Goodfellas screenshots

After the film introduction Henry continues to voice over his past. The camera does an extreme close up of Henry's eye, which appears green with dilated pupils, similar to that of a cat eye. it demonstrates his intensity and absorption is the activity across the street, inciting the viewer and drawing them in with his line of focus. It zooms out to a close up and you see Henry looking through a set of slatted Venetian blinds, metaphorical of the separation his family home causes him in order to be a part of and in association with the gangster circle. As well as this there's the more obvious connotations between the bar like shadows cast across Henry and the illegal activity performed across the street that he wants to be involved with so much. During this shot Henry says "They did whatever they wanted" demonstrating binary opposition as he is trapped and blocked off at that moment from being a part of their world. However when he gets involved to him it appears to give him a sense of freedom although that gangster culture and lifestyle is, to many, seen as a form on entrapment in itself.

Henry presents himself to his mother in his new clothes, which symbolise him becoming fully ingratiated with the gangster organisation, she says "you look like a gangster" and it gives the impression that his smart suit holds a similar role to that of a uniform. This time he is outside of the family home, but he looks happy about this in comparison to the almost sour impression he gives off when in the house. Also his mother doesn't welcome him in, instead she keeps him outside like this has symbolised him moving away from her family and into the family of the gangsters. The camera tilts down when he says about his shoes as if his mother is looking down on them, even though they are what he is most proud and is metaphorical of her opinion on his gangster involvement.

Although Paulie is surrounded by people that he refers to as his family he doesn't appear to connect or talk to anyone and somewhat disconnects himself from the people there. He sits centrally at the BBQ but no one looks at him directly and he looks out not making eye contact, and poses somewhat like a deity which could be compared to painting of Jesus of the last supper; in which everyone at the table looks away from him and he looks out of the photo.