Guillermo del Toro‘s praise of a 1990s classic movie brings to mind a new genre for the acclaimed filmmaker to explore. The best movies and TV shows del Toro has been involved in have made him a beloved filmmaker among fans. He has also won three Oscars for the likes of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and The Shape of Water.
With a filmmaker of such acclaim, it is always fascinating to hear the kinds of movies del Toro loves, especially as he is often linked to a particular genre of films. The monsters del Toro has created have made him a modern horror master. He has become known as an artist in capturing terrifying beauty.
While his upcoming adaptation of Frankenstein will further cement this reputation, one movie he loves suggests another fascinating genre for him to explore.
Guillermo del Toro Called Goodfellas “Perfect In Every Aspect”
Del Toro Is Right About Martin Scorsese’s Masterpiece
Guillermo del Toro is a filmmaker who is always eager to share his love of movies that mean a lot to him. While offering his list of the best films ever made for the Sight and Sound poll in 2012, del Toro named Martin Scorsese’s gangster masterpiece Goodfellas as one of the top 10. He elaborated on its brilliance, calling it (via Far Out):
“One of the most influential films of the last two decades. A movie that can be rewatched endlessly and remain fresh and surprising. Perfect in every aspect, behind and in front of the camera.”
It is hard to argue with any of the things del Toro has to say about Goodfellas. The true story of Henry Hill takes the audience on an intoxicated and unsettling look at the lives of real mobsters. Scorsese brilliantly stages the story in its build-up from the seductive life of crime to the paranoia and violence that comes from this world.
As del Toro suggested, it is a movie that is endlessly rewatchable as the pace is exhilarating, jumping from one iconic moment to another. This is added to by the amazing performances from the likes of Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and especially Joe Pesci.
Indeed, the movie has become hugely influential, with many filmmakers trying to capture Scorsese’s relentless movement of the story and how it pulls the audience into this world. Films like Blow, Boogie Nights, and I, Tonya clearly draw from Goodfellas, while Scorsese himself has made great movies off a similar formula, like Casino and The Wolf of Wall Street.
A Guillermo del Toro Gangster Movie Is An Intriguing Prospect
Nightmare Alley Showed A Hint Of Del Toro Telling Such A Story
With Guillermo del Toro having such insightful and positive things to say about Goodfellas, it introduces the interesting idea of seeing the filmmaker explore the gangster movie genre. While del Toro is known for his horror movies, he has proven to have a lot of versatility even within that genre, playing around with fairy tales, supernatural elements, and love stories.
It is not hard to see del Toro venturing away from the fantastical horror and exploring the gangster genre. In fact, del Toro’s acclaimed noir movie Nightmare Alley suggested he would excel at this kind of story. Though there were horror elements to that movie, its period setting and dark characters got close to the territory many gangster movies operate within.
Most intriguing of all, del Toro’s ability as a storyteller to find the beauty in dark worlds could be ideal for a gangster movie. It would be fascinating to see how he explores this world of violence and these immoral characters while also bringing a different perspective. As much as del Toro loves Goodfellas, it is certain that his gangster movie would be very different.
