MovieChat Forums > Casino (1995) Discussion > As despicable and wrong (though oddly hi...

As despicable and wrong (though oddly hilarious as a character in a dark sort of ironic movie way)...

posted 3 years ago by TheMan18 (12511)
13 replies | jump to latest

... as Joe Pesci's character was, when he was being beaten to death in that corn field scene along with his brother, did anyone STILL feel shocked and disturbed at his death scene DESPITE him being nothing short of a vicious and murderous bad guy? And did anyone also NOT get a feeling of emotional satisfaction and comeuppance from that scene, not least because, in a manner that was conducted, those other Mafiosis in his killing really overstepped the line in the brutality of his demise?

And when he had that face and blood was spewing from his mouth and the incredibly bloody body of his when he was also being buried etc, did it make anyone almost cry?

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[–] ShogunofYonkers (71750) 3 years ago

That corn field scene was a rough one, I did feel bad for him despite the fact that he was pretty much a drug fueled violent lunatic

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[–] TheMan18 (12511) 3 years ago

I am guessing in its own way, that sort of also speaks of Martin Scorsese's talent that he was able to pull off a feature that involves a scene where a bad guy, who is no doubt horrible and wrong and guilty of many criminal offenses, can be killed and we as audience are not either supposed to or able to cheer at his death and we almost feel sorry for him as a result.

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[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

I thought he got what he deserved. The guy was a mass murderer, think of all the lives he took and the families he devastated.

I will say, though, that his brother Dominic didn’t seem to deserve a death like that, from what we know of him. So when they force Pesci to watch his brother get brained then tossed into the ditch I was like ‘OK fellas, I think these scumbags have suffered enough’

I was pleased to see Pesci really suffer after the easy ride he got in Goodfellas.

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[–] TheMan18 (12511) 3 years ago

True, but the point being, the disturbing way in which the scene was shot, kind of STILL made me feel rather disturbed and felt that they went too far in carrying out the deed than simply feeling joy at getting rid of an agreeably horrible mass murderer, and I think Scorsese may have done it intentionally and used talent here.

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[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

I’ve no doubt Scorsese was messing with the audience, making them feel some sympathy for Pesci’s vicious psycho, and of all his scenes of violence - which show its brutal, bloody nastiness instead of glorifying it - this might rank as his most disturbing.

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[–] Cognoscente (2463) 3 years ago

A compromise could have been reached where their limbs are smashed but not their heads.

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[–] TheMan18 (12511) 3 years ago

Wonder what type of compromise that would be Cognoscente?

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[–] TheMan18 (12511) 3 years ago

I also read online that if he somehow surrendered himself to the police and been imprisoned, he would've been spared from that horrible fate but then in prison he could've been killed too, no?

And its like yeah, since he was terrible and guilty, he couldn't be allowed to find himself any middle ground so its either severe legal punishment or severe death at the hands of fellow criminals?

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[–] TheMan18 (12511) 3 years ago

And what type of OFFICIAL protection as such can be offered to say INNOCENT people who have done NOTHING illegal and wrong to go to jail but are at great risk of murder or some other horrible deed, witness protection programme?

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[–] Cognoscente (2463) 3 years ago

At least it would have made the narration more plausible when it's claimed that they were buried alive.

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[–] Tabbycat (748) 2 years ago

Of course.

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[–] MichaelJPollock (649) a year ago

I gotta say it's the shot of Nikki being made to witness his brother Dominic's brutal beating ("leave him alone, he's still breathing...") that gets me everytime.
Pesci is a vastly underrated actor when it comes to the range he's capable of (given his very peculiar physique) and the way he plays that scene makes it ever so easy for anyone with siblings to identify with his infinite sadness and grief. It's also the only time he emotes some form of genuine compassion for anyone in the whole film. So, yeah, a great director a the top of his game and a great actor make it easy to empathize with an otherwise truly vile character.

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[–] TheMan18 (12511) a year ago

The scene itself was disturbing no matter how bad Nicki Santoro was. ]

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