Martin Scorsese's gangster epic Goodfellas originally appeared on DVD in the early days of the format. This two-disc special edition replaces that first release as the definitive DVD of the film. The movie itself is presented in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. This is a difficult film to transfer because of the deep reds, but this disc looks as good as one could possibly hope. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a Spanish soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. The extensive supplemental materials include one of the finest commentary tracks ever recorded. Featuring just about every major figure involved in the film (both in front of and behind the camera) , the track offers comments from Scorsese that reveal how every aspect of production figures into every shot. Listening to him explain why the famous "What's so funny about me" scene would not work in a film with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 is a master class in film directing. A second commentary track features Henry Hill, the real life gangster played in the film by Ray Liotta, and an FBI agent who spent his career tracking down gangsters. A second disc contains an information packed documentary on the making of the film, and a short featurette in which directors Richard Linklater, Jon Favrau, and Allen and Albert Hughes discuss the film's influence. Simply stated, this is one of the best DVD releases of 2004.
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This is the epitome of what a mob movie should be, action packed enough, but with the slight twinge of criminalistic humor, and high energy, it keeps you in your seats and glued to the screen.