An Examination of the Early Documentaries of Martin Scorsese

It seems to me that any sensible person must see that violence does not change the world and if it does, then only temporarily. - Martin Scorsese
Although acclaimed director Martin Scorsese uttered these words in response to criticism of the prevalent violence in his films, they serve to reveal a deeper understanding of his work and his long career. Violence is certainly an important element in many of Scorsese's most popular and critically praised films, but even more potent are the values of family, personal relationships, culture and tradition that saturate the director's most sincere and powerful films.

People change the world in meaningful ways not with violence, but with their passions and convictions. Scorsese brings this message to the surface in several of his documentary films, which may be less well known than the gritty New York dramas on which he made his name, but are nevertheless some of his finest movies.

Martin Scorsese is considered one of the greatest directors of his generation, and is the author of such unforgettable films as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas, among many others. Scorsese's fiction films document the complex emotional and social realities of a particular historical moment and locale.

While he is perhaps best known for his fiction films, he is also an avid fan of documentary and a superb documentary filmmaker in his own right.

Documentaries such as Italianamerican, American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince, and The Last Waltz offer some of the legendary director's most personal moments on film, and they should be included in any serious discussion of his illustrious career. These films will be discussed for their merits as documentaries on their own, as well as for their broader importance and influence on Scorsese's other fictional film work.

A scene from Martin Scorsese's "American Boy."

Credit: Courtesy of Film Forum.

Copyright: Film Forum