Auteur Theory-Martin Scorsese

Paulo Vieira

Martin Scorsese

Scorsese was born in 1942 and is a director who is well known for many successful films such as The Goodfellas and The Departed. Scorsese began directing since 1963 and is still directing.

• One of the films Scorsese has directed is After Hours (1985). The use of cinematography is consistent throughout many of his film openings. In the opening scene we are introduce to a diagetic sound of bells ringing and a man who seems isolated and covered in flour which connotes that he must have been somewhere before, he is also outside a well established building in a suit. As the film progresses we can clearly see in the man’s facial expression that he is confused.

• Moreover, there is suspicious non-diagetic music playing which gives the audience idea that the man is up to something suspicious. As the man is walking up into the office time is compressed as we do not see his journey to the office fully. Nobody seems to be paying any attention to the man which connotes that he is socially invisible and alienated.

• We are then introduced to a crescendo and the music changes into an upbeat lively music and as the camera pans away from the man at his desk, it travels around the office showing the audience an insight on where we are. Furthermore, as the opening ends there is no sign of the man reappearing into the scene which could be an enigma code. It also does disorientate the audience and leave us asking questions.

Another film made by Scorsese is Strange Days(1995). • In the opening of this film we are introduced to the title immediately. It is in lowercase

letters all in red which could connote to that audience that the title doesn’t match the storyline.

• We then see a subtitle that establishes where and when this film is set. Because we see it on the subtitle, we immediately know that this is set in December 1999.

• In the background we hear a non-diegetic high pitched sound with a ticking the could be a bomb about to explode. This leaves anticipation in the audience as we do not know what it is that is ticking but we want to find out

• The scene then cuts and we are introduced to an extreme close up of a mans eye and somebody questioning ‘Are you ready?’, this immediately leaves the audience disorientated as we do not know what exactly is happening

• The editing involved after that scene includes a point of view shot as the man seems uneasy because his view is blurred, as well as that we can hear what is described as radio interference sound which helps the audience understand that he is uneasy and bewildered

• As the opening continues, we can identify that the men involved are about to commit a crime as they are wearing tights to mask their face and holding guns

• Scorsese purposely portrays the characters to be panicked at the beginning to create an opening scene that involves action and anxiety. Moreover he purposely chose the point of view shot to make the audience feel as if their there

Lastly, another film from Scorsese I will analyse is Cape Fear(1991)• The opening of the film includes a close up of what seems to be water accompanied by

non-diegetic music that is quite mysterious. As that is happening we also see the titles come up in an unusual typography.

• We then see the scene fade into a blurry view of mountains and there is a focus on a bird flying. This could be connotations from Scorsese implying that freedom may be blurred or hard to find in the film.

• As the shot continues to be blurred and the mysterious music plays in the background. We see glimpses of a person’s face which connotes to the audience that somebody’s identity is being blurred for a reason.

• Furthermore, Scorsese purposely makes the character look disillusioned in the opening and we see an extreme close up of the person’s eyes with a red effect in the shot. This could be seen as an enigma code and shows disorientation in the character.

Martin Scorsese trademarks• Often uses long tracking shots• Frequent use of slow motion, e.g. Taxi Driver(1976), Raging Bull (1980)• Usually starts off with the protagonist • Some of his films include references/allusions to Westerns • Slow motion flashbulbs and accented camera/flash/shutter sounds