I vote Taxi Driver. I find it to be a very nuanced exploration of mental illness, identity, and masculinity. And I love Goodfellas, Casino, and the Departed, but those are much more shallow than Taxi Driver and they lack a character as compelling as Travis Bickle.
What say you BBI? Scoresese's best?
So I'll agree on Taxi driver with throwing in "Hugo" as a curveball honorable mention.
Silence to me was Scorsese tackling his biggest challenge as a film maker. Not only did it take him almost 3 decades to make, but he dealt with filming the entire movie in Asia, mostly filmed in Japanese. Then there's the subject matter - something that was on an absolutely massive scale compared to his other movies (IMO). I also loved the score, it really set the the tone of hopelessness and horror that the characters faced.
Again, ,not something I can watch again, but I'm glad I did because it was truly a work of art.
My brother quotes this film endlessly. Whenever its on, I dread answering the phone because I know its him calling to recite the Lamotta poem from the end. Or Jake yelling at Sugar Ray in the ring. or Jake accusing his wife of sleeping around. Or Jake accusing his brother of sleeping with the wife.
But a great flick.
But I have a soft spot for Mean Streets, which my folks took my brother and me to in the early '70s.
'Who's that Knocking at my Door'
'Mean Streets'
'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'
'Taxi Driver'
Silence is an incredible movie.
The Aviator gets slept on.
Color of Money gets slept on too.
Link - ( New Window )
This I agree with. You never hear anyone talk about After Hours, but it's great. Very funny.
I've never seen Raging Bull. I know it's up there for MS too. I guess I have to get on that.
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Considering that he is in the running for greatest filmmaker of all time, the whole "nothing else comes close" angle is silly. But UConn is right that the ones I enjoy watching over and over aren't always the ones that I consider his best. I could watch Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, King of Comedy, Wolf of Wall Street, even The Last Waltz over and over and over. But I think his greatest cinematic achievement is Raging Bull. The combination of his direction as he hits his peak, the screenplay by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin, Thelma Schoonmaker's legendary editing, Michael Chapman's stunning B&W cinematography, the soundtrack curated by Robbie Robertson, and some of the greatest screen performances of all time all come together to make a modern masterpiece...
I've never seen Raging Bull. I know it's up there for MS too. I guess I have to get on that.
You have your homework. Turn out the lights and enjoy!
It's such an easy, fluid, picture. It goes down so easy, it's beautifully shot, the music is perfect, and the acting is effortless.
Goodfellas is like a perfect golden pilsner -- you don't have to come up with reasons why it's delicious, you don't have to pretend to enjoy the bitter notes because the world says you should. Anyone who knows anything about film knows it tastes great.
He knows them, they know him, it has to make both their jobs easier.
I mean how many of his films include De Niro? Pesci? DiCaprio? Keitel?
Even lesser characters who have a huge impact like Frank Vincent (Billy Batts from Goodfellas) and more.
I think very few of the main actors in his films are in one film of his (with probably a few exceptions).
I think that says a lot about both.
He knows them, they know him, it has to make both their jobs easier.
I mean how many of his films include De Niro? Pesci? DiCaprio? Keitel?
Even lesser characters who have a huge impact like Frank Vincent (Billy Batts from Goodfellas) and more.
I think very few of the main actors in his films are in one film of his (with probably a few exceptions).
I think that says a lot about both.
It’s a very old fashioned style of filmmaking. Some of the old greats had regular companies that they worked with. John Ford is probably the most famous example.
Seriously, I really like Color of Money.
I’d have it taxi and bull 1-2 as well. While goodfellas is easily one of my fave movies all time it’s not flawless, in a sense. Taxi and Bull are.
I’m a huge fan, but I’d have a hard time making it best.
Especially as it was so grossly (and intentionally) misunderstood and mischaracterized at the time.
What I heard/directly observed is that Scorsese and DeNiro spent hours talking through each scene right before and right after filming while sitting in a light blue Mercedes down the block and then walking to the actual set. If they got into a discussion while walking...why then the action did not start until they hashed out every alternative and then both prepared the other actors and Scorsese the camera and audio people.
Pauline Kael talked about this aspect of their partnership in one of her reviews in the New Yorker
I'll cut you.
The scene with the late night meal at Pesci's mothers house alone makes it the winner...
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I also thought it was a remarkable effort and a perspective that needs to be out there in our thoughts
Especially as it was so grossly (and intentionally) misunderstood and mischaracterized at the time.
I agree. It's a very well-made movie with great acting and a unique message. It's definitely his best movie that nobody saw.
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In comment 14528764 Bill2 said:
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I also thought it was a remarkable effort and a perspective that needs to be out there in our thoughts
Especially as it was so grossly (and intentionally) misunderstood and mischaracterized at the time.
I agree. It's a very well-made movie with great acting and a unique message. It's definitely his best movie that nobody saw.
I think thematically it is remarkably similar to some of his great NY-centered films, but tonally it's a big shift away from what you expect and he nails it. Great, and unusual, Peter Gabriel score too...
Raging Bull
In that order.
Taxi Driver was just ok imo.