Martin Scorsese Talks About the Movies He Considers True Masterpieces

Martin Scorsese has long been celebrated for the precision and grit he brings to the screen, but the foundation of his work is far more personal than most realize. His films are consistently masterfully creative, inspired by his own life and a deep-seated love for the craft of storytelling.

One of the most significant influences on his filmography is his Italian-American upbringing, an identity that has permeated his art from his very first steps behind the camera. From the struggles of the Italian-American protagonist in his 1967 debut Who’s That Knocking at My Door, to his intimate 1974 documentary Italianamerican, Scorsese has never shied away from his roots.

As a child growing up in New York in the late 1940s, he found himself captivated by the small 16-inch television screen in his family’s home. Every Friday night, he would gather with his parents, uncles, and Sicilian-speaking grandparents to watch Italian films specifically aired for their community.

The experience of watching Vittorio De Sica’s 1948 neorealist drama Bicycle Thieves was a pivotal moment for the young Scorsese. He realized that the characters on screen were speaking the same way as his family, making the films feel like a profound form of truth. He noted that these movies were more than cinema to him because they directly related to who he was and how his family lived.

This early exposure did more than just teach him about camera angles or lighting; it gave him a sense of being seen and understood. Scorsese has often explained that his filmmaking isn’t about copying specific shots from those classics, but rather capturing their emotional and psychological impact.

He strives to recreate the same feeling he had as a six-year-old sitting in a crowded room with people who lived the reality shown on screen. As of this year, the 83-year-old director shows no signs of slowing down his legendary pace.

He has recently arrived in Prague to begin principal photography on his highly anticipated psychological thriller, What Happens at Night. This project marks his seventh collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio and his first time directing Jennifer Lawrence, with the cast recently expanding to include Mads Mikkelsen and Patricia Clarkson.

The film is an adaptation of Peter Cameron’s novel, following an American couple who travel to a mysterious, snowy European town to adopt a baby. While other long-gestating projects like his Frank Sinatra biopic and The Life of Jesus have been temporarily postponed due to estate approvals and logistical hurdles, Scorsese remains active on multiple fronts.

He is currently executive producing a Cape Fear limited series for Apple TV+, starring Javier Bardem, which is set to premiere this June. Television audiences are also currently enjoying the second season of his docuseries Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints on FOX Nation.

The series, which he hosts and narrates, explores the lives of historical figures like Saint Mary and Saint Patrick. Whether he is exploring the divine or the dark corners of the human psyche, Scorsese continues to find new ways to put his personal truth onto the screen.

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