comment #1

AH says ...

Dude, the guy's an artist. You want him to keep spinning his wheels in the same place all the time?

comment #2

John Y says ...

Martin needs to get as far away from "The Departed" territory as possible, and "Silence" seems like an excellent choice for him.

comment #3

actionman says ...

martin scoresese could make an epic movie about the fuckin' phone book and it would be a masterpiece. he has never made a bad movie, only movies with varying degrees of brilliance. this new one sounds like no exception from all I've read. he is a master and shouldn't be questioned.

comment #4

jeffreywells says ...

Wells to A.H.: John Ford was a highly regarded artist too, and he mainly made westerns. Did that mean he was tied up in some kind of creative straightjacket? It didn't seem to bother him that much, and the verdict of film scholars is that he mined this territory with great skill and sensitivity.

Ford knew his turf, the kind of stories that he liked best. He made "The Informer" and "The Quiet American" and "Mr. Roberts" and "How Green Was My Valley", but when he introduced himself to groups he sometimes said, "My name is John Ford and I make westerns."

By the same token, Scorsese's greeting should be, "My name is Marty Scorsese, and I don't know what I do exactly but my resume speaks for itself and I seem to be best at urban crime movies. I mean, I've tried to do all kinds of stuff but goombah movies seem to work best for me. I'm also good at providing commentary on retrospective docs on DVDs of highly-regarded films."

comment #5

jesse says ...

Jeff, The King of Comedy, After Hours, Bringing Out the Dead, and Raging Bull could all escape the classification "urban crime movie" and are all very-good to terrific. In fact, the closest to "urban crime" of that bunch is probably "Dead," which is the least well-regarded (but terrific nonetheless).

Further to that point, I really like Gangs of New York, but if you don't and say it's the kind of movie Scorsese sucks at, how is it that it's *not* an "urban crime movie" on some level? It is more so than Raging Bull, anyway.

The point is, Scorsese isn't just a goombah director any more than Spielberg is just a sci-fi director.

comment #6

jeffreywells says ...

Wells to Jesse: "The King of Comedy", "After Hours", "Bringing Out the Dead" and Raging Bull are all New York City movies, with the exception of "Bull"'s Miami section. Urban crime is Marty's home ground, and after that New York City movies...these are his metier, where his soul feels the most rooted. But forget cufflinks, Tibetan incense, butcher cleavers and experimental planes that crash.

comment #7

Melquiades says ...

I see no mention here of The Last Temptation of Christ, which is certainly spiritual and a period piece to boot. It's also one of the best things Scorsese has ever done.

And The Age of Innocence is a wonderful film as well.

comment #8

jeffreywells says ...

"The Last Temptation of Christ" is a glorious film -- that's the exception. But a general ixnay on "The Age of Innocence."

comment #9

qwiggles says ...

General ixnay, pooh; The Age of Innocence is excellent on its own terms.

As for your categorizing, I'd say that questions of moral compromise and spiritual crisis are at the foreground of nearly all the exemplary films you've mentioned, crime or not, New York or not. In that regard, Silence seems to fit right into Scorsese territory.

comment #10

Dixon Steele says ...

Jeff,

Didn't you just publish on your blog Clint Eastwood's quote about NOT knowing your limitations and stretching as an artist.

I guess you would have told Clint back in the day, you're all about spaghetti westerns, don't even bother directing or if you do, only cheesy westerns, not Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, etc

Seriously, do you read all of your stuff before posting them?

comment #11

James says ...

Maybe you should read the novel before leaping to this conclusion.

It is right up Scorsese's alley. The novel is set during a time in which the Japanese emperor had strictly outlawed Christianity after previous emperors had been cozy with the church for over 100 years. So these two missionaries sneak into the country to minister to Japanese Christians whose families had converted long before but who are now being persecuted and forced to practice their faith in secret.

The crux of the story are the incredibly brutal ways in which the Japanese authorities attempt to coerce the Japanese Christians and the Portugese missionaries to step upon an image of Jesus and thereby symbolically relinquish their faith. These authorities choose not to physically torture the missionaries but rather to torture the simple-hearted Japanese-Christian peasants until the missionaries relinquish their faith and step upon the image of Christ.

It's a brutally intense and psychologically rich story. I'm thrilled that Scorsese is taking it on.

comment #12

austin111 says ...

Indeed, religious imagery and suffering suffuse most of Scorsese finest work from Mean Streets on down. That's one reason why Last Temptation is actually a "great" Scorsese film. It's clear that religion is one of his major influences/fascinations. A case could even be made that The Departed is an exploration of the dualities of dark and light, that good and evil is present everywhere, there's just as much maliciousness in the way the police are portrayed as the criminal element, only one character comes across as purely decent (not Costigan, either). The Silence sounds like something that he might be able to truly turn into a great film. I think Kundun could have been great, personally, if it had been in Tibetan/Chinese with subtitles. I have to say that although the story and the Tibetan culture in the film were fascinating, it was ruined to a fair extent for me by the actors inability to speak English very well. The film was one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, however, and did throw light on one of the strangest religious cultures in existence. I may have to read The Silence.

comment #13

Movie fan09 says ...

Jeff,
I think he did a fantastic job with "Kundun".

comment #14

Josh Massey says ...

I still don't get the hate for "The Aviator." It gets better each time I see it, and I even rate it above "The Departed."

comment #15

dre says ...

Finally, someone decides to take up for The Aviator. It's as good as The Departed, if not better. I just watched it again and it's a great piece of entertainment, a full package. Very smart screenplay, excellent direction and Leo's best performance this side of Gilbert Grape. Jeff crapped on it when it came out and delcared it had no shot at the Oscars but people actually like the movie...lest we forget, it got great reviews and a 3 hour biography doesn't get great reviews, a slew of nominations and over 100 mil at the box office for no reason. As for this film, it sounds like Marty would ace this subject matter.

comment #16

Patrick says ...

Here with go again. 'Kundun' was the Best Picture
of 1997 and I'll drop to my knees if Scorsese can
actually get over his love of money, fame, and
Oscars to get back to REAL filmmaking! Please
Marty, DO IT!

comment #17

Ian Sinclair says ...

I have to give props to anyone who managed to stay awake through The Age of Innocence. And New Yorl, New York is a movie for people who hate musicals; unfortunately it's not for people who do. Kundun is Krap. Bringing Out the Dead is barely alive. The Avaiator didn't fly. Gangs of New York had a nice outdoor set and a good Day-Lewis and not much else. Scorsese swings and he often misses, but Wells is right: give him a goombah movie and he's Babe Ruth.

comment #18

Ian Sinclair says ...

Whoops, that second line should have read

"And New York, New York is a movie for people who hate musicals; unfortunately it's not for people who don't."

Never write these things after four Johnny Blue.

comment #19

YND says ...

I think CASINO/DEPARTED/AVIATOR/KUNDUN are all strong films (any one of them would qualify as most directors' career-best work), but I'll still stand by AGE OF INNOCENCE as the best thing Scorsese's done since GOODFELLAS. I'm not generally a fan of "period films", but I've seen AGE probably half a dozen times and have never been anything less than enthralled by the emotions, the social commentary, the production detail or the master course in film craft.

comment #20

AH says ...

Wells to A.H.: John Ford was a highly regarded artist too, and he mainly made westerns. Did that mean he was tied up in some kind of creative straightjacket?

AH to Wells: Yep.

comment #21

Chuck Latovich says ...

It's a little odd to be reading a bad review of a film before a frame is shot.

comment #22

Rich S. says ...

This post is ridiculous. Had Scorsese not made all of the films discussed (and somehow, people keep forgetting Cape Fear), Jeffrey would be complaining that Scorsese is a one-trick pony. Scorsese may not always hit it out of the park, but he's never embarrassed himself (Hook, anyone?) and some of his very best films have been non-"goombah."

In fact, look at his filmography. Since Mean Streets, he's actually made far MORE non-goombah films than the converse. By the rationale of this post, Scorsese is really a failure because he hasn't excelled in his chosen genre. Like I said, ridiculous

comment #23

Colin says ...

I haven't heard anyone mention "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" yet, but I'd definitely cite it as another example of a terrific non-urban crime movie by Scorsese. Of course, if we're including docs, "The Last Waltz" and "No Direction Home" could be included.

comment #24

KAM2112 says ...

Jeff is an ass talker. So many of the things said on his post are just inane. How could he miss that Scorsese as made several great films outside the urban crime drama genre?? Jeff has a general lack of insight about films and filmmakers that make's me worry more about the state of film criticism than I do the state of filmmaking. The point of a critic is to help deepen the layman's experience and understanding of an art form and or an artist, but like Jeff so many of today's critics offer only cynical, hateful, and generally useless commentary.

Reading a lot to the Marie Antoinette reviews I would think that most of the films critics have some personal grudge against Sophia Coppola? I wonder if it is at all possible to hate her movie without calling her a vapid soulless human being-opps I mean rich girl??

comment #25

iamanerd says ...

Kundun is an excellent movie, and one the type that I would like to see Marty do more of. His work is good, in my opinion, in any film genre. Has anyone seen his documentary on the blues? It's great work and great filmmaking. I think the reason we love his "urban crime/New York movies" is because he doesn't pull the punches that a lot of other filmmakers do. He didn't pull those with Last Temptation, Aviator, Gangs, etc. He makes balls out movies, no matter their subject matter. That's why we love the guy!

comment #26

iamanerd says ...

Just an addition: I thought Gangs and Aviator fail in many ways, but I like and admire a guy for trying. Age is a great movie too, not my cup of tea, but I cannot deny how good it is. It's about quality, not TASTE!!!

comment #27

durrani says ...

the age of innocence was terrible. i can't believe people think that movie was one of marty's best. i wanted to slit my wrists from the opening credits on (that blooming flower! uggh!).

everything seemed so hoaky. and don't get me started on winona ryder's acting. terrible. i guess the film was supposed to appeal to women, who aren't the core of marty's audience but this woman thought it was shite.

i think marty should stick to making crime dramas but i do love raging bull and the king of comedy...

comment #28

christian says ...

i'm fairly tired of hearing big time directors claim they just want to make "little films" because of the big budget pressure.

take a million of your 5 mill plus salary and fucking do it.

there are filmmakers with super 8 cameras on the streets of san francisco and new york making feature films for ten bucks.

but lucas scorcese spielberg all claim they just want to make their "little films" -- okay boys, the town is filled with great little scripts waiting to be made. and these directors have multi-millions at their disposal but they're shackled somehow.

shut up and make the films already.

a little person has spoken.

comment #29

sardine says ...

jeffy-poo only likes clint. he does not get marty or sofia....even though they are good fer his business....

comment #30

Craig Kennedy says ...

The inability to take chances and the need to contain artists in a little box is exactly the kind of attitude that makes Scorsese say stuff like that. And what is Wells' knee jerk reaction? "Get back in your box Marty!" Scorsese could take a massive Bressonian turd about Missionaries or Monks or Nuns or Retarded Garbage Men or whatever and it should be met with enthusiasm because, like him or not, the man has a passion for cinema. He's what is good about movies.

Having just emerged from another soul-crushingly awful summer movie season, you'd think Wells would trumpet anything that seemed remotely challenging. But no. We get more cynicism and ennui. Perhaps you've been doing this too long Jeff. You seem to get more jazzed about tearing something down than getting behind something challenging and really rooting for it.

comment #31

Sid Yobbo says ...

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Scorsese's widely circulated remarks were designed to let the Academy know that 'Hey, this is your last chance' (hint! hint!). You have to laugh at his bullshit about how difficult it is to get 'his' type of movies made by the majors after he's just blown $90 million of their money on a well received crime drama jam packed with stars and for which the studio was - in Scorsese's own words - 'very supportive'. Poor Scorsese, is there nothing he won't say in order to get his hands on that little gold man?

comment #32

L.B. says ...

I don't know. Scorsese said that he fully expected RAGING BULL to end his Hollywood career and if so he would head off to Italy and make films about the saints. Fortunately for us it didn't and he didn't. Now maybe he's reached a point where he's ready to do something like that.

Whatever he decides I wish him the best. I count his work among my favorites of all time, be they crime, non-crime, modern, or period. I just look forward to whatever he does next.

comment #33

nemo says ...

A lethargic viewing experience? Movies about missionaries are generally unwelcome?

Man, I can name three excellent and entertaining movies about missionaries right off the top of my head:

The Mission. Black Robe. The African Queen.

comment #34

nemo says ...

The Nun's Story with Audrey Hepburn, directed by Fred Zinneman, is also a good movie about missionaries. That makes four.

Black Narcissus with Deborah Kerr, directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Excellent film about missionaries. That makes five.

I'm struggling to even think of a boring movie I ever saw about missionaries.

comment #35

christian says ...

especially BULLETPROOF MONK.

comment #36

Dan Revill says ...

Wells hates religion period, so really this post isn't all that surprising. That's his box. If he ever manages to crawl out of it and convince us otherwise, it'd be a small, albeit, significant miracle.
I've never read the book, but I remember the last time I heard Scorsese was rumored to do an adaptation (or produce it w/ DiCaprio), it was for Dan Simmons' Hyperion novels, and so I bought 'em and those four books are some of the best I've read. So, I'm gonna say that I look forward to seeing this and I may have to pick this up from the book store the next time I'm there. The man certainly knows how to pick 'em.

comment #37

austin111 says ...

Last I heard about the Hyperion books was that Marty and Leo were shopping them around to the studios. Alas, so far no takers. The problem is that this would cost major major bucks. It would also be a monster to try to adapt for the screen. The special f/x alone would be a challenge monetarily. Still I'd love to see it happen. The last two books in particular are more reader friendly and have a fantastic love/sacrifice backdrop that could make a great film. The religious aspect of these novels is terrific in my opinion.

comment #38

bipedalist says ...

Whomever wrote:

"It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Scorsese's widely circulated remarks were designed to let the Academy know that 'Hey, this is your last chance' (hint! hint!). You have to laugh at his bullshit about how difficult it is to get 'his' type of movies made by the majors after he's just blown $90 million of their money on a well received crime drama jam packed with stars and for which the studio was - in Scorsese's own words - 'very supportive'. Poor Scorsese, is there nothing he won't say in order to get his hands on that little gold man?"

What a load of horse shit. Scorsese obviously feels the pressure of the Oscar every time he makes a film. But that doesn't mean he'll do anything to get one. Put yourself in HIS shoes! All the press, everyone always talking about it. What a nightmare that must be. He probably longs to get back into the part of movie making he liked best. Anyway, AMPAS doesn't deserve him. Hopefully he knows it; he's in great company, after all. Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock (yes, I know, he won one for screenwriting). It would serve them right to let it all go down as Scorsese never having won a Best Director Oscar. So please, don't go making it out like Marty is the one out there begging. PLEASE!

And yes, The Aviator is BRILLIANT.

comment #39

Dan Revill says ...

Austin111: Yeah, that was the last I heard about it too. I think they were gonna base the movie(s) more so around the last two books since they are the more personal of the stories (plus you can easily incorporate elements from the first two because of the way the second two are told).
I'd love to see it happen too, but it would be a monstrous achievement to take on. You could easily make 6 movies out of the whole series if you were so inclined.
Simmons writing is dense though and to pare it down for film, while keeping the spirit and story intact, would take a lot of work. I hope someone succeeds at doing something with Hyperion though.
Did you read Simmons' Ilium and Olympos series? I just read them this summer. That's another thing that would make a great film series...

comment #40

austin111 says ...

No, I haven't read the Illium and Olympos series. Are they pre or post Hyperion? Whatever..if they're anywhere as engrossing as Hyperion is, then I'll have to check them out. Whoah! Imagine what a great filmmaker could do with the Shrike!!! And the cruciforms!

comment #41

Sid Yobbo says ...

Whomever wrote:

'What a load of horse shit. Scorsese obviously feels the pressure of the Oscar every time he makes a film. But that doesn't mean he'll do anything to get one.'

The evidence suggests otherwise - not least awful Oscar-bait movies like GoNY and Aviator, not to mention Scorsese's embarassing, cringe-making attempts at schmoozing 'anyone who'd throw him a vote', as William Goldman so memorably put it. I'm kind of amazed that anybody would be in such denial as to pretend that Scorsese isn't desperate for an Oscar. It's the most badly kept secret in Hollywood.

'he's in great company, after all. Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock (yes, I know, he won one for screenwriting).'

Sadly, that doesn't seem to offer Mr Scorsese much comfort. If only it would as he could maybe get back to movies that actually play to his strengths.

'It would serve them right to let it all go down as Scorsese never having won a Best Director Oscar. So please, don't go making it out like Marty is the one out there begging. PLEASE!'

PLEASE indeed, as in PLEASE spare me this self-pitying, self-righteous horseshit about poor hard done by Marty. We're talking about a director so desperate for an Oscar that when the final ballots were being voted on in '05 a press release was issued at that key moment telling everybody that Scorsese and DeNiro were planning Taxi Driver 2 and Raging Bull 2. Of course there was no truth to it, it was simply a grubby little attempt to swing votes by reminding AMPAS of Scorsese's earlier movies. What would you say if any other director was to pull such a transparently shabby trick, hmm?

'And yes, The Aviator is BRILLIANT.'

Yes, it is - BRILLIANTLY mediocre.

comment #42

austin111 says ...

Yep, horseshite.

comment #43

L.B. says ...

I'm sure Mr. Scorsese is far more upset with pissing off Sid than with not winning an Oscar.

comment #44

bipedalist says ...

I didn't know a person could actually be self-pitying and self-righteous at the same time. Don't they cancel each other out? If not, they should.

So, everything Scorsese does in his creative life is to win an Oscar. Even the Dylan doc for PBS? Oh right, cause those old timers love Dylan!

Honey, you wrote the book on horseshit.

"What would you say if any other director was to pull such a transparently shabby trick, hmm?"

I would say, uh, that's no way to win an Oscar, pal.

One doesn't commit career suicide in hopes of getting an Oscar. PLEASE PLEASE spare me your self-aggrandizing tirade because someone out there has more talent in one measly nosehair than most of the directors working today. You don't like his movies, fine. I'm sure he'll get over it. And if he wins an Oscar I'm sure you'll say he begged for it and didn't deserve it, blah blah blah, Zzzzzz.

comment #45

Arnzilla says ...

"We're talking about a director so desperate for an Oscar that when the final ballots were being voted on in '05 a press release was issued at that key moment telling everybody that Scorsese and DeNiro were planning Taxi Driver 2 and Raging Bull 2."

Why don't you produce this '05 press release? Having a hard time finding it?

comment #46

Dan Revill says ...

austin,

Ilium came out in 2003 and Olympos in 2005. I haven't read anything else by Simmons beyond the previously mentioned Hyperion books and these two, but I know it's just a matter of time before I do.

I always liked the image of the shrike on the cover of the Hyperion/Endymion books...but to see something similar or just as fantastic moving? That would be rad. I need to reread those books. It's been a while. :D

comment #47

Josh Massey says ...

There was never a press release, but in the past few years both De Niro and Scorsese have mentioned a potential sequel to "Taxi Driver." Obviously, it has never materialized.

comment #48

christian says ...

oh and please don't forget about christopher lee as...

RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK

greatest trailer voice in film history.

comment #49

T. S. Idiot says ...

At last, an actual discussion about movies!

comment #50

MPNeeb says ...

Jeff,

John Ford made 'The Quiet Man' not 'The Quiet American.' That was Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

And Scorsese has never made a bad film. He's made some films that are not as memorable as others, but he's never hit 'Howard the Duck' bad or 'True Crime' bad.

I'd watch a film where de Niro reads the phone book for three hours and Marty films it while eating a meatball sub.
And it would still be better than Mission Impossible 3.