From Taxi Driver and Goodfellas to The Age of Innocence and The Wolf of Wall Street, Martin Scorsese’s intense and exhilarating films define him as one of the most influential directors of our time. Now the first exhibition celebrating the indelible cinematic legacy of the prolific and passionate auteur has opened at Melbourne’s ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image).
Scorsese tours audiences through the breadth of Martin Scorsese’s work. From his early experimental beginnings through to his award-winning feature films, working methods and key creative collaborations, as well as his personal motivations and passions, the exhibition offers insight into Scorsese’s career as an unparalleled screen stylist and a tireless champion of cinema. Curated by the Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum for Film and Television, Berlin, it draws on the riches of Scorsese’s personal collection and recollections, and demonstrates a relentless and accelerating work ethic over almost six decades –with no signs of slowing down.
Growing up in New York’s Little Italy and suffering from acute asthma, Scorsese’s childhood was spent looking down at the world from his apartment window and up at the screen in his local cinema. He was determined to grow up and make films that honoured the Hollywood and European traditions he loved, but that also reflected his own experiences as a working class Italian-American. The ways in which his life has permeated his art are explored in this exhibition, which takes as its starting point Scorsese’s family life and journeys through themes including the power dynamics between men(be they brothers or gangsters), the troubled relationships between men and women, and of course his beloved New York. Perhaps above all, it is Scorsese’s indelible characters – anti-heroes torn between rebellion and acceptance, sin and redemption – which have captured audiences and spawned numerous pop culture references.
With over 60 director credits achieved in almost as many years, Scorsese’s range is extraordinary. His work includes high octane dramas (Raging Bull, Gangs of New York) thrillers (The Departed, Shutter Island), spiritual quests (The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun), biographical dramas (The Aviator, The Wolf of Wall Street), period adaptations (The Age of Innocence), adventure (Hugo), television (HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and the 2016 mini-seriese Vinyl) and even a music video (Michael Jackson’s Bad).
A man driven by his passions, Scorsese’s fascinations have delivered us his insightful filmic takes on the lives of musicians George Harrison (Living in the Material World) and Bob Dylan (No Direction Home), affectionate documentaries on his family life (Italianamerican) and the Italian and American cinema traditions that continue to inspire him (My Voyage to Italy).
Best known as an Oscar-winning director, Scorsese has also demonstrated a deft hand in screenwriting, editing and producing, whilst developing strong creative partnerships reinforcing his distinctive style. Enduring collaborations with actors including Robert De Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio, cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, costume designer Sandy Powell, and editor Thelma Schoonmaker (also collaborating on Scorsese’s imminent release Silence). Each of these are explored within the exhibition.
Scorsese’s story is illuminated through 600 objects including storyboards, hand annotated film scripts, unpublished production stills, costumes, film clips and more. Exhibits have been drawn from Scorsese’s private collection, along with the Robert De Niro Collection and the Paul Schrader Collection at the Harry Ransom Centre, and work by Sandy Powell and Brigitte Lacombe. Together they weave an impressive narrative through recent cinema history that has already been adored by cinefiles and critics from Berlin to Ghent, Turin to Paris and now Melbourne.
Exclusive to Melbourne are five never-before-seen costumes from films such as The Aviator, Hugo and Gangs of New York, all designed by three-time Academy Award winner, Sandy Powell.
A champion for the exhibition, preservation and restoration of film, Scorsese established The Film Foundation in 1990 and in 1997 was recognised for his contribution to film culture with an AFI Life Achievement Award. During the exhibition, ACMI will delve into the ACMI Collection to curate a series of digital archival works paying homage to the themes and characters in Scorsese’s films alongside an analogue collection of films that inspired Scorsese, both available to view in the Australian Mediatheque.
A program of film screenings, talks, live events and education programs complement the exhibition experience, along with an audio guide and an exhibition book (Martin Scorsese, Silvana Editoriale, RRP $80) both with commentary from Scorsese himself.
Scorsese shows exclusively at ACMI from Thursday 26 May to Sunday 18 September 2016. The exhibition is open 10am to 5pm daily and until 9pm on Friday’s. For tickets and information, go to acmi.net.au/Scorsese
David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television
