“Never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.”
Known for his infamous creations of film which usually have a depiction of violence and liberal use of profanity, Martin Scorsese has had an overwhelming abundance of success in the film industry. In this essay I will discuss how the director Martin Scorsese uses certain techniques such as long tracking shots, freeze frames and the structure of his films in the films like “Goodfellas” and “Casino”. I will discuss and analyse these cinematic techniques and explain how this is then used to engage his audience to an extent that keeps them eager to watch.
Long tracking shots. When the name ‘Scorsese’ is mentioned, a series of cinematic techniques instantly come to mind; a great long …show more content…
‘Goodfellas’ in particular has a diversity of examples of the well known long tracking shot, one being what I would say to be the most memorable long tracking shot scene in history. Significantly, the shot is of Henry walking around the bar introducing his new wife to his associates, we watch as the camera moves back and forth between characters whilst he explains who they are. I could write a novel about this shot, and about all it represents and everything it has influenced since, but realistically it is merely the utmost perfect (or close to) long tracking shot that has ever existed in film. The scene paints and portrays so much about the characters, and their relationship. Creatively, it has established just enough of a world and a mood to heighten and deliver the audience to a new level of discovery, and it does so with such style, fluidity and dynamic that it should surely seem a million times rehearsed. Ultimately, the real genius of this shot is that it feels natural—the complexity of the shot never, ever, detracts from its vitality. …show more content…
In both Goodfellas and Casino, and even his recent film “the wolf on wall street”, Scorsese has used a healthy quantity of freeze frames. Generally, his use of the technique is manipulated in such a way that characters' emotions are emphasized. When emotional characteristics are incorporated into techniques such as freeze frames, the audience's understanding of a film broadens; Scorsese likes to pair his freeze frames with a voice over, elevating the enjoyment of the viewer. Attention to detail and repetition every freeze frame in Goodfellas appears after the flash bulbs creating a photographic feeling with every freeze frame. A well known scene in Goodfellas that exemplifies the use of these techniques would be after Henry Hill marries his new wife Karen and the Rabbi stands on the glass, an intentional use of multiple freeze frames in sequence to replicate photos being taken and memories being made. When the illusion of one frame being printed several times, or frozen into what looks like a still photograph is used, you know that you are watching a freeze frame. Another example of a freeze frame in the movie, a young 13-year-old Henry is seen beating cars with just a baseball bat, pouring gasoline over them and setting them on fire. Accompanied well by a voice over explaining just how fortunate he was and how he “had it all”. The frame freezes on his dark silhouette with the background of
Known for his infamous creations of film which usually have a depiction of violence and liberal use of profanity, Martin Scorsese has had an overwhelming abundance of success in the film industry. In this essay I will discuss how the director Martin Scorsese uses certain techniques such as long tracking shots, freeze frames and the structure of his films in the films like “Goodfellas” and “Casino”. I will discuss and analyse these cinematic techniques and explain how this is then used to engage his audience to an extent that keeps them eager to watch.
Long tracking shots. When the name ‘Scorsese’ is mentioned, a series of cinematic techniques instantly come to mind; a great long …show more content…
‘Goodfellas’ in particular has a diversity of examples of the well known long tracking shot, one being what I would say to be the most memorable long tracking shot scene in history. Significantly, the shot is of Henry walking around the bar introducing his new wife to his associates, we watch as the camera moves back and forth between characters whilst he explains who they are. I could write a novel about this shot, and about all it represents and everything it has influenced since, but realistically it is merely the utmost perfect (or close to) long tracking shot that has ever existed in film. The scene paints and portrays so much about the characters, and their relationship. Creatively, it has established just enough of a world and a mood to heighten and deliver the audience to a new level of discovery, and it does so with such style, fluidity and dynamic that it should surely seem a million times rehearsed. Ultimately, the real genius of this shot is that it feels natural—the complexity of the shot never, ever, detracts from its vitality. …show more content…
In both Goodfellas and Casino, and even his recent film “the wolf on wall street”, Scorsese has used a healthy quantity of freeze frames. Generally, his use of the technique is manipulated in such a way that characters' emotions are emphasized. When emotional characteristics are incorporated into techniques such as freeze frames, the audience's understanding of a film broadens; Scorsese likes to pair his freeze frames with a voice over, elevating the enjoyment of the viewer. Attention to detail and repetition every freeze frame in Goodfellas appears after the flash bulbs creating a photographic feeling with every freeze frame. A well known scene in Goodfellas that exemplifies the use of these techniques would be after Henry Hill marries his new wife Karen and the Rabbi stands on the glass, an intentional use of multiple freeze frames in sequence to replicate photos being taken and memories being made. When the illusion of one frame being printed several times, or frozen into what looks like a still photograph is used, you know that you are watching a freeze frame. Another example of a freeze frame in the movie, a young 13-year-old Henry is seen beating cars with just a baseball bat, pouring gasoline over them and setting them on fire. Accompanied well by a voice over explaining just how fortunate he was and how he “had it all”. The frame freezes on his dark silhouette with the background of