Martin Scorsese is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor known for his crime dramas and collaborations with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. Some of his most famous films include Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and The Departed, for which he won an Academy Award. Scorsese is renowned for his depiction of violence and use of techniques like freeze frames and tracking shots. His films often explore Italian-American identity and themes of crime, masculinity, and redemption through complex character studies.

1. Martin Scorsese
Born November 17, 1942

2. American director, Producer, Screenwriter, Actor and a
Film historian.
Raised in an Italian- American family.
Collaborated with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio
Won the Academy Award for Best Director for the crime
drama The Departed (2006)
Eight Best Director nominations

3. Themes used in his films
Italian-American identity
Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and
redemption
Machismo
Modern crime
Gang conflict
His signature style is the depiction of violence and liberal use of
profanity in his films- he uses of freeze frames and tracking
shots.

4. Landmark Films
Crime film Mean Streets (1973) and Goodfellas
(1990)
Comedy-drama Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
(1974)
Neo noir psychological thriller Taxi Driver (1976)
Biographical sports drama Raging Bull (1980)
The black comedy The King of Comedy (1983)

5. Trailer
Goodfellas (1990)-
Being a gangster is “better then being the
president of the United States” you get
whatever you want. The gangsters work
they way up through the ‘Mob Hierarchy’.
Their mobs involve in robbery and killing.
The Departed (2006)- About cops and
criminals, there is an undercover cop who is
goes disguised and gets involved in a gang.

6. Shot Types
Goodfellas (1990) and The Departed
(2006)

7. Freeze Frames
Goodfellas (1990) - Towards the end of the clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEwJdGfi1p8
The Departed (2006) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbRbsSc1Kwk
This helps Scorsese influence the viewers about how he feels; creating a
relationship between him and the audience, the violence in this clip shows a
corrupt side of mortality reflecting what he witnessed through his life.

8. Tracking shots
Goodfellas (1990) - The Copacabana Shot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-kldBgyTTc
The Departed (2006) - 0:41 to 0:45 where
there is tracking, also there are close up, freeze
frames e.g. the police badge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N49bRIT3lP
U
Scorsese presents controlled use of a steadicam allowing the audience to feel
apart of the scene, as if they are there. The audience also hear a non-diegetic
sound played through the tracking scene. It creates a mood to compliment
what is going on which makes the audience feel more involved.

9. Characters
His character studies are often exploring into the dark
side of the male mind.
Scorsese likes to stick with particular actors because it
matches his idea such as….
Leonardo DiCaprio
Robert De Niro

10. Music and Sound
The soundtracks used in
Scorsese's films were put in
between dialogues to comment on
the action. For example The
Departed- “I’m Shipping Up to
Boston” by Dropkick Murphys
where Leonardo DiCaprio is in the
back seat of the car with some
gangsters.
He would chose songs which were
older or current during the year the
film is released.