20 Things You Didn't Know About Goodfellas
1. The Preview Screenings Didn't Go So Well
Goodfellas is one of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time, but no one would have predicted that based on the reactions of preview screenings.
Due to the extreme violence and language, the studio was nervous about the film, and it seemed their fears were justified after terrible preview screenings.
Nicolas Pileggi said that 70 people walked out of a screening in Orange County, California, because of how violent the film was.
According to an executive producer, one screening was so bad that the team hid in a bowling alley from an angry audience. One of the moviegoers even wrote "f**k you" on a comment card.
Overall, the film reportedly received the worst preview response in Warner Bros.' history, but that didn't stop the film from releasing unaltered and leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest films ever.
Clearly, audiences back then just weren't as accustomed to the extreme violence and profanity we're used to today.