film.
uconjack
08-14-04, 11:07 PM
Also love Goodfellas. Some great, great scenes and great characters. But to me the Godfather is a better movie.
thegodfather15
08-21-04, 02:25 AM
I watched Goodfellas for the first time and it is a classic! It's one of my favorite movies now along with The Godfather. De Niro, Liotta, Pesci and the others were fantastic, probably just as good as in The Godfather with Brando, Pacino, Duvall, etc.
If you're contemplating a "blind buy" of the new GoodFellas S.E. that streets next week, I say unreservedly go for it. No matter which you prefer in the long run, GoodFellas is a great film from a great filmmaker.
The version that is available now SUCKS!!!
Warner Home Video makes lame DVD's; no extras, a cheap cardboard case, and what is completely unforgivable is, HALF OF GOODFELLAS IS ON ONE SIDE OF THE DVD!!!
That's right, you half to flip it over in the middle of the movie!!!
The idiot who designed this must have developed the 8-track tape!!!
thegodfather15
08-21-04, 10:53 AM
The version that is available now SUCKS!!!
Warner Home Video makes lame DVD's; no extras, a cheap cardboard case, and what is completely unforgivable is, HALF OF GOODFELLAS IS ON ONE SIDE OF THE DVD!!!
That's right, you half to flip it over in the middle of the movie!!!
The idiot who designed this must have developed the 8-track tape!!!
What??? Flip the DVD over? It's a two disk special edition. One disc is the movie and the other disc is the extras.
What??? Flip the DVD over? It's a two disk special edition. One disc is the movie and the other disc is the extras.
I'm talking about the original version.
When the special edition is released, the version I have is going to the pawn shop.
Philmster
08-21-04, 04:48 PM
Its just been released :)
I'm a Goodfellas guy, its just more to my liking.
thegodfather15
08-21-04, 05:40 PM
I see. You said the version that is available now. Well the new version is available now.
I personally appreciated Goodfellas much more then Godfather. It beat Godfather for sure...
The Taxi Driver
09-11-04, 12:14 PM
i love both films but most days i would choose to watch Goodfellas instead of the Godfather. the pace of goodfellas makes it more rewatchable than the Godfather.
Ezikiel
09-11-04, 02:27 PM
When I first viewed The Godfather, I thought it was an amazing film, but truthfully, I didn't think the film was that "great" and wondered why so many people loved it so. It wasn't until my second viewing that I appreciated it much more and loved it much more. BUT, Goodfellas affected me in a much different way. My first viewing of the film was amazing. I wish I could view it for the first time again. I was in awe while watching the film, and yes, I did think it was a much better film than all of Coppola's The Godfather films. So yes, I prefer Goodfellas both as a ganster film and as a film itself.
Tacitus
09-11-04, 02:43 PM
Totally different films which happen to have the same basic subject matter.
Goodfellas is a celebration of the rise (and fall) of a mid-level hood whilst The Godfather revolves around duty, revenge and loyalty. They're both shot totally differently too.
As to which I prefer it usually depends on my mood - all things being equal it would be Goodfellas by a nose. :)
I saw The Godfather, but I haven't seen Goodfellas. I heard from friends and read reviews that Goodfellas is one of the best mob movies ever. Some people even told me they like it better than The Godfather. And thats pretty big because The Godfather was amazing! But are they even the the same type of film? How do they compare?
Goodfellas was an updated version of the Godfather. I think of it as a grittier, newer version.
The Godfather was a throwback to the older, more opulent times of the Mafia, IMO. Lavish living in the city, etc.
Whereas, Goodfellas, and nowadays, the Sopranos (which I dislike), show the "families" as they have evolved. By the time you get to the Sopranos, the Mafia is largely diminished in their power and visible influence. Id say that Goodfellas is somewhere in the middle on that continuum.
Very good movie. Ray Liotta outdoes himself. Id classify it as a "must-see" for anyone who is into Mafia movies. And put it high on the list. ;)
The Taxi Driver
09-11-04, 07:48 PM
Id classify it as a "must-see" for anyone who is into Mafia movies.
Id classify it as a must see for anyone who likes to watch movies.
Prospero
09-12-04, 01:23 AM
I much prefer The Godfather. Goodfellas is very, very good, but somehow it leaves me a little cold. I never feel any compassion or sympathy for any of the characters, even Liotta's character.
The thing the really fascinates me about watching the Godfather is Michael's character arc. Pacino puts in an incredible performance, and that last shot of him as the new Godfather is really chilling.
Holden Pike
09-12-04, 01:45 AM
I much prefer The Godfather. Goodfellas is very, very good, but somehow it leaves me a little cold. I never feel any compassion or sympathy for any of the characters, even Liotta's character.
You say that as if you're supposed to care about any of 'em, including Henry Hill. Ya ain't.
LordSlaytan
09-12-04, 01:55 AM
You say that as if you're supposed to care about any of 'em, including Henry Hill. Ya ain't.Care about the children of the gangsters. Care about the children!
Erratic Behavior
12-06-04, 05:47 PM
They're different types of films.
Goodfellas (and Donnie Brasco) are considered much more realistic portrayals of mafia life than The Godfather. If you want to see a more accurate depiction of La Cosa Nostra then see Goodfellas and DB. They're based on books of true stories. The Godfather is based on a novel.
But I enjoyed The Godfather better. Some of the scenes in The Godfather just had me :eek:
Also:
The Godfather Part II > The Godfather
MovieMaker5087
12-06-04, 06:03 PM
Never saw both of them.
Never saw both of them.
Time you did ;)
ebertod
12-07-04, 02:43 PM
I think Goodfellas overall is the more energetic film, while Godfather is the established classic that just rumbles on. You can see the flaws in the Godfather and Goodfellas, but I feel that Goodfellas is a better film. It has more directing style, and the Godfather's status alone does not make greater.
SamsoniteDelilah
12-07-04, 03:22 PM
Godfather is a classic, dealing with classical themes.
Goodfellas, like the story's characters, is a cheap impersonation of the classic. It stands on its own merit because it's a true depiction of it's sleazy characters, but it's a heartless film. It sets out to be. It's successfully heartless. But if you're asking which is better... Godfather, all the way. I adore Vito Corleone.
Erratic Behavior
12-07-04, 03:56 PM
Godfather is a classic, dealing with classical themes.
Goodfellas, like the story's characters, is a cheap impersonation of the classic. It stands on its own merit because it's a true depiction of it's sleazy characters, but it's a heartless film. It sets out to be. It's successfully heartless. But if you're asking which is better... Godfather, all the way. I adore Vito Corleone.
How is Goodfellas an "impersonation" of Godfather? :confused:
They may both be about the mafia, but they're not similar movies.
Piledriver
12-11-04, 09:51 PM
Hmmmmm....Goodfellas or the Godfather. If you take parts I & II as a whole, I think they make up the better movie overall (the two movies together are long enough to show the entire history of the family in detail), but Goodfellas does a better job of telling a complete story in less time. I would put Casino right up there with these as another great mafia themed movie (another Scorsese masterpiece) and should be seen by anyone who would watch the Godfather and Goodfellas. :cool:
SamsoniteDelilah
12-11-04, 09:53 PM
How is Goodfellas an "impersonation" of Godfather? :confused:
They may both be about the mafia, but they're not similar movies.
Only in that it's a 'modern day mob flick'.
They're not similar, otherwise.
uconjack
12-12-04, 01:27 AM
They are both classic gangster films. Both closer to truth than fiction.
Erratic Behavior
12-13-04, 01:50 PM
They are both classic gangster films. Both closer to truth than fiction.
I agree about Goodfellas. Not The Godfather. That's based on a novel, and makes the Mafia seem more honorable, and I guess glorified.
Goodfellas is based on a true story, and for the most part, is pretty accurate with the book.
Of all the non-fiction books I've read about the Mafia and documentaries I've seen, they've all given the impression that Mafia life is not much like The Godfather, but more so like Goodfellas and Donnie Brasco, movies based on real-life stories of informants.
SamsoniteDelilah
12-13-04, 02:17 PM
I agree about Goodfellas. Not The Godfather. That's based on a novel, and makes the Mafia seem more honorable, and I guess glorified...
There's a reason for that. It's a reason that is hinted at in The Godfather, but not made plain. Italians had practically no protection by the law at the time that Vito Corleone would have come over. Their names were changed at Ellis Island so they'd sound "less italian", because racism was rampant. So in lieu of fair treatment by the established law, the Mafia had ample good cause to enforce their own. Had people been less ignorant and immigrants treated more fairly, there would have been no need of the Family to enforce order.
Krackalackin
12-14-04, 07:29 PM
i think a lot of you got it wrong about Goodfellas and The godfather trilogy. In no way is Goodfellas like The Godfather besides the fact that they're both gangster movies. The Godfather revolves around the Don of an italian Gangster movie that has to make tough decisions and is often misunderstood by it or just misunderstoood. There used to be gang families like The Godfather. There might be some still today. Who knows? That's the angle the Godfather took. Goodfellas is totally different because Goodfellas is more of a documentary on the mafia life like how they acted around normal people, how they operated, how/what they thought about things etc. It's a three decade walkthrough of a man that really lived the life and he tells it like it is. It also goes at a much faster pace than the Godfather's and isn't as dramatic. I think a better comparison would be Goodfellas to Scarface even than to the Godfather and I only say that because Scorcese made 'Goodfellas' because Scarface which he wanted to make was already done. But even those two movies are nothing alike. It's hard to say which one I like better because Goodfellas and The Godfather concentrate their efforts in different fields of the same genere. For replay value, I'd say Goodfellas is better because it doesn't drag on as much as the Godfathers making it more entertaining to watch. But for a piece of cinema art, I'd say the Godfather is better even though Goodfellas is definitely up there. No person as ever portrayed an italian gangster as memorable as Marlon Brando without a doubt. He is "The Godfather" and you can't screw with that but personally, My favorite gangster film is Scarface. The Ruthlessnes of Pacino attracts me more and there are so many good lines that are just purely great and not as Sappy as the Godfather even though there are great lines in that movie two but are more dramatically great. Tony Montana's character was great because something would come up that you'd be sure would kill him and he'd just be like "What! Are you kidding me! I'll fukin..!" I just love that ruthless drive to always suuceed and exceed expectations. And nothing phased him unlike the other two movies. Tony Montana would just get mad then which was freaken great. There's my two cents on the later gangster movie greats. I just wish Alexander was as good as Scarface. Man, that movie was garbage.
Carlito Brigante
08-31-05, 05:50 AM
what makes me prefer goodfellas rather than the godfather is the conversations among the mobsters and the way story told by henry hill.
there are 3 conversations that i never forget. the first one is the kidding of tommy with henry(what the f.ck is so funny about me?) the second is how billy batts insults tommy.(go get your f.cking shinebox) and the third is how spider shot. also de niro 's "are you stupid or what" is unforgettable.
though this movie has a simpler scenerio than godfather, conversations, mimics and relationships are much more realistic. What makes this movie a masterpiece are the details in other words, which is the style of scorsese.
hello i'm new here, so please be gentle. lol
i still liked Godfather more than Goodfellas. I just love how Al pacino acts. he's a really great actor. The story was also great!
If you like gangster flicks there's a new one coming out this september. It's The Business movie. :)
Hi Ruby http://bestsmileys.com/waving/7.gif
hello. any suggestions for me?:)
Lester Burnham
08-31-05, 07:18 AM
Ruby can I recommend you try Carlito's way, Donnie Brasco, Sexy Beast, Once upon a time in America and Mean Streets.
P.S. The Buisness looks like a load of b*llocks.
In relation to Goodfellas and The Godfather, Goodfellas is by far my favourite, don't get me wrong The Godfather is amazing and my third favourite film of all time, But Goodfellas is such an incredible film, and will always be my no.1.
Clark Nova
09-07-05, 11:59 AM
I think I prefer Goodfellas, the dialogue is great and the pacing of the movie appeals to me more I think. Oh, and two words for you: "Joe" and "Pesci". Did he get an Oscar for best supporting actor for this role? I think he deserves it.
Mind you, I haven't seen The Godfather for about 6 years now so I think it's time I watched it again soon. I have got both Godfather I and II on DVD on my "to watch" shelf so it's just a matter of time before I make a new evaluation I guess.
Lester Burnham
09-07-05, 12:29 PM
I think I prefer Goodfellas, the dialogue is great and the pacing of the movie appeals to me more I think. Oh, and two words for you: "Joe" and "Pesci". Did he get an Oscar for best supporting actor for this role? I think he deserves it.
Mind you, I haven't seen The Godfather for about 6 years now so I think it's time I watched it again soon. I have got both Godfather I and II on DVD on my "to watch" shelf so it's just a matter of time before I make a new evaluation I guess.
Yes Joe Pesci won the well deserved Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
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