Wiseguy: Life in the Mafia Family.

PILEGGI, Nicholas.

Item Number: 145120

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1985.

First edition of the author’s first book, the basis for Martin Scorcese’s masterpiece Goodfellas, widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. Octavo, original half cloth. Very good in a very good dust jacket. Jacket design by George Corsillo. Jacket photograph by Brian Hagiwara.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and produced by Irwin Winkler, Goodfellas premiered at the 47th Venice International Film Festival on September 9, 1990, where Scorsese was awarded with Silver Lion for Best Director, and was released in the United States on September 19, 1990, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was made on a budget of $25 million and grossed $47 million. Goodfellas received widespread acclaim upon release: the critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes calls it "arguably the high point of Martin Scorsese's career". The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, with Joe Pesci winning for Best Supporting Actor. The film won five awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, including Best Film and Best Director. Additionally, Goodfellas was named the year's best film by various critics' groups. Goodfellas is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, particularly in the gangster genre. With an ensemble cast, including most notably Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta, the film exemplifies an unparalleled mastery in narrative construction and visual storytelling, effectively immersing spectators into the visceral milieu of organized crime. Scorsese's innovative directorial techniques, including the utilization of voiceover narration, dynamic editing, and iconic tracking shots, herald a paradigm shift in cinematic expression within the crime genre.