One of the reasons why I can’t wait to have a child, maybe the only reason actually, is because I want to be the person who shows someone Goodfellas for the first time. By the time I was old enough to appreciate the majesty of the tracking shot, all of my friends had already seen the film, and moved onto the debatable “Casino is better than Goodfellas” phrase of their lives. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait awhile until Kurp, Jr. (the kids can call him Jurp!) learns what kind of funny Joe Pesci is. Not only do I not have a kid, as previously mentioned, but it’s probably unwise to show a five-year-old Goodfellas, unless you want them to fear “that guy from Rocky and Bullwinkle” for the rest of their no-longer-innocent lives.
So we owe Josh Cooley a debt of gratitude for making Goodfellas more kid-friendly. The Pixar artist draws “scenes from contemporary classic films in an illustrated, for-early-readers style.” Here’s some of Cooley’s finest work, taken from his website, which will soon be turned into a book.
To buy Cooley’s book, head here, or check out his website.