10 Scenes In Martin Scorsese Movies That Are Basically Perfect

Martin Scorsese is a legendary director with a long list of hits to his name, and some of his best scenes offer quick glimpses of what he’s capable of. In a career stretching back to the 1960s, Scorsese has delivered outstanding biopics, crime dramas and the occasional genre experiment. Many of his best scenes are instantly recognizable slices of cinematic history, even to people who haven’t seen the movies they come from.

Scorsese’s most memorable scenes show the breadth of his talents. He’s known for moments of shocking violence, but many of Martin Scorsese’s best movies are also hilarious. Another hallmark of Scorsese’s career is that he can often bring superb performances out of his actors. He’s most famous for his collaborations with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, but his best scenes feature other heavyweights like Al Pacino and Daniel Day-Lewis too.

10

“You Talkin’ To Me?”

Taxi Driver (1976)

Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro have always gotten the best out of one another, dating back to their early collaborations in the 1970s. Taxi Driver was a big leap forward for both men, and it’s arguably Scorsese’s first true classic after the success of Mean Streets. De Niro plays Travis Bickle, a man who takes it upon himself to rid the streets of the criminals and scum that he perceives while driving around in his cab.

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The mirror scene is one of Scorsese’s most iconic, but it’s the result of some remarkable improvisation from De Niro. As he rehearses his tough-guy act, it becomes clear that his role as a vigilante plays into his own power fantasies. In his most private moments, he dreams about getting his own back against some unseen bullies, rather than helping people in need or being heralded as a hero.

9

Howard Crashes In Beverly Hills

The Aviator (2004)

The XF-11 crash in The Aviator

The Aviator is another biopic and another movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, so it’s familiar territory for Martin Scorsese, but he still finds new ways of exploring. The explosive plane crash scene is an example of Scorsese shaking things up, since he rarely creates such immense cinematic spectacle. He’s always had a knack for making the most out of his action scenes, but Howard’s Beverly Hills crash is on a much bigger scale.

Scorsese has always had a knack for making the most out of his action scenes, but Howard’s Beverly Hills crash is on a much bigger scale.

Scorsese highlights the terrifying tragedy of the accident by showing the insides of a few houses shortly before they are ripped to shreds. There’s a sense of mundane tranquility in these homes, contrasting with the screaming chaos of the cockpit. Another counterpoint comes in the hospital immediately after the crash, as a doctor plainly lists the injuries that Howard sustained.

8

Rupert Pupkin’s 15 Minutes Of Fame

The King Of Comedy (1982)

Robert De Niro as Rupert Pupkin On Stage in The King of Comedy

The King of Comedy could be one of Martin Scorsese’s most underrated movies, but it showcases his dark sense of humor brilliantly. The story follows a struggling fame-hungry comedian who kidnaps a popular talk show host, demanding a slot on his show. The stand-up routine that follows is a wonderful scene. It’s presented with no frills, but the weight of the audience’s extra knowledge makes it hard to look away from.

Rupert’s comedy is perfectly adequate, which is much more interesting than if he were terrible or somehow hilarious.

After so much build-up, Rupert Pupkin’s stand-up comedy routine is nothing to write about him. It’s perfectly adequate, which is much more interesting than if he were terrible or somehow hilarious. He’s a formulaic joke-teller with a dark outlook. Rupert seems like he could actually be a good comedian if he worked hard and reflected on his shortcomings, but his phony form of self-deprecation barely conceals a remarkable ego. The whole movie leads up to this performance, and it doesn’t disappoint.

7

The Battle Of The Five Points

Gangs Of New York (2002)

Daniel Day Lewis as Bill The Butcher leading a group of scary street thugs in Gangs of New York

Gangs of New York earned 10 Oscar nominations, but it doesn’t have the same avid fan base as some of Martin Scorsese’s other movies. One thing that has certainly stood the test of time is Daniel Day-Lewis’ captivating performance as Bill the Butcher, a vicious gang leader in New York’s Five Points neighborhood. The beginning of the film introduces him and the conflict in the area in shocking style, with a large-scale battle that leaves the snow-covered streets stained red with blood.

There are plenty of unexpected directorial choices, including some low camera angles and jumpy slow-motion.

The opening battle of Gangs of New York sets the tone for a violent saga, with limbs snapping, blood splattering over the camera lens, and the anguished screams of the dying being drowned out by Scorsese’s anachronistic soundtrack. There are plenty of unexpected directorial choices, including some low camera angles and jumpy slow-motion. Ultimately, the fighting is over as quickly as it began, proving how arbitrary and businesslike the conflict is.

6

Jake Loses His Title

Raging Bull (1980)

Raging Bull is one of the best boxing movies ever, and the way that Martin Scorsese films the sport is a big reason why. Of all the fights in Raging Bull, Jake LaMotta and Sugar Ray Robinson’s final contest is the most eye-catching, and this suits its pivotal importance in the story of Jake’s life. Although he loses his crown, Jake’s pride convinces him that he scores a moral victory by never going down under the savage beating from Ray.

It’s a unique approach to a fight scene that brings the audience inside Jake’s mind.

The dolly zoom that makes Sugar Ray Robinson look like a supernatural giant was filmed in a ring much larger than a standard boxing ring, and the effect works perfectly. The sound design of this scene is also fascinating, as Jake tunes out the crowd, highlighting the thud and crack of each punch. It’s a unique approach to a fight scene that brings the audience inside Jake’s mind, especially when Scorsese uses POV shots.

5

Andrew Laeddis Accepts His Fate

Shutter Island (2010)

The ending of Shutter Island delivers a twist that changes the entire story. Whether someone likes the movie or not will depend on how they feel about this divisive twist. Either way, the scene after Andrew learns that he is not, in fact, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, is a perfect way to wrap things up. Andrew pretends to be Teddy one last time, ensuring that he gets lobotomized so that he can forget his traumatic past.

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio working together on the set of Shutter Island

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There are plenty of interesting touches in the final scene, like Dr. Sheehan’s understanding of Andrew’s sacrifice, even though he does nothing to stop it, and Dr. Cawley’s look of stoic disappointment. It’s a quiet scene that comes off the back of a chaotic nightmare and a shocking twist, subtly suggesting that Andrew may find some sick form of peace after all. As he cryptically admits to his doctor, the cure is worse than the disease.

4

Max Meets Danielle In The Theater

Cape Fear (1991)

Cape Fear is a remake of a 1962 film starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum, who both play minor roles in Martin Scorsese’s version. It probably deserves more admiration in Scorsese’s filmography, but it gets overshadowed by some of his other big hits from around the same time. It’s a terrifying psychological thriller that combines Scorsese’s keen eye for dramatic spectacle with some superb performances. Scorsese is working on a Cape Fear TV series with Steven Spielberg, and Javier Bardem has been cast in the lead role.

Robert De Niro and Juliette Lewis were both nominated for Oscars for their performances in Cape Fear.

Robert De Niro and Juliette Lewis were both nominated for Oscars for their performances in Cape Fear, and the scene in which they come face to face in the theater shows that they deserved this honor. De Niro plays Max Cady, a self-righteous ex-convict who seeks revenge against Lewis’ character’s father. When Max meets Danielle at school, he seduces her in a way that emphasizes his power over the situation, and the audience knows much more than Danielle how dangerous he is and what his real motivations are. It’s a miniature masterpiece in dramatic irony.

3

Jimmy Hoffa Berates His Employees

The Irishman (2019)

Al Pacino and Martin Scorsese nearly worked together many times, but it took them decades to actually collaborate on a movie. The movie in question is The Irishman, an epic drama that sees Scorsese exploring organized crime once again, with the story of a mob hitman who had ties to Jimmy Hoffa. Pacino plays the controversial union leader, delivering one of his finest performances of the 21st century.

Scorsese has the good sense to use a wide shot, which allows Pacino as much space as he wants.

Pacino’s performance reaches a comedic crescendo as Hoffa berates his employees for a misjudged decision that will almost certainly land him in jail for corruption. Scorsese has the good sense to use a wide shot, which allows Pacino as much space as he wants, as his verbal tirade turns physical. He also keeps the camera rolling, incorporating one of Pacino’s flubbed lines into the scene to accentuate Hoffa’s delirious desperation.

2

Jordan Meets The FBI On His Yacht

The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

The Wolf of Wall Street is one of Martin Scorsese’s most relentlessly entertaining movies, and its mammoth runtime can go by in a flash, with so many memorable moments and a constant party atmosphere. There’s no shortage of standout scenes in The Wolf of Wall Street, such as Matthew McConaughey’s single scene, Jordan crawling to his car, and his “I’m not leaving” speech.

Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of his best performances in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Jordan’s meeting with the FBI agents on his yacht is just one of many hilarious scenes in The Wolf of Wall Street. Jordan knows that getting these men to like him could keep him out of any legal trouble, and he does anything that he can to smooth-talk them. This isn’t exactly one of Jordan’s strengths, so he soon resorts to bribing, intimidation and petty bullying. He shows his insecurity, and there’s a clear undercurrent of fear in his bombastic rage. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of his best performances in The Wolf of Wall Street.

1

Henry Goes To The Copacabana

Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas Copacabana scene

Goodfellas crams an epic crime saga into a relatively short runtime, rattling along at a brisk pace that sweeps the audience up in the glamour of mob life. Henry’s date with Karen at the Copacabana is one scene that shows how infectiously fun Henry’s life at the high table is, as he shows her in through the side entrance and sits down with her at a table right in front of the stage. It’s a simple scene that conveys a lot about his character.

Scorsese-in-hugo-and--Steve-Buscemi-in-Boardwalk-Empire-and-Bobby-Cannavale-in-Vinyl-

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There are certainly easier ways for Henry to get into the club. He could simply skip the line and pay off the bouncer, for example. The meandering route down the staris and through the kitchen shows his influence and popularity, however, and this is what he wants to show Karen. The long take is one of Martin Scorsese’s best shots, creating an immersive atmosphere inside the bustling nightclub, and showing Henry in his element.