“Goodfellas” is a cinematic classic that almost saw key scenes cut. The studio hesitated with Spider’s death for being too violent, and the opening murder scene was toned down due to audience discomfort. Scorsese’s mother’s cameo was nearly removed, saved by positive test audience reactions. The film’s iconic soundtrack was in Scorsese’s head before filming. The famous “How Am I Funny” scene was inspired by Joe Pesci’s real-life encounter. The Copacabana tracking shot, a cinematic milestone, took multiple takes. “Goodfellas” set a profanity record, defending its necessity for realism. Share your thoughts on the film in the comments!
