Martin Scorsese was
born in
New York City. His father, Luciano
Charles Scorsese (1900–1993), and mother,
Catherine Scorsese (1912–1997), both worked in New
York's
Garment District. It was at this
stage in his life that he developed his
passion for
cinema. Scorsese developed an admiration for neo-realist cinema. He recounted its influence in a documentary on Italian neorealism, and commented on how
Bicycle Thieves inspired director
Satyajit Ray, and how this
influenced his
view or portrayal of his Sicilian
heritage. His initial desire to become a priest was forsaken for
cinema - the
seminary traded for
NYU Film School, where he received his
MFA in film directing in 1966.
Although the Vietnam War had started at the time, Scorsese was able to avoid military service. He attended New York University's film school (B.A., English, 1963; M.F.A., film, 1966) making the short films What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? (1963) and It's Not Just You, Murray! (1964). His most famous short of the period is the darkly comic The Big Shave(1967), which featured an unnamed man who shaves himself until profusely bleeding, ultimately slitting his own throat with his razor. The film is an indictment of America's involvement in Vietnam, suggested by its alternative title Viet '67.
Also in 1967, Scorsese made his first feature-length film, the black and white Who's That Knocking at My Door with fellow student, actor Harvey Keitel, and editor Thelma Schoonmaker both of whom were to become long term collaborators. This film was a precursor to his later Mean Streets. Even in embryonic form, the "Scorsese style" was already evident: a feel for New York Italian American street-life, rapid editing, an eclectic rock soundtrack and a troubled male protagonist.Scorsese's body of work addresses such themes as Italian American identity, Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and redemption, machismo, and the violence endemic in American society. Scorsese is widely considered to be one of the most significant and influential American filmmakers of his era.
Filmography (as director)
; "Martin Scorsese")
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