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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Martin Scorsese was born on November 17, 1942, in New York City, and was raised in the neighborhood of Little Italy, which later provided the inspiration for several of his films. Scorsese earned a B.S. degree in film communications in 1964, followed by an M.A. in the same field in 1966 at New York University's School of Film. During this time, he made numerous prize-winning short films including The Big Shave (1968), and directed his first feature film, Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967).

WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT SCORSESE?

Scorsese is a ‘auteur’. Auteurs are those who are highly respected and far up in the world of film. Directors such as Guy Richie, Tim Burton and Chris Nolan are also auteurs and well known directors. These directors usually have a distinctive theme through out all their films, for example Scorsese usually has Robert De Nero in his films. These directors have the respect and status to ask and choose who what and how they film, actors would feel honoured if they where chosen to star in an auteurs film.

FILM I WILL BE ANALYSING: TAXI DRIVER 1979

A mentally unstable Vietnam war veteran works as a night-time taxi driver in New York City where the perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge for violent action, attempting to save a preadolescent prostitute in the process.

The opening of the movie starts with an extreme close up of a male character is shown to the audience. This close up shows the audience the intensity to come within the narrative. This also tells the audience he will probably be the protagonist as he is the first person we see.

The following shot is of a blurry view from inside of a car window. This shot last a number of seconds and the audience gather the narrative will be set in New York. However Scorsese is trying to set the establishing shots from the male protagonist perspective on life. The effect suggest to the audience he is detached from the environment around him.

Scorsese also has the Italian American accent and culture through out his film. This comes from his personal culture as he himself is from an Italian American background, This sets collective identity. Martin Scorsese uses Robert De Niro to create a sense of verisimilitude as he himself is a Italian American.

SECOND FILM I WILL BE ANALYSING: GOOD FELLAS 1990

This is the opening of goodfellas the first initial shot shown to the audience. Again it is set in New York like Taxi Driver. Martin Scorsese uses New York as his setting a lot in his films as the Italian American culture is known to be popular especially in the time period he sets his films. This really sets the tone to the narrative and lets the audience know what is to be expected.

The Italian American gangster theme runs through out goodfellas and taxi driver. The time these films where set is the time New York where known for Italian mafias and gangsters. The dialogue they use is typical convention of an Italian mafia, this adds to the tone of the film and makes the characters more believable. The audience find it easy to set a personality on a character from the codes and conventions of a Italian mafia for example the hats and suits.

THIRD FILM I WILL BE ANALYSING: RAGING BULL 1980

An emotionally self-destructive boxer's journey through life, as the violence and temper that leads him to the top in the ring, destroys his life outside it.

This shot from the opening of Raging bull is similar to the shot in Taxi Driver. Martin Scorsese uses this shot to tell the audience how the boxer sees himself before the fight. He looks isolated and detached from any contact, the mist adds to this as it is if he is trying to clear his head and the mist makes it looks as if he is lost in his thoughts before his fight. The shot being shot behind the ropes makes it as if the audience are there them selves and are involved in his experience.