‘Goodfellas’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey
January 4, 2022 · Goodfellas (1990) · Biography · Crime · Drama · 2:39:19 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsRobert De Niro — Discusses multiple great De Niro moments but singles out the slow motion smoking scene where he decides to kill Maury as his personal favorite, calling it something only De Niro could pull off▶ 25:57
Sean FennesseyRobert De Niro — Highlights the phone booth scene after Tommy gets killed as De Niro's best explosive performance, also praises the slow motion smoking scene and the post-arrest scene▶ 24:53
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsDe Niro called Hill several times a day for character details; asked how Jimmy would eat pasta (decided ketchup); insisted on new outfit every scene; decided Jimmy's motivation was only the next score; demanded real money instead of fake prop money ($2,000 from prop master)▶ 27:43
Chris RyanDe Niro recognized he was too old to play Henry but wanted to play Jimmy; wanted to be third or fourth lead but still get top billing and center of poster positioning▶ 27:00
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsOpening scene with narration and foreshadowing, young Henry breaking his cherry scene, and the 'you're a funny guy' sequence▶ 55:06
Chris RyanEvery scene is rewatchable, agrees with the bamboo lounge sequence and discusses the cognitive dissonance of the opening▶ 55:02
Sean FennesseyThe whole sequence outside and into the bamboo lounge introducing all the guys - one of the most iconic scenes of the last 35 years▶ 56:49
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsRay Liotta — Presents casting alternatives: DeNiro chose Jimmy over Tommy, William Peterson as second choice for Jimmy, Liotta considered for Harvey Dent in Batman, Sean Penn considered for Henry Hill but prefers Liotta. Madonna would have been a mistake - too distracting▶ 1:51:33
Chris RyanJohn Malkovich — Confirms Malkovich was considered and had midlife crisis, chose Eragon instead. Sean Penn essentially did his Goodfellas role in State of Grace. Tom Cruise offers were standard process at the time▶ 1:51:53
Sean FennesseyWilliam Petersen — William Peterson as Jimmy wouldn't work. Henry has to be center of gravity and Penn works best when he's the craziest guy in the room, not as the stable center▶ 1:52:04
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsMike Starr — Mike Starr because he never can remember his name and he's in everything▶ 1:55:23
Chris RyanPeter Onorati — Nominated Peter Honorati and Tobin Bell, expressed liking Mike Starr but also mentioned Honorati for getting his face caved in▶ 1:55:12
Sean FennesseyFrank DiLeo — Discussed Frank DiLeo as Tootie and his interesting backstory as Michael Jackson's manager, but no definitive pick stated▶ 1:55:56
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsFrank Vincent — Frank Vincent as Billy Bats - agrees it has to be him because he comes in hot for four minutes and matches Pesci and De Niro's energy▶ 2:00:03
Chris RyanFrank Vincent — Frank Vincent as Billy Bats - suggests renaming the award to 'the Frank Vincent award' or 'the Billy Bats award' because of this iconic performance▶ 1:59:20
Sean FennesseyFrank Vincent — Frank Vincent as Billy Bats (winner), Chuck Lowe as Maury (second place), Debbie Mazar as Sandy (third place)▶ 1:59:58
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsMartin Scorsese — Martin Scorsese - this became his 'Tom Brady second three Super Bowls' era that allowed him to ascend and leave his generation behind▶ 2:33:02
Chris RyanMartin Scorsese — Agrees Scorsese wins but notes you could make arguments for any of the three main actors (De Niro, Liotta, Pesci) and jokingly mentions Jim Gordon for writing the second half of Layla▶ 2:34:05
Sean FennesseyMartin Scorsese — Martin Scorsese - this reset the trajectory of his career and made him the mascot of American movies, preventing him from becoming a relic like other 70s filmmakers▶ 2:31:59
Movies Referenced (67)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Godfather (1972) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 6:53 |
| Raging Bull (1980) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 5:16 |
| The Irishman (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 43:15 |
| Home Alone (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 7:48 |
| The Killer (2023) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 57:30 |
| Wall Street (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 15:57 |
| Casino (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:15:25 |
| Midnight Run (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 21:21 |
| Boogie Nights (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:43:17 |
| Contagion (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 2:08 |
| Dances with Wolves (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 6:32 |
| Mean Streets (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:23 |
Directors Referenced (9)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 2:38 |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 1:12:34 |
| Warren Beatty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Heaven Can Wait | ▶ 41:30 |
| Stephen Frears | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Dangerous Liaisons | ▶ 34:53 |
| Mel Gibson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory | ▶ 1:34:14 |
| Michael Powell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:48:07 | |
| Otto Preminger | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Anatomy of a Murder | ▶ 1:48:41 |
| Robert Altman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Gosford Park | ▶ 2:32:40 |
| Sidney Lumet | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | 12 Angry Men | ▶ 36:28 |
Actors Referenced (41)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert De Niro | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 36 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver | ▶ 1:41 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 14 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 38:55 |
| Andy Garcia | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Ocean's Eleven, The Godfather Part III | ▶ 40:57 |
| Frank Vincent | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Goodfellas, Casino | ▶ 1:11:23 |
| Lorraine Bracco | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Goodfellas | ▶ 25:43 |
| Joe Pesci | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Irishman | ▶ 1:41 |
| Christopher Brooks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 30:32 | |
| Henny Youngman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Goodfellas | ▶ 1:09:16 |
| Kathy Bates | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Misery, Titanic | ▶ 40:09 |
| Michael Imperioli | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Goodfellas | ▶ 1:18:34 |
| Michael Jackson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:56:16 | |
| Paul Sorvino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:03:31 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Gent | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 21:36 | |
| Attica Locke | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 45:09 | |
| Graham Greene | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Third Man | ▶ 41:12 |
| Nora Ephron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Julie & Julia, When Harry Met Sally... | ▶ 45:35 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:07 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Willis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Godfather Part II | ▶ 1:47:47 |