Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on Goodfellas

  GAMES:

  • Fill-in-the-blank
  • Matching
  • Hangman
  • Flash cards
  • Sentence jumble
  • Missing words
  • No letters
  • Crossword puzzle

Goodfellas is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. The film follows the rise and fall of the Lucchese crime family over a period from 1955 to 1980. The movie stars Robert de Niro, Samuel L. Jackson and Joe Pesci. To prepare for their roles in the film, the actors often spoke with Pileggi, who shared his research material with them. According to Pesci, improvisation and ad-libbing came out of rehearsals where Scorsese gave the actors freedom to do whatever they wanted. This created many new lines for the movie.

Goodfellas performed well at the box office, grossing $46.8 million in the USA. It also received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and Pesci won for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category. Scorsese's film won five awards from BAFTA - the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Goodfellas is often considered one of the greatest films ever, both in the crime genre and in general. Movie critic Roger Ebert wrote: "No finer film has ever been made about organized crime - not even The Godfather." Goodfellas inspired director David Chase to make the smash-hit HBO television series The Sopranos.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodfellas 

  TRAILER AND POSTER

GOODFELLAS POSTER

1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them?

2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is – the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories.

3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer…) and talk about them with your partner(s).

4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie.

5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s).

GOODFELLAS TRAILER

1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions.

4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s).

5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s).

  MATCHING

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	adaptation	a.	creativeness
2	rise and fall	b.	practice
3.	roles	c.	motivated
4.	improvisation	d.	variation
5.	rehearsals	e.	thought to be
6.	grossing	f.	parts
7.	overwhelmingly	g.	category
8.	considered	h.	ups and downs
9.	genre	i.	tremendously
10.	inspired	j.	earning

PHRASE MATCH

1.	a film adaptation of the	a.	been made
2	the rise	b.	well at the box office
3.	To prepare	c.	lines for the movie
4.	improvisation and ad-libbing came	d.	crime
5.	This created many new	e.	positive reviews
6.	Goodfellas performed	f.	hit HBO television series
7.	It also received overwhelmingly	g.	out of rehearsals
8.	No finer film has ever	h.	for their roles
9.	organized	i.	1986 non-fiction book
10.	make the smash-	j.	and fall

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

Goodfellas is a 1990 American (1) _________________________ Martin Scorsese. It is (2) _________________________ 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. The film (3) _____________________ of the Lucchese crime family over a period from 1955 to 1980. The movie stars Robert de Niro, Samuel L. Jackson and Joe Pesci. To (4) _________________________ the film, the actors often spoke with Pileggi, who shared his research material with them. According to Pesci, (5) _________________________ came out of rehearsals where Scorsese gave the actors freedom to do whatever they wanted. This (6) _________________________ the movie.

Goodfellas (7) _________________________ office, grossing $46.8 million in the USA. It also received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. (8) _________________________ for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and Pesci won for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category. Scorsese's (9) _________________________ BAFTA - the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Goodfellas is often             (10) _________________________ films ever, both in the crime genre and in general. Movie critic Roger Ebert wrote: "No finer film has ever been (11) _________________________ - not even The Godfather." Goodfellas inspired director David Chase   (12) _________________________ HBO television series The Sopranos.

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	dretedic by Martin Scorsese
2.	a film adatoiptna
3.	… who co-wrote the cypenaesrl
4.	research elaramit
5.	improvisation and da-lgbnbii
6.	came out of helraasers
Paragraph 2
7.	rgsoinsg $46.8 million
8.	lwliyrveogemnh positive reviews from critics
9.	a Supporting Role recgtyoa
10.	ecseriondd one of the greatest films ever
11.	reoindzag crime
12.	the amssh-tih HBO television series

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

goodfellas is a 1990 american crime film directed by martin scorsese it is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book wiseguy by nicholas pileggi who co-wrote the screenplay with scorsese the film follows the rise and fall of the lucchese crime family over a period from 1955 to 1980 the movie stars robert de niro samuel l jackson and joe pesci to prepare for their roles in the film the actors often spoke with pileggi who shared his research material with them according to pesci improvisation and ad-libbing came out of rehearsals where scorsese gave the actors freedom to do whatever they wanted this created many new lines for the movie

goodfellas performed well at the box office grossing $468 million in the usa it also received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics the film was nominated for six academy awards including best picture and best director and pesci won for the best actor in a supporting role category scorsese's film won five awards from bafta - the british academy of film and television arts goodfellas is often considered one of the greatest films ever both in the crime genre and in general movie critic roger ebert wrote "no finer film has ever been made about organized crime - not even the godfather" goodfellas inspired director david chase to make the smash-hit hbo television series the sopranos

  INSERT THE VOWELS

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G__df_ll_s p_rf_rm_d w_ll _t th_ b_x _ff_c_, gr_ss_ng $46.8 m_ll__n _n th_ _S_. _t _ls_ r_c__v_d _v_rwh_lm_ngly p_s_t_v_ r_v__ws fr_m cr_t_cs. Th_ f_lm w_s n_m_n_t_d f_r s_x _c_d_my _w_rds, _ncl_d_ng B_st P_ct_r_ _nd B_st D_r_ct_r, _nd P_sc_ w_n f_r th_ B_st _ct_r _n _ S_pp_rt_ng R_l_ c_t_g_ry. Sc_rs_s_'s f_lm w_n f_v_ _w_rds fr_m B_FT_ - th_ Br_t_sh _c_d_my _f F_lm _nd T_l_v_s__n _rts. G__df_ll_s _s _ft_n c_ns_d_r_d _n_ _f th_ gr__t_st f_lms _v_r, b_th _n th_ cr_m_ g_nr_ _nd _n g_n_r_l. M_v__ cr_t_c R_g_r _b_rt wr_t_: "N_ f_n_r f_lm h_s _v_r b__n m_d_ _b__t _rg_n_z_d cr_m_ - n_t _v_n Th_ G_df_th_r." G__df_ll_s _nsp_r_d d_r_ct_r D_v_d Ch_s_ t_ m_k_ th_ sm_sh-h_t HB_ t_l_v_s__n s_r__s Th_ S_pr_n_s.

  MARK THE SPACES

Goodfellasisa1990AmericancrimefilmdirectedbyMartinScorsese.Itis
afilmadaptationofthe1986nonfictionbookWiseguybyNicholasPileggi
,whocowrotethescreenplaywithScorsese.Thefilmfollowstheriseandf
alloftheLucchesecrimefamilyoveraperiodfrom1955to1980.Themovi
estarsRobertdeNiro,SamuelL.JacksonandJoePesci.Toprepareforthe
irrolesinthefilm,theactorsoftenspokewithPileggi,whosharedhisrese
archmaterialwiththem.AccordingtoPesci,improvisationandadlibbing
cameoutofrehearsalswhereScorsesegavetheactorsfreedomtodowh
atevertheywanted.Thiscreatedmanynewlinesforthemovie.Goodfell
asperformedwellattheboxoffice,grossing$46.8millionintheUSA.Ital
soreceivedoverwhelminglypositivereviewsfromcritics.Thefilmwasn
ominatedforsixAcademyAwards,includingBestPictureandBestDirect
or,andPesciwonfortheBestActorinaSupportingRolecategory.Scorse
se'sfilmwonfiveawardsfromBAFTAtheBritishAcademyofFilmandTele
visionArts.Goodfellasisoftenconsideredoneofthegreatestfilmsever,
bothinthecrimegenreandingeneral.MoviecriticRogerEbertwrote:"No
finerfilmhaseverbeenmadeaboutorganizedcrimenotevenTheGodfat
her."GoodfellasinspireddirectorDavidChasetomakethesmashhitHB
OtelevisionseriesTheSopranos.

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

  GOODFELLAS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Goodfellas in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	Student 1 __________	Student 2 __________	Student 3 __________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other's work.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about "Goodfellas". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "Goodfellas". What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors' performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. "GOODFELLAS" POSTER: Make a poster about "Goodfellas". Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics' reviews, why people should see it, etc.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for  "Goodfellas". Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on "Goodfellas". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	adaptation	a.	variation
2	rise and fall	b.	ups and downs
3.	roles	c.	parts
4.	improvisation	d.	creativeness
5.	rehearsals	e.	practice
6.	grossing	f.	earning
7.	overwhelmingly	g.	tremendously
8.	considered	h.	thought to be
9.	genre	i.	category
10.	inspired	j.	motivated

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review article at the top of the page.
(It's good for your English ;-)