Joe Pesci

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q20178: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by the only person by that name on Wikidata.

Counted as actor. The films the hosts said they acted in, which the two lists below run through too: The Death Collector (1976); Raging Bull (1980); Lethal Weapon (1987); Goodfellas (1990); Home Alone (1990); JFK (1991); Lethal Weapon 3 (1992); My Cousin Vinny (1992); A Bronx Tale (1993); Casino (1995); The Irishman (2019).

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

After Hours (1985): 2 lines

  1. unmapped (stylistic seed) · through Goodfellas (1990), which they acted in: After Hours ⇒ Goodfellas (the host's read). Sean says the fast cutting, whip-pans and close-ups in After Hours are the seeds of Goodfellas' look, via cinematographer Michael Ballhaus.
    “just seeing all the seeds of Goodfellas and all these little edits and camera shots.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:04:02 · Sean Fennessey (0.70 sure it was them)
  2. career (career hinge) · through Goodfellas (1990), which they acted in: After Hours ⇒ Goodfellas (the host's read). Bill says Goodfellas does not happen if After Hours does not happen first; the cancelled Last Temptation is the sliding door.
    “I don't know if Goodfellas happens.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:17:21 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)

Alfred Hitchcock: 1 line

  1. craft (craft) · through My Cousin Vinny (1992), which they acted in: Alfred Hitchcock ⇒ My Cousin Vinny (the host's read). A Dutch-angle shot of James Rebhorn is called supposed to be out of Hitchcock, offered while saying the film has no truly cinematic shot.
    “I guess like there's a shot at James Rehorn that's supposed to be out of like Hitchcock or something where it's like a Dutch angle”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:51:35 · Wesley Morris (0.40 sure it was them)

Annie Hall (1977): 1 line

  1. unmapped (zeitgeist precedent) · through Raging Bull (1980), which they acted in: Annie Hall ⇒ Raging Bull (the host's read). Annie Hall established the late-70s map for human-frailty stories with comedy and fragile men, which Scorsese then exploited to horrify.
    “part of that map is is Annie Hall.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:32:35 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986): 1 line

  1. unmapped (dry run) · through Home Alone (1990), which they acted in: Ferris Bueller's Day Off ⇒ Home Alone (the host's read). Rooney getting beaten up by the house is Hughes's dry run for Home Alone.
    “Hughes has like a dry run for home alone when when Rooney goes to the house.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:19:48 · Chris Ryan (0.70 sure it was them)

Goodfellas (1990): 1 line, within their own work

  1. unmapped (borrowing) · through A Bronx Tale (1993), which they acted in: Goodfellas ⇒ A Bronx Tale (the host's read). The bar-introduction scene of nicknamed mobsters is called a borderline Goodfellas ripoff.
    “Meeting everyone in the bar, which is just a borderline Goodfellas ripoff.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘A Bronx Tale’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan · 0:55:08 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)

Italianamerican (1974): 1 line

  1. lineage (dialogue rhythm source) · through Raging Bull (1980), which they acted in: Italianamerican ⇒ Raging Bull (the host's read). Scorsese's parents fighting in Italianamerican and American Boy taught him the rhythm replicated in Raging Bull's family fight scenes.
    “And so much of his parents fighting in Italian American is the feeling of the family fight scenes in this movie.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:58:33 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

New York, New York (1977): 1 line

  1. career (career crisis) · through Raging Bull (1980), which they acted in: New York, New York ⇒ Raging Bull (the host's read). New York, New York's failure and bad reviews, with drugs and a collapsing marriage, pushed Scorsese toward making Raging Bull as a lifeline.
    “New York, New York comes out to bad reviews.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:46:51 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

On the Waterfront (1954): 1 line

  1. unmapped (meta ending) · through Raging Bull (1980), which they acted in: On the Waterfront ⇒ Raging Bull (the host's read). LaMotta recites the Waterfront monologue flat; the film swapped it in for Shakespeare, which Michael Powell vetoed.
    “So they they instead go for the on the waterfront because that's kind of like that's his iconography.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:55:17 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Rocky (1976): 1 line

  1. theme (anti-genre) · through Raging Bull (1980), which they acted in: Rocky ⇒ Raging Bull (the maker said so). Scorsese shot in black and white to differentiate from Rocky-era bright red-white-and-blue boxing movies, and producer Winkler produced both.
    “Number one, I want to differentiate from the Rockies and all the other sort of boxing movies right now.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:08:55 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Three's Company: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through My Cousin Vinny (1992), which they acted in: Three's Company ⇒ My Cousin Vinny (the host's read). Built on the misunderstanding-sitcom gags of that era; Friends was the last to dive into it.
    “it's still the legacy of that 3s company era of misunderstandings that could be entire episode.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:08:02 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023): 3 lines

  1. craft (opening style) · through Goodfellas (1990), which they acted in: Goodfellas ⇒ Killers of the Flower Moon (the host's read). The opening tracking shot echoes the Copacabana shot before the film rejects that mode.
    “It was a very long tracking shot through Leo's arrival, which is, you know, gesturing to Copacabana”
    The Big Picture · ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Is Astounding · 0:14:19 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)
  2. contrast (inverts) · through Goodfellas (1990), which they acted in: Goodfellas ⇒ Killers of the Flower Moon (the host's read). Same crimes by white men but with no romance or good life, a deliberate answer to Goodfellas' seductiveness.
    “there's a romance to Goodfellas that does not exist here.”
    The Big Picture · ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Is Astounding · 0:28:46 · Amanda Dobbins (0.50 sure it was them)
  3. unmapped (narration trick) · through Goodfellas (1990), which they acted in: Goodfellas ⇒ Killers of the Flower Moon (the host's read). Molly's voiceover recalls Karen taking over narration in Goodfellas.
    “Goodfellas does this. There's a moment when Karen takes over the narration.”
    The Big Picture · ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Is Astounding · 1:08:58 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)

A Bronx Tale (1993): 1 line, within their own work

  1. unmapped (borrowing) · through Goodfellas (1990), which they acted in: Goodfellas ⇒ A Bronx Tale (the host's read). The bar-introduction scene of nicknamed mobsters is called a borderline Goodfellas ripoff.
    “Meeting everyone in the bar, which is just a borderline Goodfellas ripoff.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘A Bronx Tale’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan · 0:55:08 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)

Bradley Cooper: 1 line

  1. craft (craft) · them, directly: Joe Pesci ⇒ Bradley Cooper (the host's read). Cooper plays Rocket as a Joe Pesci type, a full character performance rather than the Hangover guy or a wisecracking donkey.
    “I'm gonna play this like Joe Pashi.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 0:29:23 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Fran Drescher: 1 line

  1. industry (industry) · through My Cousin Vinny (1992), which they acted in: My Cousin Vinny ⇒ Fran Drescher (the host's read). Easy to rip off Tomei because ethnic comic performers with timing and sex appeal knew what to do with such a part.
    “there's a whole world of so-called ethnics out there who have great comic timing are really sexy”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:48:38 · Wesley Morris (0.80 sure it was them)

Legally Blonde (2001): 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through My Cousin Vinny (1992), which they acted in: My Cousin Vinny ⇒ Legally Blonde (the host's read). Legally Blonde comes after Vinny and plays with the genre's moments.
    “it comes after my cousin Vinny”
    The Big Picture · Objection! Top 10 Courtroom Dramas | The Big Picture · 1:34:07 · Amanda Dobbins (0.75 sure it was them)

My Blue Heaven: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Goodfellas (1990), which they acted in: Goodfellas ⇒ My Blue Heaven (the host's read). My Blue Heaven is blown out by Goodfellas as it is the same movie, like a sequel.
    “It got kind of blown out of the water by Goodfellas because it's the same movie.”
    The Big Picture · The 1990 Movie Draft · 1:31:51 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

The Color of Money (1986): 1 line

  1. people (origin of collaboration) · through Raging Bull (1980), which they acted in: Raging Bull ⇒ The Color of Money (the host's read). Newman watched Raging Bull on Ovitz's recommendation and wanted to work with Scorsese.
    “Paul Newman watches Raging Bull on, I guess Ovid's his recommendation and says, like, that's one of the best things I've ever seen.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Color of Money with Chris Ryan · 0:53:44 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

The King of Comedy (1982): 1 line

  1. lineage (spiritual sequel) · through Raging Bull (1980), which they acted in: Raging Bull ⇒ The King of Comedy (the host's read). King of Comedy is a part-2 of sorts about a delusional comedian, echoing LaMotta's stand-up, and is part of a De Niro trilogy with Taxi Driver.
    “There's the king of comedy, the spiritual sequel to Raging Bull.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:55:42 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them)

The Sopranos (1999): 1 line

  1. lineage (influence) · through A Bronx Tale (1993), which they acted in: A Bronx Tale ⇒ The Sopranos (the host's read). Ryan argues A Bronx Tale influenced The Sopranos more than any other movie, with Sonny and Tony Soprano close in how they hold the neighborhood.
    “I think Bronx Tale... influenced the Sopranos more than any other movie, but I don't think people think that.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘A Bronx Tale’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan · 0:23:20 · Chris Ryan (0.60 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Acting (24) everyone in acting

Other (1) everyone in other

What was said about them, by kind

career (4)

  1. career (career): Joe Pesci → Goodfellas. Pesci plays against his Goodfellas gangster type, falling in mud and wearing a ringmaster suit.
    “all the Goodfellas and stuff is in there.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:29:53 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. career (career): Joe Pesci → The Irishman. The wig theme continues: Pesci is the greatest wig actor, and The Irishman acknowledges the hair piece.
    “He's the greatest wig actor.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:31:21 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. career (career): JFK → Joe Pesci. Pesci's JFK is not his best; the hair disqualifies it.
    “The hair alone disqualifies it”
    The Big Picture · Objection! Top 10 Courtroom Dramas | The Big Picture · 1:14:52 · Amanda Dobbins (0.70 sure it was them)
  4. career (career): Joe Pesci → My Cousin Vinny. Maybe Vinny, not Goodfellas, Casino or JFK, is Pesci's shining achievement.
    “Maybe it's my cousin Vinny that is his his shining achievement”
    The Big Picture · Objection! Top 10 Courtroom Dramas | The Big Picture · 1:22:39 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

contrast (1)

  1. contrast (contrast): Joe Pesci → Ed Harris. Both short or bald actors in hairpieces; bald guys only got villain parts in that period.
    “I think that the only parts for bald guys during that period was villain.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:34:53 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)

craft (3)

  1. craft (craft): Joe Pesci → JFK. Pesci will do anything asked, even in a bad wig, and that willingness makes it work.
    “the willingness to go as far out as he needs to to work somehow is that's a winning thing.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:28:51 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. craft (craft): Joe Pesci → Buster Keaton. What if Edward G. Robinson was also Buster Keaton: a scary gangster who is also a physical comedian.
    “what if Edward G. Robinson was also Buster Keaton?”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:29:37 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
  3. craft (craft): Bradley Cooper → Joe Pesci. Cooper plays Rocket as a Joe Pesci type, a full character performance rather than the Hangover guy or a wisecracking donkey.
    “I'm gonna play this like Joe Pashi.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Guardians of the Galaxy · 0:29:23 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

industry (1)

  1. industry (post-Oscar star vehicles): Joe Pesci → My Cousin Vinny. After the Goodfellas Oscar Pesci got starring vehicles like My Cousin Vinny, something Hollywood no longer does for odd-looking leads.
    “My cousin Vinny.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:34:55 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

people (5)

  1. people (reunion): Robert De Niro → Joe Pesci. De Niro and Pesci pass in the same scene without sharing one.
    “We get De Niro and Pesci in the same scene, but not really.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘A Bronx Tale’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan · 1:02:56 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. people (performance echo): Joe Pesci → The Irishman. Pesci's calm, quiet, smirking cameo is like his Irishman character 26 years early.
    “Pesci doing his Irishman character.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘A Bronx Tale’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan · 1:22:39 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. people (casting wink): Joe Pesci → Goodfellas. Pesci's cameo is the one thing that reminds viewers of Goodfellas; maybe purposeful conversation.
    “That's the one thing you really didn't have to do that would remind people of Goodfellas.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘A Bronx Tale’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan · 1:33:28 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. people (people): Joe Pesci → Marisa Tomei. On set Pesci monopolized Tomei's time and lived the relationship, per Bruce McGill's oral history.
    “Joe Pesci pretty much monopolized Marissa's time offset.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:56:27 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
  5. people (people): Joe Pesci → Jonathan Lynn. Pesci was hard on director Lynn and stormed off the courtroom set.
    “He was very hard on Jonathan Lynn the director”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:56:49 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)

unmapped (2)

  1. unmapped (discovered in): Joe Pesci → The Death Collector. Pesci was out of acting since the 1960s until the 1976 TV movie The Death Collector, which De Niro saw.
    “Hey, let's twist until 1976 is the Death Collector.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:06:19 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. unmapped (discovery): Robert De Niro → Joe Pesci. De Niro saw Pesci in The Death Collector and felt they would have chemistry.
    “De Niro had somehow seen the death collector on tape and was like, this guy's interesting.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:07:02 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

  1. fun, about Joe Pesci: Pesci was washed out of acting since the early 60s, running a Bronx restaurant for friends, when De Niro saw him in The Death Collector and pulled him in.
    “I'm running a restaurant in the Bronx for some friends of mine.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:06:42 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. fun, about Joe Pesci: Walked off the courtroom set telling Lynn he wasn't there to entertain him, per Bruce McGill.
    “what, do you think I'm here to entertain you”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:57:06 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
  3. fun, about Joe Pesci: Wears Ewings the whole movie, with cowboy boots; hosts debate aged-best versus aged-worst.
    “He's wearing Ewings.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 0:57:35 · Wesley Morris (0.80 sure it was them)
  4. fun, about Joe Pesci: Made a lounge album called Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings for You.
    “Vincent LaGuardia Gambini sings for you.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘My Cousin Vinny’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Wesley Morris · 1:08:45 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)