Martin Scorsese

One of Hollywood’s most important directors, Martin Scorsese is a living legend in the truest sense. His gritty, hard-hitting films virtually defined the state of modern American cinema during the 1970s and ‘80s.

Over the course of his career, he’s created indelible works bursting with anger, violence, fragility, care, and wonder. Never content to stick with one story mode, he’s worked with a wide range of styles and substance. So, here’s a quick primer on the man some like to call the American Fellini.

Favourite Themes: Whether making gangster films, period films or biopics, Scorsese explores aspects of identity and violence. His protagonists are often loners in a chaotic world trying to make sense of the madness around them, grappling with issues of guilt, penance and spiritual enlightenment. Nostalgia plays a big part in Scorsese's films, but so do regret and loss. taxi driver and Raging bull, with De Niro as the protagonist, portrayed masculinity at its most violent, pitiful and tragic.