The Biographical Notes of Martin Scorsese - Essay Example

Martin Scorsese Introduction The filming industry has grown and developed to become an essential tool ofinfluence that people love. Many people enjoy various movies and themes developed in the movies made in Hollywood and other famous movies theatres and films. While some of the themes in these have been educational on different issues in the society, others have been helpful in detailing important developments in the history of the United States. Many people have been recorded to have played an essential in growth of the films and filming industry in the U.S, influencing the strategies and approaches in the industry. Martin Scorsese is one of those people whose work in the filming industry has had a great influence in the sector (Scorsese and Michael, 26). Many people have become great fans of his works, which have given him several accolades in the global film arena. Scorsese has directed several movies and acted in many others, which people have come to appreciate the thematic approach that he takes. Many of his films have been education with some being rich in detailing the cultural heritage of the United States. He has promised to partner with other directors in the film industry to produce more movies and films that his fans across the world will like. He is also working on documentaries with some of the prominent American leaders so that people can understand the journey of the American leadership has taken with its different leaders. 2. Journey in the filming industry Scorsese is said to have started his career by attending New York University, where he did a B.A in English in 1964 and filming in 1966. It is during this time that he did some filming of some short films (Scorsese and Michael, 21). During this time, one of the famous short films was the Big Shave, which was featured Peter Bernuth. This film was created around the American involvement in the Vietnam War. In making this movie, Scorsese explained that his main motivation in this film came from his times while studying at the University of New York. To date, Scorsese is regarded as one the greatest American success stories in the entertainment industry. He is known to have been a successful film director, actor, screenwriter as well as film historian. His works have been respected greatly; he is viewed as the most influential and significant filmmakers in the history of the cinema history. In 1990, Scorsese’s love for filming and the entire entertainment industry led him to the establishment of a foundation – Film Foundation, which was nonprofit making and dedicated to preservation of films and various works of actors in the United States and beyond (Scorsese, 31). Later on in 2007, Scorsese, made another bold move, establishing a bigger organisation to take of the welfare of actors and films in the world, this was in the development of World Cinema Foundation. Throughout his life, Scorsese is said to have received many achievements including the Life Achievement Award, which he got because of his works and contributions in the world’s cinema industry. He has also won the Academy Award, Silver Lion Award, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globes and BAFTAs awards among many more. 3. Themes in his movies In his filming works, Scorsese is said to have been keen on addressing various themes; first, he dealt with movies involving Italian-American identities. This was informed by his early life, having had parents with the Italian origin (Scorsese, 36). Some of the movies that he filed at the time he was beginning his career involved much of this theme. He managed to film a number of movies that featured American involvement in the Vietnam War, an activity that was the talk of the time during his growing years. Besides Italian and American identity, his movies also included other themes like redemption and guilt, which he got from his religions foundations in the Roman Catholic Church. He also filmed on themes involving gang conflict and other aspects of modern crime; this was in an attempt to educate and sensitize his fans on the need to stay calm and respect the rule of law. It is important to note that in most of the film works done by Scorsese, they are notable for depicting violence as well as the broadminded use of blasphemy in human societies. Many people that have loved the works of Scorsese have point to the film’s richness in moral values especially for young people that need to be guided in these issues and others in the course of their lives (Scorsese, 37). Scorsese has made enormous contributions in the success of many films in Hollywood and other cinemas in other parts of Europe and beyond, some of these films includeMean Streets, which was filmed in 1973, Raging Bull in 1980, Taxi Driver in 1976 as well as Goodfellas in 1990 (Hayes, 16). In all these movies, Scorsese is said to have collaborated and worked together with one of close friends Robert De-Niro. His movie, The Departed, which was filmed in 2006, was very successful, earning him an Academy Award for being the best director; this has remained so to date (Wernblad, 37). It is important to note that to date; Scorsese has continued to remain to remain the most voted living director in the movie industry (Hayes, 28). Scorsese has remained tied alongside Billy Wilder as the second best nomination in the history of the cinema industry. 4. The Wolf of Wall Street This is Scorsese’s movie film that was produced in 2013; it is a movie that became a favourite for many soon after its release. The film is merely a black comedy that is based on the American biography, according to the memoir of a similar name by Jordan Belfort. The screenplay of the movie was done by one of the greats in American film industry by the name Terence Winter and was starred by Leonardo DiCaprio, who played the Belfort, together with Mathew McConaughey and Johan Hill among the many others. The release of this movie is said to have marked Scorsese’s five collaboration with DiCaprio, as well as the second with Winter and the successful one that involved Boardwalk Empire. This comedy film talks about the stockbroker in the New York, played by DiCaprio, who is adamant to cooperate in fraudulent case that involves one of the large securities companies in the town. This is a story that revolves around corruption on the wall street through manipulation of stock in a process referred to as “Pump and dump,” and common with the banking industry in the corporate world. After this film, DiCaprio was awarded for being the best actor during the Golden Globe Awards 2014; additionally, the comedy was nominated as the Best Motion Picture, including best comedy and picture. 5. Hugo Prior to the release of The Wolf of Wall Street, Scorsese was involved in the directorship and release of Hugo, another adventure film that was based on the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. The main stars in the film are Ben Kingsley, Asa Butterfield, Jude Law among others. The Hugo film was also another success story for Scorsese, who received a credit acclaim and managed to achieve the Golden Glove Award, which was his third for being the best director. Additionally, the film also received nomination for the 11 academy awards, where it scoped five of the awards on offer and tied with the Artist film that was directed by Michel Hazanavinicus. It is important to note that the release of the Hugo film was the first of Scorsese’s 3D films, released in 2011 in the New York. After the release of this movie, Scorsese went to release the Wolf of Wall Street, which went on to win him awards and advance his filming career. Scorsese and the American Movies Scorsese has been regarded as the most influential figure in the entire American movie and general entertainment industry. Scorsese was instrumental in the development of the four-hour documentary that was filmed in 1995 (Wernblad, 45). In this movie, the main theme was highlighting the journey that the American movie industry has taken to date. The documentary featured the events in the movie industry that happened in 1969, a time described as the silent era. This was the year after Scorsese had started his filming career. In this documentary, Scorsese highlights the people that he esteems and respects in the American movie industry. One of them is the person that directs the storytelling, the director of illusions, whom he says played an important role in bringing in about many new techniques and styles that enhanced color themes, sound and other imagery aspects of the films and movies in theatres. This technologies and innovations have played a role in influencing the experiences in theatres and cinema halls, making people to love to be associated with this entertainment industry. He also acknowledges the directors that he describes as smugglers; these are filmmakers like Samuel Fuller, Douglas Sirk and Vincente Minnelli. He explains that these directors play a role in hiding some of the subversive messages that has featured in some of the movies and films acted by various actors and actresses. Besides these directors, he also notes that other directors that have been helpful in this industry have been iconoclasts. Scorsese has described all these people as major players in the American movie and cinema industry. 6. Future Films and Projects Concerning future projects, Scorsese has provided a hint about the some of the projects that he has lined for the lovers of movies and films. It is important to note that Camber Porter was creating a documentary that would feature Scorsese and his entire contributions in the success of the American films and movie industry. However, the project has remained has remain undone because the person working on it, Camber Porter, succumbed to cancer before the project was released as a complete. Scorsese has indicated that he looks forward to making a film of the adaptation that features Shūsaku Endō in her novel, Silence. This thrilling drama features voyages about two priests of the Portuguese Jesuit that happened in Japan at the time of 17th C. initially, Scorsese has earmarked Silence as his next plan, having to come after the successful filming of Shutter Island. It is expected that the filmings of Scorsese were to start officially in July 2014 after completion of the financing aspects. Currently, Scorsese has announced that his long awaited and planned biopic of Frank Sinatra is in the process of its official unveiling. This will be a partnership deal that will include Phil Aden, who will be charged with making the writing of the Screenplay (Scorsese and Richard, 13). Additionally, he has also been appointed to direct the film, The Irishman, which will involve a number of renowned artists and players in the movie and film industry, this will include Al Pacino, Joe Pesci as well as De Niro Robert. In an interview conducted on BBC, Scorsese has explained that he has also set to direct some television series that will involve the history and journey of the American rock industry. He explains that this is an important documentary that has been made by most of the renowned directors, and involves interesting stuff that many people will enjoy. He says that the productions will be educative and insightful, especially for the lovers of music, movies and film entertainment. Additionally, Scorsese has pointed out that he is also working on a documentary that will highlight the life and works of America’s former president – Bill Clinton. He points that Bill is an important person, whose voice is still active in influencing world issues; he continues to be instrumental in shaping the direction of world politics. Scorsese explains that through the many conversations and interacts he has had with Bill, he will manage to bring up an insightful and knowledgeable documentary about him that people will enjoy, not only in the United State , but also in the entire world. For this reason, it is important to point out that Scorsese continued to be an important figure in the development of the American filming and movie entertainment industry. Works cited Hayes, Kevin. Martin Scorseses Raging Bull. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2005. Print. Scorsese, Martin. Essential Art House: 50 Years of Janus Films. New York, NY: Janus Films, 2006. Print. Scorsese, Martin and Michael Henry Wilson. Martin Scorsese: Entretiens Avec Michael Henry Wilson. Paris: Cahiers Du Cinéma, 2005. Print. Scorsese, Martin and Richard Schickel. Conversations with Scorsese. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Print. Wernblad, Annette. The Passion of Martin Scorsese: A Critical Study of the Films. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2011. Print. 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