Martin Scorsese: A Journey

by Kelley, Michael Powell (Foreword by)

Interviews with Robert De Niro, Paul Newman, Nick Nolte, and others highlight this candid look at master filmmaker Martin Scorsese. His closest associates speak openly about the man they love and admire. 50 photos.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Media Tie In

Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Dorin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nu sunt chiar cel mai mare fan Martin Scorsese (nu i-am văzut încă toată filmografia), dar Goodfellas, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island sunt printre filmele mele preferate.

Din păcate, când am cumpărat cartea asta am căzut într-o capcană. Nu știam că e din (tocmai) 1991. Nu credeam că un editor poate publica o traducere după 32 de ani ca s-o promoveze drept o biografie nouă, ieșită la țanc pentru noul film: Killers of the Flower Moon. Astfel că am rămas total dezamăgit.

Pe deasupra, cartea nu este o biografie. Există câteva informații biografice, pe care le extragi de ici de colo, dar, în rest, prezintă istoria procesului de producție pentru filmele lui Scorsese până în 1991. Autoarea nu scrie prea multe, ci compilează interviuri cu oamenii implicați în diferite filme, apărute de-a lungul vremii, unele din timpul producției unui film, altele după, altele mult după. Inserând fragmente de la unul, de la altul, povestește, cu cuvintele altora, cum e Scorsese (doar cu cuvinte de laudă) atunci când pregătește și filmează un film. Multe anecdote de la filmări, multe păreri, multe detalii inutile și pe lângă subiect.

„Nu te lăsa influențată de critici. [...] Și, cel mai important, nu te uita la un film analizându-l în timp ce-l urmărești. Stai pur și simplu și vezi dacă-ți place sau nu. Apoi hotărăște de ce da sau de ce nu. E posibil să recunoști valoarea sau importanța unui film fără să îți placă cu adevărat.” (Martin Scorsese)

2/5

[Raisa Beicu · Rating 4 out of 5]

O carte cu o prefață scrisă de Leondardo DiCaprio. Un soi de jurnal în care reperul nu este cronologia vieții, ci cronologia filmelor realizate de Scorsese.

🎥Cu detalii behind the scenes, cu inserții venite de oamenii din echipa lui, dar mai ales de la actorii cu care a lucrat.

Nelipsit este Robert De Niro, care îi este prieten lui Scorsese de peste 50 de ani. Au filmat primul film în 1973 (Mean Streets), apoi au urmat alte 10 filme împreună, iar în acest an avem Killers of the Flowers Moon în cinematografe.

Cum se comportă regizorul cu actorii pe platourile de filmare, ce îl inspiră, ce l-a făcut să fie nu doar unul dintre cei mai buni, dar și unul dintre cei mai iubiți oameni din istoria cinematografiei. 🎞️

Două lucruri care m-au impresionat:

◻️Scorsese suferă de astm și asta i-a cauzat o copilărie grea, departe de jocuri sau orice formă de mișcare. Acesta a fost motivul pentru care și-a petrecut cam toată copilăria în cinema. De acolo s-a născut și iubirea lui: dintr-o suferință.

◻️Scorsese a vrut să fie preot. Italian la origini, a fost crescut în credința catolică și chiar a urmat un an de seminar arhiepiscopal. Multe filme de Scorsese, dacă nu chiar toate (spre ex: Crimele din Mica Italie, Taurul fioros sau Ultima ispită a lui Iisus) sunt despre cei care caută mântuirea.

Vă recomand cartea asta. Mie mi-a plăcut teribil :)

[Alex Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good in-depth look at the films of Martin Scorsese—or half of them anyway. This originally came out in 1997 and while there are some updated references for the most part it covers his work prior to that year.
This makes the book unusual in other ways: the fairly obscure Life Lessons (his third of the New York Stories anthology) gets as much discussion as Good Fellas.

[Simon Barraclough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something of a hagiography, but then I’ve long thought of Scorsese as the preeminent Saint of Cinema, so fair enough. The interviews with collaborators and technicians are particularly educational and, to my surprise, the sections on the very earliest films are the most interesting. It peters out after Cape Fear, in terms of detail, but this is a fairly old book repackaged and augmented for Marty’s 80th birthday.

[Jack Herbert Christal Gattanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

I probably could have used a little more about Goodfellas and/or After Hours, but that is a my problem not a you problem as they say. This was originally released in 1991/92, so with the exception of the forward by DiCaprio and afterward by Kent Jones it is a reflection of a filmmaker on the cusp of 50 years of age.

What the author does so well is actually giving a well-rounded account of how Scorsese grew as a filmmaker; he had the same passion and drive to push the medium forward and get the best from his actors in the 1970s as he would in Last Temptation of Christ (that film gets the most ink here, even down to the writing of the book, which makes sense as this was written by a woman who was steeped deeply in Christian faith), but he was not as reckless in how much film he was shooting or how his obsessions almost got the better of him (err, drugs were a big factor circa New York, New York and right before Raging Bull when he had to sober up).

This could be called a Hagiography and it certainly has by like 5 to 1 a ratio of high praise from his collaborators and friends, and it is much more about process than his personal life (you don't get that much about his wives and children here, but that is ok for what this book is about). But it takes that passion seriously so that Scorsese is put into a context of his time and place in film; as one put it (maybe it was Nestor Almendros in the chapter on Life Lessons, one of the best sections in the book), so many movies look the same nowadays that it takes someone with a really distinct signature to stand out.

I may be biased of course as I find Scorsese still, in the 2020s still so exciting and challenging (post Killers of the Flower Moon, one of his greatest and most uncompromising triumphs IMO), but this was really good despite it coming at a time that is really the halfway point of one such a titanic career of the medium. I think the early parts ot the book leading up to the making of Mean Streets are what make this so significant because of the amount of interviews and access with his family and friends (his parents commentary is especially good). If nothing else, Mary Pat Kelly likely got the most out of Robert De Niro in interview form I can think of (not counting trump bashing, but I digress).

In particular if you really love Raging Bull (how did he do those boxing scenes?) and Last Temptation this includes the definitive and most rigorously researched accounts of the making of those most important films for this man

[Amer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Za one koji su pogledali ostvarenja Martina Skorsezea, interesantna knjiga.
Više se bavi procesom režiranja njegovih filmova,sa kime je sarađivao i na kakve izazive je nailazio nego njegovim životom.
Mada, donekle, njegov život i jesu filmovi.

[Oli Tutu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun mix of artists of biography, oral history, film interpretation and production anecdotes.

[Krystle Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A biography of Martin Scorsese's life, as told largely by focusing on the movies he created (through Cape Fear).

Mary Pat Kelly reached out to Martin Scorsese after he made a student film, and they have been in contact since that time. This biography is largely told like an oral history - there are a number of interviews with various individuals who worked with Scorsese as well as Scorsese's own reflections, as told by the author. There are a number of forwards - including one from Leonardo DiCaprio - and there's also an afterword. In the forwards and afterword, a lot is made about how this is a revised edition (it was revised in 2022) and there are references to Scorsese's later works, such as Wolf of Wall Street, the Aviator, and the Irishman. There are even discussions about Marty's work on his upcoming film, Killers of the Flower Moon. My only gripe with the book is it seems only the forwards and afterword were included in the revised edition. The book stops with Cape Fear - there are no more interviews with Marty or otherwise included for his subsequent works. Yet, it's clear from the forwards and afterword the author remained in contact with Marty after the biography was originally published. Since the publisher went about revising the biography, it would have been nice for it to be fully revised and include material - even briefly - about his films post-Cape Fear.

This is still a worthwhile companion for a Marty Scorsese Filmography Project.

[Sophie Holsinger]

Read this as I watched his movies throughout the past six months. And my guess is that I will revisit these chapters each time I rewatch one of his films for the rest of time.

Incredible insight into my very favorite filmmaker!

[Matt Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not enough on Goodfellas or Casino but the earlier stuff is pretty amazing, worth a read

[Paul Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a teenager growing up in a tight-knit Italian community in the Bronx, New York, Martin Scorsese had two obsessions: religion and the movies. So, it wasn’t surprising that the two places he seemed to visit most were the nearby St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral and Loew’s Theatre. He even started on a career path to becoming a priest.

Fortunately, he veered, and the Roman Catholic Church’s loss was a win for the history and art of filmmaking, so evident in both the director/screenwriters best known work (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Casino, Goodfellas), lesser-known gems (The King of Comedy, After Hours), and the occasional pop culture hit (The Color of Money, Cape Fear, Casino, The The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street). And don’t forget his resume in rock docs (The Band in The Last Waltz, the Rolling Stones in Shine a Light).

The creation, filming, and legacy of most of those films and more (stretching back to his student films at New York University) are discussed and dissected in the newly revised and updated oral history Martin Scorsese: A Journey by Mary Pat Kelly.

Ironically, Kelly herself was a young nun-in-training when she first saw Scorsese’s early promise as a filmmaker and set out to meet him (eventually leaving the habit behind and becoming a confidante). Here, she’s conducted interviews with scores of subjects including Scorsese’s collaborators, friends, associates, actors, writers, influences, and even his parents. There’s also ample running commentary from the subject himself.

Not surprisingly, Kelly spends many pages on the link between film and religion, as Scorsese uses Catholic imagery, themes, and references throughout his filmography, and sometimes in the least likely places, often tied violent imagery and less-than-holy characters.

“My whole life has been movies and religion. That’s it. Nothing else.” Kelly quotes the director talking to a group of journalists at the 1988 Venice International Film Festival which screened his controversial The Last Temptation of Christ. Making the hugely personal film had been an arduous process, and it was the fast-talking, high-energy Scorsese’s White Whale after the plug was pulled on it by nervous studio execs just weeks before filming was set to start some years earlier.

When a second go-round was successful (this time with Willem Dafoe as the titular Jesus instead of Aidan Quinn), the film still produced more scandalous headlines than actual ticket sales. Though the “controversial” part of the film (and the decades-old novel it was based on) that caused public condemnation from pulpits and editorial across the country seems very, tame today. That’s at the very end of the film when Christ, dying on the cross, briefly fantasizes about not being a martyr to live a “normal life” with Mary Magdalene). Kelly learns from “The Apostles” that they still hang out together socially to this day!

Many of the stories will be familiar to the Scorsese diehard, but here additional viewpoints and counterpoints are also offered. Readers discover that the connection between would-be Presidential assassin John Hinckley’s obsession with Taxi Driver and actress Jodie Foster was kept from Scorsese as news broke on the very night he was attending the Academy Awards the year Raging Bull was up for numerous statues. Even friend and longtime collaborator Robert De Niro didn’t tell him—though Scorsese did wonder about the extra security that seemed to follow him, even into the bathroom.

The book basically ends with the 1991 pulpy thriller Cape Fear, so Scorsese’s work of the last 30 years isn’t mentioned, save for some in an afterword. And one chapter addresses his longtime interest in film preservation. I would like to see an updated version of this book which would cover his films of the 21st century, including The Aviator, The Departed, and The Wolf of Wall Street.

[Bill Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comprehensive review of Marty's film oeuvre, at least up until about 1992. This book does a deep dive into every one of his movies up to and including Cape Fear, But somehow, as long as it is, it doesn't go quite deep enough. In fact there are passages that quote certain Scorsese interviews to give context. Why are those interviews not given more paragraphs?

That said, it really is a good overview of the man and the struggles he went through to make a lot of his earlier movies. Since he is such a national treasure in the 2020s, we forget that he was not a bankable director until about 2006 when The Departed came out. Yes, GoodFellas is an absolute masterpiece, but it was not seen that way at the time, at least not the way it is today.

If you are a Scorsese super fan, this is a very good book to read. But I didn't find it as compelling or fascinating as I kind of wanted it to. Still, very good.

[Tanner Volz · Rating 4 out of 5]

a neat collection of reminiscences from all the major players across the first 2-3 decades of his career. Marty, Bobby, Thelma, Harvey, Joe etc all shooting poop. It’s entertaining and revealing — for all of his iconic nerdy smoothness, he’s a pretty anxious guy who often feels like he doesn’t have what it takes. His vulnerability is really fascinating.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great recounting of Scorsese’s filmography through the eyes of the most prominent themes in his life: religion, Italian-American culture, and movies themselves. There are clear glimpses into his approach to filmmaking such as characterisation or documentary-style that will be of great help to aspiring directed and also to screenwriters.

[Elijah]

Terrific collection of interviews with so many people involved in the making of all of Scorsese's films up to Gangs of New York, which they were working on while the book was being written. I picked this up in a random used book store, and I'll never regret it.

[Jonathan Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it. Not a ton of new information but still very interesting. Still want to see the pre Mean Streets films, and Age of Innocence, and the Irishman.

[Cristóbal Sepúlveda Cobo · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10

[Kristinn Friðriksson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jess Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Zac Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“That’s what dying for our sins means, I think. But then, I’m not a theologian…”

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Focused on early career they Cape Fear. Written by a former Catholic Nun who became friends with Scorsese in late sixties.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay here's my review: I enjoyed this book a lot. I just started really getting into film because of my roommate, so I feel like this brought me into that world even deeper. I was fully entertained the entire time and absolutely adored the format of this book.

[Jacob DaCosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Raging Bull
-MRS. SCORSESE: Remember Joey La Motta's wedding? Marty based the scene on our wedding reception. We were married on June 10th. And it was so hot that day. We lived on the fourth floor. We were always out on the roof. It used to be beautiful on the roof. Well we were dying from the heat. I was so hot that when they threw the confetti paper at me, it melted on the wedding gown. That's how hot it was. So we brought the whole party out of the apartment up to the roof. That's why Joey's wedding is on the roof.

MR. SCORSESE: Marty was sick the day on Raging Bull for the wedding scene, and he said to me, "Go up there and direct it. Tell them what to do up there on the roof" So when I went up there, I saw candelabras, and diced bread on one side, cold cuts on the other side. I said, "What are these candelabras doing here?" I said, "First, we didn't have candelabras.
Seconal defabras doing here?" I said, first, wese, things like that, Swiss heese-not fired bread?

King of Comedy
- My mother did an improvisation with De Niro when he's in the basement. He's talking to paper cutouts that represent guests on his imaginary talk show. My mother's yelling down the stairs to him to keep the sound down, and it's the only time I've ever seen him crack up on the set. Well, there was one other time, when a neighbor is yelling at Jake in Raging Bull, "You're an animal, you're an animal," and Bob says, "I'm gonna kill you, you'll find your dog's head in the hallway." He was laughing in the shot, because we could hear some guy yelling in the alley. If you watch him, you know he's laughing. It's because of that voice, the one we knew from childhood, from the streets of our neighborhoods.

- Marlon Brando was a big fan of King of Comedy. After it came out he invited Bob De Niro and me to his island.

After Hours
- I realized this would be made for about $4 million, in Manhattan, and I said, "Make it? I thought it would be interesting to see if I could go back and do something in a very fast way. All style. An exercise completely in style. And to show that they hadn't killed my spirit.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this interview format book will give you a better sense of who Martin Scorsese is as a film-maker. The timeline spans for over twenty years, beginning with his first student films at NYU and chronologically continues with his films made in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Along with the interviews given by Scorsese, his editor, producers, actors, cinematographers, parents and a few others gives an insightful view into his craft, art, and influences.

The book also detailed some of the drama and political headaches Scorsese had to endure in order get his films made. For instance, the first cancellation of The Last Temptation of Christ.

Obviously the book is outdated, seeing that Scorsese is still one of the most powerful and influential film-makers today. But for what it is, the book will help you understand Martin Scorsese's films, film-making process, and also who he is as an artist.

[Jashwin Acharya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marty The Goat