In a move that has raised eyebrows among filmmakers, actors, and even former mob associates, AMC Networks recently added a trigger warning to the classic crime drama “Goodfellas.”
The message, displayed at the beginning of the film, cautions viewers about language and cultural stereotypes that may be deemed offensive by today’s standards of inclusion and tolerance.
The decision to include this warning has drawn criticism from those involved in the making of the film, as well as from individuals with firsthand experience in the world the movie depicts.
Bo Ditel, a former NYPD officer who portrayed a police officer in “Goodfellas,” expressed his frustration with the move, stating, “The political correctness has taken everything away. This is how life was back then. It was not a clean beautiful thing. You can’t cleanse history. If you want to tell true history, you gotta tell it the way it is.”
The trigger warning appears to be selectively applied, as other mob-themed films on AMC, such as “The Godfather,” feature a more generic “viewer discretion” warning that covers brief nudity, strong language, and intense violence.
AMC slaps ‘Goodfellas’ with trigger warning for ‘offensive’ content that includes ‘cultural stereotypes’ https://t.co/M0uboB5D8b pic.twitter.com/NakJECdM1O
— New York Post (@nypost) May 18, 2024
Michael Franzese, a former captain of the Colombo crime family, found the warning amusing, stating, “We don’t need anyone protecting mob guys. It’s crazy.”
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Released in 1990, “Goodfellas” has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest mob movies ever made.
Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film features stellar performances from a cast that includes Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Paul Sorvino.
Joe Pesci’s portrayal of the volatile gangster Tommy DeVito earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
The film’s cultural significance was further recognized in 2000 when the United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry, acknowledging its importance as a cinematic work that captures a particular time and place in American history.
The only thing about ‘Goodfellas’ that triggers Italians is this lame warning. https://t.co/h0RhlhUGLe
— Jeff Cortese (@jeffreycortese) May 19, 2024
The decision to label “Goodfellas” as potentially offensive to certain viewers runs the risk of diminishing the film’s authenticity and the harsh realities it portrays.
Moreover, the notion that Italian-American mobsters, known for their violent and criminal lifestyles, require protection from offensive content is laughable.
It undermines the very essence of the film, which seeks to provide an unvarnished look at the lives of these individuals and the world they inhabited.
