Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese are two directors who have repeatedly redefined American cinema, their new wave films evoking not a form of destruction, but a rejuvenation of traditions and conventions, proposing a visionary cinema that Raymond Durgnat describes as merging “Hollywood know-how with an authentic and avant-garde Americana, long marginalized in Hollywood, but not completely banned”. Although what probably links the two directors so closely is their similar backgrounds and the subsequent inspiration for their films, which is rooted in an understanding of Italian-American culture. And since they are both of Italian descent, the concept of gangster was the most representative of America for them growing up. Thus, it is their rebirth and reinvention of the gangster genre that keeps them so closely linked, with two of their most notable films, The Godfather (1972) and Goodfellas (1990), carrying a mutual interdetermination through their representation of this typically Italian-American underground world. . The figure of the gangster is deeply rooted in American cinema, and in particular in the cultural and physical landscape of New York. However, this character is not grounded in reality, but rather an artificially constructed idea of ​​a power figure. It is important to recognize that we need to go further in this essay, because, while both being near-perfect films, The Godfather and Goodfellas show a different approach in their depiction of the gangster; and this is largely due to the cinematic style and thematic approaches of Coppola and Scorsese. I will therefore explore the themes and styles of the two films, showing their differences, their similarities, and how these affect the overall understanding of the film and our general idea of ​​the gangster. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay First of all, it is important to point out that although the two representatives of the gangster genre, The Godfather and Goodfellas are two completely different ones. films in terms of substance, tone and mood, which makes comparing them quite difficult. As Carl Freedman reminds us, Scorsese and Coppola “examine the workings of the mafia from two radically different angles.” Therefore, one of the main reasons and obvious differences between the two films, which completely change the context in which they should be read and understood, is that one centers on the mafia, while the other deals with (real) gangsters; one focuses on a “wise man”, the other is a Gift; one represents the untouchable, the puppeteer, the string-puller, the other a criminal, the extortionist, the street fighter, the oppressor. Goodfellas offers a view of the crowd from below, while The Godfather's perspective is one from a higher level. Essentially, as Freedman argues, "Coppola's interest in the mafia is macroeconomic (and macropolitical), while Scorsese's GoodFellas is more of a street film, with a keen interest in the microeconomics of organized crime." Thus, their approaches to genre also differ: The Godfather is a drama, a Shakespearean tragedy; Goodfellas is a dark comedy mixed with elements of action melodrama. Goodfellas works on irony, while The Godfather works on tragedy – elements that will certainly play a major role in understanding the films' themes and style, as we'll see later. Likewise, both films are based on books. But while the filmby Coppola is an adaptation of a fictional story, Goodfellas tells the story and life of a real gangster. Thus, even if The Godfather seems to be the most "authentic" film, given its seriousness, its dramatic overtones and its thematic density, it is Scorsese's film which wins the battle of authenticity, introducing a level of realism in an otherwise fictional genre. In their discussion of which is the best gangster film, Jeff Labrecque and Kevin P. Sullivan agree that "Scorsese's film took away all the honor, glamor and glitz of the world Coppola created and instead served up a hot plate of reality”; but also that “The Godfather is the modern Shakespeare, while Goodfellas delights in the ugly underbelly of mob life. » With that, Coppola approaches the gangster genre with the aim of providing an in-depth commentary on American society, while Scorsese focuses on a more cynical and ironic critique of the individuals who inhabit this criminal world and their respective lifestyles. Additionally, The Godfather is the story of a royal crime family, while Goodfellas is the story of a rat and his openly violent friends. Thematically, the films follow relatively similar themes: power, loyalty, respect, the importance of traditions, and the study of masculinity, although Scorsese and Coppola approach them in very different ways. Goodfellas is primarily governed by the theme of power, violence, masculinity and bourgeois materialism, while The Godfather addresses the theme of family - more specifically, the implications of the patriarchal family - justice, revenge, morality, nostalgia, deception and filiation, as well as multiple contrasting binaries, such as the conflict between business and personal affairs, public and private spheres. In many ways, Coppola's film presents a more universal set of themes, as it takes timeless themes typically used in 19th-century Italian operas and adopts them in a context of more serious danger. Whereas Goodfellas works and builds its story on a much more distinct set of ideas, which, as previously mentioned, applies more to an individual than a collective. In short, The Godfather deals with much broader subjects, while Goodfellas tackles more specific issues. In Scorsese's film, the theme of power is inextricably linked and usually expressed through the central ideas of money and violence. In the gangster world of Goodfellas, having money represents power, and power often manifests itself in violence. These evil ones are fundamentally fueled by greed, materialistic desires and the appetite for destruction; they crave fame, power and money and violence is their way of getting it. The gangsters in Goodfellas maintain the power they have because they are always willing and ready to exert brute force and regress to violent behavior when necessary. In Goodfellas, violence is omnipresent in the lives of these people, and Scorsese uses it thematically to emphasize the vile and vicious nature of the gangster. The film's depiction of violence is extremely simple and unapologetically graphic; it happens unexpectedly, impulsively, almost natural for the smart, who kill with such ease that it becomes terrifying. Richard Brody argues that violence is a crucial part of their existence, as "the exercise of power in the mafia sphere is downright physical." He goes on to say that Scorsese "challenges viewers to enjoy these scenes of violence - and presents that violence in a waywhich is not at all about judging or condescending but rather about understanding and sharing the role of gangsters in the animal element of human life." ' On the other hand, the men of The Godfather also resort to violence and murder as they go about their business and resolve their problems Although we never see our main characters display violence compared to Scorsese's protagonists just as we rarely see the Corleones directly involved or in close proximity to them; any form of violence. And even if we do (eg: the baptism scene), it is depicted in such a lyrical and glorious way that we tend to forget all its negative connotations. two gangster films, they will naturally address the theme of masculinity, considering that the figure of the gangster has always been linked to the idea of ​​masculine authority and that it has reflected for generations the "changing notions of virility" . Janani Harihar suggests that, in The Godfather, Coppola "equates masculinity with power", to the extent that the film's male characters "use their bodies in different ways to secure their patriarchal position as head of the family". The film emphasizes the idea of ​​the crisis of masculinity through its depiction of the interactions between male characters, with Harihar noting how "Vito uses restricted body movements to exert influence", Sonny exercises his masculinity through " "big, brash, impulsive actions", while Michael uses "his intelligence and boldness to command authority. In the world of The Godfather, masculinity is asserted through titles, rankings and positions within the mafia family. For example, it is only after he executes all the heads of the other mafia families at the end of the film that Michael's masculinity reaches its full potential; his “adversaries” have been removed, his masculinity is fully restored and he is then honored with the title of Don. In Goodfellas, by contrast, masculinity is (unsurprisingly) established through brute force and violence, revealing an "ethnic, old-fashioned mode of masculinity" similar to that of Sonny. Noah Berlatsky argues that, in many ways, Scorsese's film acts as "a parable about the ugliness of masculinity", because being a man in the world of Goodfellas is tantamount to being "a murderous, conscienceless monster". In other words, Scorsese pursues masculine aggression, while Coppola resorts to masculine assertion. The Godfather's most predominant theme, however, is family. Richard Combs identifies "family" as the thematic core of the film, the artistic plane on which the entire Godfather trilogy was built, "the source of one of Coppola's recognized strengths, the creation of rich human tableaux." The Godfather places so much emphasis on the idea of ​​family, its traditions and customs, that this loving attention and intoxicating nostalgic treatment of it all can easily transform the film into a highly fictionalized portrait of the mafia. Goodfellas, however, places little emphasis on family values ​​and traditions, focusing instead on portraying Paulie's gang as the real family, whose customs must be respected and obeyed. While favoring more or less the same theme, stylistically, the two films are polar opposites. As mentioned at the beginning, the most striking difference between the two is how the directors portray the gangster's life. And given how The Godfather deals with the mafia elite and Goodfellas focuses on the life of a simple smartass, it's obvious that the former would have a more elegant style and almost operatic quality, while the latter would chronicle the story in amore pragmatic and visceral way. The most dominant feature of Goodfellas is the use of voiceover, as the story is told entirely from the point of view of our protagonist, Henry Hill. On the surface, this would make the film very subjective, seeing as how the narrative is filtered through Hill's own view of the mob. Scorsese wants his audience to be inside the heads of the characters, so we can better understand their motivations and the driving force behind each scene. We experience the film through Henry's eyes, or in some sense an extension of his character, as the monologues that accompany the visuals make it seem as if we are watching the footage alongside Henry himself. However, Scorsese makes us wear the skin of a self-aware observer who “soon reveals himself to be a somewhat passive protagonist, detached from events although involved in them”. What we see on screen right after the opening credits is a shot of 12-year-old Henry's spying eyes observing "Paulie's taxi stand through his bedroom windows." And from there, despite seeing Henry grow up before our eyes, it's as if we've never left his head, more precisely his point of view; we are stuck in this childish, idiotic look throughout the entire movie. As this is the first shot of the film's narrative, Henry's future actions are interpreted as purely juvenile. But this first-person narrative, as Freedman carefully points out, is "balanced by a certain degree of objectivity that can be seen beyond and from the protagonists' point of view." In his analysis of Goodfellas, Maurizio Viano cites Robert Kolker's observation that "Scorsese's films create a tension between two opposing cinematic forms: documentary and fiction. The documentary aspect offers the possibility of a seemingly objective observation of characters, places and events, while the other requires a subjectivity of point of view. He then goes on to add that Scorsese's stylistic imprint is seen in the inability of this subjectivity to detach itself from the objective construction of reality. Thus, Scorsese uses documentary-style devices, such as voice-over narration or intertitles, as well as French New Wave cinematographic techniques such as precise editing, rapid shots and breaking the fourth wall, all serving to constantly remind ourselves that we are watching a film. In this sense, we could say that Goodfellas is “a documentary fiction film, a kind of docudrama”. With The Godfather, on the other hand, Coppola takes a more distant and clearly objective approach. The film is highly novelistic in its scope and structure, acting more like a novel than an actual film, whose shot transitions are smooth, softened by dissolves, mimicking the delicate and intimate nature of page turning. The Godfather is therefore aptly described as cinematic literature, literature that emphasizes "sumptuous, lyrical ritual rather than intrigue and fast-paced action." Moreover, Coppola's conventional style of cinema echoes classical Hollywood, through its heritage of the "traditions of the novel, the theater and especially the opera and the cinema". Another important feature of The Godfather's style is its shadow cinematography, quite absent from Scorsese's film, which uses brighter, more saturated color palettes. Marcia J. Citron suggests that the film is visibly marked by "a dark and light contrast so operatic and so overtly symbolic that it perfectly expresses the fundamental nature of the material." In this way, seemingly simple conversation scenes (such as 2019