20 Things You Didn't Know About Goodfellas
12. The Final Shot Is A Homage To The Great Train Robbery
At the end of the film, after Hill's narration of becoming an "average nobody," we see Tommy point a gun at the camera and shoot it six times, which Scorsese included as a homage to one of the earliest films in history: The Great Train Robbery.
Released in 1903, The Great Train Robbery was only twelve minutes long, but it was a pioneer in filmmaking. It was a milestone in elements of film such as multiple camera angles, editing, and a flowing narrative.
The final shot of that film sees the leader of the bandits, played by Justus D. Barnes, fire his pistol six times at the camera.
To show his appreciation for the film, Scorsese directly paid homage to it here.