Image by “SiebÂbi,” WikiÂmeÂdia ComÂmons
Before the rise of instiÂtuÂtionÂal film schools—ensconced in uniÂverÂsiÂty walls with all the forÂmalÂiÂty that entails—those seekÂing to learn the craft did so by apprenÂticÂing themÂselves to stuÂdios and masÂter direcÂtors, and by watchÂing lots and lots of movies. If we take the examÂple of some of the most interÂestÂing filmÂmakÂers workÂing today, this still may be the best way to become a filmÂmakÂer. WernÂer Herzog’s Rogue Film School, for examÂple, forÂgoes the trapÂpings of classÂrooms for a much more rough-and-tumÂble approach—and a direct conÂfrontaÂtion with the mediÂum. Kevin Smith dropped out of film school, as did Paul Thomas AnderÂson, spurred on partÂly by a love of TerÂmiÂnaÂtor 2. “My filmÂmakÂing eduÂcaÂtion,” revealed AnderÂson, “conÂsistÂed of findÂing out what filmÂmakÂers I liked were watchÂing, then seeÂing those films.” It’s more or less how Quentin TaranÂtiÂno learned to make movies too.
You could hardÂly do better—if you’ve decidÂed to take this indeÂpenÂdent route toward a cinÂeÂmatÂic education—than apprenÂtice yourÂself under MarÂtin ScorsÂese. Or at least find out what films he loves, and watch them all yourÂself.
Last year, we feaÂtured a list of 39 forÂeign films the estimable direcÂtor of Taxi DriÂver, RagÂing Bull, Hugo, GoodÂfelÂlas (etc., etc., etc.) recÂomÂmendÂed to a young filmÂmakÂer. Today, we bring you a list of 85 films ScorsÂese refÂerÂenced in the course of a four-hour interÂview he gave to Fast ComÂpaÂny. “Some of the movies he disÂcussed,” writes FastÂCo, “OthÂers he just menÂtioned. But the cumuÂlaÂtive total reflects a life lived entireÂly withÂin the conÂfines of movie makÂing.” Shoot on over to Fast ComÂpaÂny to read Scorsese’s comÂmenÂtary on each of the films below, and see an aesÂthetÂiÂcalÂly pleasÂing verÂsion of his list over at MUBI as well.
Like I said, you could hardÂly do betÂter.
- Ace in the Hole
- All that HeavÂen Allows
- AmerÂiÂca, AmerÂiÂca
- An AmerÂiÂcan in Paris
- ApocÂaÂlypse Now
- Arsenic and Old Lace
- The Bad and the BeauÂtiÂful
- The Band WagÂon
- Born on the Fourth of July
- Cape Fear
- Cat PeoÂple
- Caught
- CitÂiÂzen Kane
- The ConÂverÂsaÂtion
- Dial M for MurÂder
- Do the Right Thing
- Duel in the Sun
- The Four HorseÂmen of the ApocÂaÂlypse
- Europa ’51
- Faces
- The Fall of the Roman Empire
- The FlowÂers of St. FranÂcis
- Force of Evil
- Forty Guns
- GerÂmany Year Zero
- GilÂda
- The GodÂfaÂther
- Gun Crazy
- Health
- Heaven’s Gate
- House of Wax
- How Green Was My ValÂley
- The HusÂtler
- I Walk Alone
- The InferÂnal CakeÂwalk
- It HapÂpened One Nght
- Jason and the ArgÂonauts
- JourÂney to Italy
- Julius CaeÂsar
- Kansas City
- Kiss Me DeadÂly
- Klute
- La TerÂra Trema
- The Lady From ShangÂhai
- The LeopÂard
- MacÂbeth
- The MagÂic Box
- M*A*S*H
- A MatÂter of Life and Death
- McCabe & Mrs. Miller
- The MesÂsiÂah
- MidÂnight CowÂboy
- MishiÂma
- Deeds Goes to Town
- Smith Goes to WashÂingÂton
- Nashville
- Night and the City
- One, Two, Three
- OthÂelÂlo
- Paisa
- PeepÂing Tom
- PickÂup on South Street
- The PlayÂer
- The PowÂer and the GloÂry
- StageÂcoach
- Raw Deal
- The Red Shoes
- The Rise of Louis XIV
- The RoarÂing TwenÂties
- RocÂco and his BrothÂers
- Rome, Open City
- Secrets of the Soul
- SenÂso
- ShadÂows
- Shock CorÂriÂdor
- Some Came RunÂning
- StromÂboli
- Sullivan’s TravÂels
- Sweet Smell of SucÂcess
- Tales of HoffÂman
- The Third Man
- T‑Men
- Touch of Evil
- The TriÂal
- Two Weeks in AnothÂer Town
Note: An earÂliÂer verÂsion of this post appeared on our site in 2015.
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RelatÂed ConÂtent:
MarÂtin ScorsÂese CreÂates a List of 39 EssenÂtial ForÂeign Films for a Young FilmÂmakÂer
MarÂtin ScorsÂese Reveals His 12 Favorite Movies (and Writes a New Essay on Film PreserÂvaÂtion)
Quentin TaranÂtiÂno Lists His Favorite Films Since 1992
AkiÂra Kurosawa’s List of His 100 Favorite Movies
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness
So…is the word “Mr.” now among the non-PC terms in the lanÂguage gulag?
No 2001, A Space Odyssey?
NothÂing from FelliÂni? Shocked.