Mr Scorsese
Introduction
In the new English documentary Mr Scorsese directed by Rebecca Miller, we witness a total of 10 odd minutes being dedicated at the end to the last three outings of the prolific filmmaker Martin Scorsese – namely Silence (2016), The Irishman (2019) and Killers Of The Flower Moon (2023). And that is enough to tell you the kind of accomplishments that the man has had before that period, so much so that even his latest great works seem like fleeting chapters in his life. I remember being seated for Shutter Island (2010) – my first Marty film – years ago, but a night before my engineering exam. What seemed like an engrossing mystery absolutely flipped on its head, making me completely in awe of the art – to the extent that I was completely blank in the morning of my exam, the next day. That was the feeling that I was guaranteed almost every single time, even as I went on a spree to watch a few other films from his prolific filmography. It is interesting how my takeaways have been refreshingly different every time I were to revisit some of his films. As things stand, and even as I have undertaken film reviewing as a profession, my current interests lie in the shot breakup (or the appeoach), and the story behind the inspiration of variously crafted iconic scenes. And that is something that Mr Scorsese did impart wonderfully well, along with active anecdotes of Martin Scorsese’s personal life that shaped so many of his films in his filmography.
What's Good
By definition, the basic purpose of Mr Scorsese is far from being just a celebration of the filmmaker. And that is evident from the first frame that introduces the ‘origin story’ of Marty, who is brought up on the streets of New York in an Italian household with an uncertainty of religion and faith. This is an interesting anecdote, given how Marty considered himself to be an outsider in Hollywood, just like his humble aboard of being an Italian in a foreign land. For most filmmakers, the source of escapism would be cinema – something that would shape their lives, and Marty wasn’t too different either. You see him slowly being acquainted with a variety of films, but herein lay the twist – he suffered from asthama which in the words of Director Spike Lee was a boon given that that allowed Marty to stay indoors and actively align his creativity to a storyboard – a tool used to craft screenplays and shot breakups. And the fact that his condition required him to be seated in AC rooms, is where his theatrical visits crept in.
You also get a glimpse of the cinematic influences that are drawn from Marty’s life – be it a playful gangster in Mean Streets (1973) modelled partially on one of his friends from the streets, and his own uncle. Through a series of interviews, you are also acquainted with the people Marty collaborated the most with – namely Robert ‘Bob’ De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio or even his Woodstock editor Thelma Schoonmaker. The journey traced is that of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, sandwiched between an unwavering fire to create films, something that would make Martin Scorsese as perhaps one of the greatest directors ever to have taken to celluloid. And somewhere, you witness the presence of Marty in a variety of his films – the agitated underdog ‘outsider’ who wants to make it big in life.
The interviewees also include some of Marty’s contemporaries and seniors, who have been in awe of his work, as well as the daughters and the close family of Marty. The template is complex and simplistic in the same breath – while you get anecdotes of his thought process in some of his iconic films like the Taxi Driver (1976), wherein Marty wasn’t shy of exploring the dark side of humans with the infusion of violence and gore as a catalyst in his films, you are also witness to his stuttering personal life in an era of drugs, s*x and rock n’ roll. In an instance, it is interesting on how Marty attributes cinema that has ‘kept him alive, after dying every now and then’.
The documentary isn’t shy on touching about certain controversies too – like a stalker who modelled himself on the protagonist in the Taxi Driver (1976), to assassinate the then President of the United States – Ronald Reagan. Or Marty’s constant stuggles with the studio heads in either funding his passion projects, or holding onto the sanctity of his project post a preview screening, or even having to execute films in the specified timeline. The case in point being The Last Temptation Of The Christ (1988) that also later ran into controversies. The struggle of an ‘indie’ filmmaker in having to cope with the shifting times while still wanting to make films that he intended to make is itself a source of inspiration for so many budding filmmakers, one each from every generation in the past four decades.
Amongst the collaborations, you see a special bond that Marty exhibits with Bob (De Niro), having collaborated with him more than eight times in his career. You see their relationship evolving through Mean Streets to The King Of Comedy (1982) and later on cult classics like Goodfellas (1989) and Casino (1995). The fleeting chapter on Cape Fear (1991) could have been explored a little more. The same holds true for Leo – an upcoming star back in the day who decided to take a punt with Marty during his not so fruitful phase in his career – a collaboration that saw Marty winning his first Oscar too with The Departed (2006).
And yet, the celebration quotient of Martin Scorsese is designed to be crafted through the various scenes, that coincides with his evolution as a human being. In a scene wherein his daughter reveals on how each of the (step) sisters had a different dad, and how that same person has a different identity as a grandfather, you do know that Marty has won in life. It is the kind of humane touch that the documentary offers here, while never losing sight of the innumerous accomplishments in the life of Martin Scorsese.
What's Not So Good
One of the minor criticisms that I had was the length of the show – except that I did feel that it felt curtailed at the end. I would absolutely have been game in understanding the craft and vigour showcased by Marty in some of his omitted chapters – like his filmographies from the 90s or filler films like Hugo (2011) or even his last three releases that just had fleeting insights at the end. This could easily have been a 7 episode documentary that could further have delved deeper into these omissions, that could so easily have been a textbook for modern day filmmaking. Also, I did secretly hope of Marty’s Indian connection being covered too – wherein he had famously called Satyajit Ray after being heavily influenced by the Apu trilogy. Sadly, this remained omitted too. And I am pretty sure that there would be many such instances in his life that itself is a textbook of achievements – something that is virtually impossible to cram into a single documentary!
My Final Take
Lately, I have been (re)visiting classics of prolific directors, just to keep myself afloat with the cinematic techniques of filmmaking that were employed back in the day. And I have realised that you really need to exhibit a trait of eccentricity to double up as a prolific filmmaker. Yes, the journey and influence needs to be personal but the counter to that would be – is it all possible in times today when corporates and OTTs just want to make money, and not films? It is an interesting argument that is also reflective on one particular phase in Scorsese’s life that saw him delving in a tiny little indie film After Hours (1985), that worked thereby putting him back on the map. That is the way to go in my opinion, the bigger films will always be made – but the idea of successful ‘influencial’ directors venturing into the indie space, may turn the tide for film industries across the globe. The idea always remains on staying abreast with the changing tide while holding onto the voice that once brought you to the industry, along with the love for cinema.
Cinema isn’t a business, it is a way of life – just what is exhibited through the life of Martin Scorsese who was willing to go out on one limb to make films. Is the same passion visible in the filmmakers of our current times? The answer lies in the heavy doses mediocrity that is served to us week after week – something that prompted me to revisit the past classics. Will things change? I am as hopeful as you are! In the meanwhile, long live Martin Scorsese – onto the next sir, come on!
Conclusion
With sneak peeks into his personal life too, Mr Scorsese is a wonderful celebration of cinema through a beautiful love letter to Marty and his iconic filmography that comes with my highest recommendation. Also, we love you Marty – keep them coming! Available on Apple TV+ and Highly Recommended.