Martin Scorsese Names the Stars Who Shaped His Early Love of Cinema

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Martin Scorsese became a major figure in American film in the early 1970s, a decade known for its innovative filmmaking. He first gained recognition with the realistic drama Mean Streets in 1973, then demonstrated his range by directing the romantic film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. In 1976, he created his most famous and unsettling work, Taxi Driver.

This highly creative time also included his 1978 music documentary, The Last Waltz, which showed his ability to work successfully in both fictional storytelling and documentaries – a pattern he would continue throughout his career.

I’ve always known Scorsese is a huge influence on so many modern directors – people like the Safdie brothers and Greta Gerwig clearly learned a lot from him. But it’s amazing to learn he was so inspired by filmmakers from all over the world! He grew up loving masters like Kurosawa, Ozu, and Hitchcock, and he’s often talked about how important films like Ikiru and Tokyo Story were to him. But the movie that really set him on his path, he says, was Roberto Rossellini’s Paisan from 1946. He remembers watching it with his grandparents on TV, and it wasn’t just the story that got to him. He said their real emotional reaction to seeing images of their home country felt as powerful and immediate to him as the characters on screen. It’s incredible to think about how that one experience shaped the work we know and love today.

Growing up, Scorsese quickly realized that movies were more than just pictures—they were a strong connection between the filmmakers and the people watching. He was amazed that a film could be made even with difficult circumstances and poor equipment, yet still be incredibly impactful.

He also drew inspiration from actors like Sabu, an Indian star, and Victor Mature. Sabu’s role in The Thief of Bagdad and Mature’s work in classic noir films like Kiss of Death gave the young Scorsese a variety of different acting styles and character types to learn from.

At 83 years old, the acclaimed director is still very active, currently filming his new movie, What Happens at Night, in Prague. This psychological thriller, based on a novel by Peter Cameron, is his seventh project with Leonardo DiCaprio and also stars Jennifer Lawrence and Patricia Clarkson.

The film centers on an American couple who go to a snowy town in Europe to adopt a child, but find themselves stuck in a huge, almost empty hotel filled with strange and disturbing people. DiCaprio has mentioned that Scorsese suggested he watch Hitchcock’s Vertigo for inspiration on creating the film’s suspenseful mood.

Beyond his feature films, Martin Scorsese is completing a new documentary called Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson. The film showcases a large tribute concert for Robertson, held at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, with performances by music icons like Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, and Mavis Staples.

This project marks a final, meaningful collaboration between Scorsese and his friend and producer, who sadly passed away in 2023. Scorsese also recently took time to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Taxi Driver with special archival footage and a public discussion about the film’s complex and lasting impact.

Scorsese is still working on several projects, including a planned movie about Frank Sinatra, which Leonardo DiCaprio recently said is still happening. Although a film about Jesus has been put on hold, Scorsese’s new project, What Happens at Night, hints at a more experimental direction for the director as he moves later in his career.

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2026-02-13 22:14