From Shane Conto

Is the title of the article a little too obvious? Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. He has been making films for decades and became a fixture in multiple eras of film. Scorsese was one of THE 70s directors. He embodied the new perspective and tone that was defining that decade. Throughout the years, he has created so many films that were the highlights of their time and not enough of them received the awards recognition that they deserved. He has created some of the greatest films of all time while also becoming one of the most significant film advocates and historians. This won’t be an attempt to convince you of the “why” because so many people already acknowledge the greatness of Scorsese. This will be more of an acknowledgement of the “why”. 

Let’s start this a little personal, shall we? I was not always a big fan of Scorsese. When I first watched Raging Bull in my high school cinema class, I hated it. It was two-hours of Italian people yelling “F***” at each other. Is it that…sure. But it is so much more than that too. But when I was that young, I just wasn’t in the place to appreciate it yet. I should have loved Scorsese and now I fully realize why. I grew up in an Italian-American family that would have pasta on Sundays and a Catholic upbringing. As I am about to turn 32-years-old, no director has made me feel more seen than Scorsese. His work speaks to me and my culture so deeply. His films feature the most authentic Italian-American experiences you will find. His short film documentary Italianamerican about his parents is incredible in the way it captures the Italian-American experience. But it is not just his ethnicity. His deep connection of Roman Catholicism is deeply embedded thematically throughout so many films. The “Catholic Guilt” is so real and strikes the right chord for those Italian-Americans in his audience. Scorsese is also one of the greatest creators of “Faith-Based Cinema” thanks to his deep seated respect and his own journey with his Catholicism (give me The Last Temptation of Christ and Silence anyday). 

What is one of Scorsese greatest weapons in his arsenal? Adaptability and versatility. Those not too familiar with Scorsese may just write him off as a “gangster” movie filmmaker thanks to Goodfellas, Mean Streets, The Irishman, and Casino. But here is an important message…he is so much more than that. Scorsese always had a dark sense of humor and that shows in his black comedies like The King of Comedy, After Hours, and The Wolf of Wall Street. As stated above, he has tackled deeply faith-infused stories in The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, and Silence. He has quite the handle on biopics from The Aviator to The Wolf of Wall Street. His passion for music has delivered some of the most impressive rock documentaries of all time with The Last Waltz and George Harrison: Living in a Material World. He has even branched out into genres like horror/thrillers with Cape Fear and Shutter Island, romance with Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and he even made a musical in New York, New York. All of these decades later, he even took his love for crime thrillers and combined it with revisionist westerns to deliver his grand epic of Killers of the Flower Moon. 

What else has Scorsese done to cement his legacy as one of the most important filmmakers of all time? He just might be the most important steward of cinema in the world. This man has been at the forefront of film preservation for decades. He has taken upon himself to help protect the history of cinema. Scorsese helped found The Film Foundation which turned the tide in preserving films before 1950. Raising funds and increasing awareness for early cinema, they helped make sure that we still have access to the films of the great creators who laid the foundations of cinema. Look no further than Hugo that sheds a big spotlight on one of the pioneers of early cinema, Georges Melies. Scorsese has also been one of the biggest advocates for keeping film in film and making sure the theatrical experience is protected.

He does it all, hasn’t he? There are few things that Scorsese hasn’t done in the world of film and he is still doing it into his 80s. So few filmmakers have the longevity that Scorsese has boasted and that is certainly something to admire. His filmography also boasts some of the greatest films of all time from Taxi Driver to Raging Bull to Goodfellas. Well into the 2020s, Scorsese is still delivering feats of cinematic excellence with Killers of the Flower Moon. Not every one of his films is a masterpiece (that would be damn near impossible) but the proportion of good/great films is nothing short of miraculous. Whether they are a variety of classic genres, short films, or documentaries, Scorsese keeps surprising us with impressive journeys into the world of film. If you haven’t taken a dive into the films of Scorsese, this is a perfect excuse to start. Especially if you are an Italian American, few filmmakers will make you feel more “seen”. We will only likely get a few more films out of Scorsese, so make sure to make the most out of his works. 

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