Goodfellas

"As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster." Henry Hill grew up in the midst of New York City's criminal underworld, finally achieving the coveted status of "wiseguy." But in 1980, he made the decision to exchange his knowledge for a new identity. "GoodFellas," Hill's own account of crude hierarchies, casual murders, and collaboration with the Feds (as a member of the Witness Protection Program) was adapted for the screen by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi--and is now seen as a contemporary classic. The film drew rave reviews everywhere upon its theatrical release in 1990, and was nominated for Oscars in both the Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay categories. This book also offers an introduction by David Thompson, the noted film critic and co-editor of "Scorsese on Scorsese."