Masters of Cinema: Martin Scorsese
February 2024
This retrospective will be regularly updated. It currently encompasses the early works of the director.
1967 - Who’s That Knocking at My Door
Scorsese's debut film about the struggles of a New York couple, caused by religion and social class, foreshadows his motives in later works.
The contrast between long takes of improvised acting and a stylized presentation of (partly literal) shots of violence was unseen at the time but would soon become a trademark, along with his eternal love for the Big Apple.
1972 - Boxcar Bertha
In a time when parts of the west were still wild, and the Bible was replaced by a gun, Bertha Thompson's search for freedom might come at the price of crucifixion.
Produced by B-Movie legend Roger Corman, Scorsese's second feature is more than mere exploitation, as most critics observed at the time.
Boxcar is a vivid portrait of depression-era railroad workers that comes alive with the protagonist's charm against the backdrop of Arkansas' impressive landscape. Without moralizing heroism but with a lot of blood and nudity, this pseudo true story shows the change from Old to New Hollywood.
1973 - Mean Streets
Growing up in Little Italy during the 50s, Scorsese has said that his choice was between becoming a priest or a gangster but failing in both. The latter option is explored in Mean Streets, which features an explosive performance by Robert de Niro, bringing all the mannerisms of the Italian criminal (that he observed during his similar upbringing) onto the screen.
Although our protagonist Charlie visits a church in the beginning, the director tells us that true redemption can only be sought on the street. What follows is an intoxicating odyssey through bars, pool halls, and cinemas that comes alive through the interactions of opposing gang members and one of the best vintage pop song selections.
There is no archetypal rise and fall that would allow a moral implication or a hedonistic depiction of the lifestyle because our heroes cannot achieve either. There are only choices and the haunting guilt that comes from them.
