Blog #4

 The scene from the film 'Goodfellas' when Karen and Henry walk into the Copacabana club is one of my favorites. A steadicam follows their movement into the club's side entrance and through the kitchen, then down into the main dining area. The steady long shot that follows their progression through the interior of the club to their eventual seat near the stage focuses on the backs of Henry and Karen, while capturing all the hustle and movement of the clubs staff, first the bouncer/host, kitchen, then servers. Henry's interaction with the Copacabana staff is showcased here-the way that people relate to him conveys a certain level of status onto Karen, as he is trying to woo her.
In this scene, at 2:00, two of the servers carry in a table-creating a seat out of nowhere- literally rearranging the dining room for Henry and his date. The flourish of the white tablecloth and the quick display of above-and-beyond service is a testament to Henry's power, which Karen is dazzled and confused about. Later in the same scene, she asks what he does for a living, to which he replies "I'm in construction." She feels his presumably soft hands while musing "They don't feel like you're in construction." The camera moves quickly behind them, and lots of action and movement all at once and from all angles is captured during this short scene. The quick, breathlessness of the editing, and the angle of the camera-highlighting the staff's expressions and almost over-the-top displays of service upon Henry and Karen's entrance is very important to the film's plot.












https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sr-vxVaY_M