“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. To me, being gangster is better than being president of the United States.” It is the first voice over line from Henry in Goodfellas; and it also sets the tone of the whole film. Martin Scorsese builds an incredible but also cruel gangster world in 146 minutes. Scorsese tells us a story from the angle of the most basic and lowest level gangsters. It is also the same story-telling angle in Mean Street. We can feel the main character’s thirst for power, struggling and fighting for his life, and compromising to the fate at the end. Scorsese builds a beautiful and dreamlike look of the story with amazing camera movements and saturated colors. However behind the glitzy surface, gangster’s
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In Goodfellas, Scorsese uses slow motion shots to express Karen’s exciting and dream feeling on her wedding (around 43:25). Character’s slow speed but smooth movement gives audiences an unreal but happy feeling. We can feel Karen expects her new life. At the beginning of Taxi Driver, Scorsese also uses slow motion way to add a little mystery and dream feeling into the night view of city. In King of Comedy, there is fabulous slow motion shot too. Rupert stands in the crowd and stares at Jerry, when Jerry walks out of door and gets through the crowd (around 2:41). In Jerry’s eyes, to be a star like Jerry is his dream. The slow motion shot let audiences feel what Jerry feels; and it also make Jerry look more popular. In Ranging Bull, Scorsese inserts some slow-motion shots into the fight scenes, such as flashing light shot and Jake’s breathing shot. Those slow-motion shots bring some tired and trance feeling. They make audiences into the story more. There is another scene having many slow motion shots in Ranging Bull. When Jake finally wins the game and gets the belt (around 1:21:07), Scorsese uses many slow motion shots to highlight Jake’s happiness. Besides that, when Jake sees Vickie at the second time in a restaurant (around 22:42), Scorsese uses a long slow motion shot and cuts it with Jack’s staring coverage. Slow motion shot gives us a dream feeling. To Jake, Vickie is his dream. We can feel how much he wants her at that moment through the slow motion
In Goodfellas, Scorsese uses slow motion shots to express Karen’s exciting and dream feeling on her wedding (around 43:25). Character’s slow speed but smooth movement gives audiences an unreal but happy feeling. We can feel Karen expects her new life. At the beginning of Taxi Driver, Scorsese also uses slow motion way to add a little mystery and dream feeling into the night view of city. In King of Comedy, there is fabulous slow motion shot too. Rupert stands in the crowd and stares at Jerry, when Jerry walks out of door and gets through the crowd (around 2:41). In Jerry’s eyes, to be a star like Jerry is his dream. The slow motion shot let audiences feel what Jerry feels; and it also make Jerry look more popular. In Ranging Bull, Scorsese inserts some slow-motion shots into the fight scenes, such as flashing light shot and Jake’s breathing shot. Those slow-motion shots bring some tired and trance feeling. They make audiences into the story more. There is another scene having many slow motion shots in Ranging Bull. When Jake finally wins the game and gets the belt (around 1:21:07), Scorsese uses many slow motion shots to highlight Jake’s happiness. Besides that, when Jake sees Vickie at the second time in a restaurant (around 22:42), Scorsese uses a long slow motion shot and cuts it with Jack’s staring coverage. Slow motion shot gives us a dream feeling. To Jake, Vickie is his dream. We can feel how much he wants her at that moment through the slow motion