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Summary
AlthoughMartin Scorseseis one of the most celebrated support director , his prolific yield means there are a few obscure gems disperse throughout his prolonged life history . call Martin Scorsese ’s work underrated seems almost delusional given how much critical plaudits the manager has relish throughout his calling . EvenScorsese ’s bad pic are rankedabove the best motion-picture show of many other directors , and the filmmaker ’s shock on the movie manufacture is immeasurable . Despite this , Scorsese has direct a amazingly mellow number of movies that were unfairly forgotten or dismissed by critics upon their initial acquittance . Many of these are underrated classics .
Scorsese ’s calling began back in the mid-60s when he directed a smattering of short film while a scholar at the Tisch School of the Arts . Scorsese ’s 1967 directorial debut , Who ’s That Knocking at My Door , attracted the aid of the late , not bad B - flick icon Roger Corman , who helped the director get a start in the industriousness . The rest is history , as the ensue decades saw Scorsese become one of the world ’s most celebrated directors . However , throughout these year , Scorsese ’s low-down number of Oscar winsreinforced the reality that not all his movies were appreciated in their time .
Killers of the Flower Moon extend an unfathomable Oscars track record that Martin Scorsese has thanks to the movie ’s poor functioning at the 2024 award .
10The Color of Money
Scorsese’s Sequel To The Hustler Remains Underrated
1986’sThe Color of Moneywas a financial collision for Scorsese and the movie ’s review were mostly positive , with critics praising both Tom Cruise and Paul Newman ’s performances as a span of magnetic consortium shark . As such , the moving picture might not seem underrated at first coup d’oeil . However , The Color of Money ’s sequel status always complicated its critical reception . WhileThe Color of Moneyis well - like by critics , it is seldom regard superior to its predecessor , 1961’sThe Hustler . Director Robert Rossen ’s Paul Newman vehicle was an instant classic upon release and , 25 age later , Scorsese could n’t duplicate its wallop .
9Who’s That Knocking at My Door
The Director’s Debut Is Painfully Honest And Uncomfortable
In many career retrospectives , Scorsese ’s debutWho ’s That Knocking at My Dooris lump in with his scholarly person movies as an early - life history curio . A dark dramatic play about a Catholic boy ’s inability to admit his girlfriend ’s traumatic past , Who ’s That Knocking at My Doorwas Scorsese ’s first attempt to tackle the themes of toxic masculinity and Catholic guiltthat went on to delimitate his life history in the eyes of many critics . WhileScorsese ’s 1973 hitMean Streetswas a more dynamical calling card for himself and star Harvey Keitel , Who ’s That Knocking at My Doorremains a poignant , unsanded character study .
8Hugo
Scorsese’s Lone Family Film Is A Vibrant Delight
2011’sHugodoesn’t have a lot in rough-cut withWho ’s That Knocking at My Doorsave for its underappreciated position . An adaption of Brian Selznick ’s historical fiction novelThe innovation of Hugo Cabret , Hugois a merriment , visually imaginative period piece that offer future stars Asa Butterfield and Chloë Grace Moretz other Pb roles . Hugo ’s narrative of an orphan living in Paris ’s train station is a whimsical , vivacious delight and a departure for Scorsese that prove the director can excel even when making lighter transportation . A astral supporting cast including Ray Winstone and Christopher Lee elevatesHugoeven further .
7Bringing Out The Dead
Nicolas Cage Excels In Scorsese’s Later Paul Schrader Collaboration
While Scorsese ’s oversize acclaim has led some viewers to avoid his work , Nicolas Cage is a more traditionally factious figure . The superstar is a classic “ Love them or detest them ” thespian , but 1999 ’s unique supernatural dramaBringing Out The Deadproves that Cage has serious spectacular chops behind all the memes and infamous scene . A gripping look at the liveliness of a turbulent paramedic , Bringing Out The Deadis arguablyNicolas Cage ’s best movieand easy one of Scorsese ’s most underrated endeavor . Moving , shuddery , and occasionally surreal , this drama is a truly arresting collaboration between the couple .
6New York, New York
Scorsese’s Underrated Musical Is A Welcome Departure
viewer put off Scorsese by his reputation for making grisly mobster movies would do well to seek out 1977 ’s musical dramaNew York , New York . A box office underperformer upon release , New York , New Yorkis a rambling dear taradiddle about Robert De Niro ’s ego - center on saxophonist and Liza Minelli ’s lonely singer falling in and out of lovein 1940s New York . Admittedly , New York , newfangled Yorkisn’t Scorsese ’s estimable work and its ambitiousness surpass its grasp , as Scorsese ’s attempts to quicken the histrionic melodic mode of the ‘ forty flow light . However , it remain a surprisingly fun divagation .
5Silence
2016’s Silence Sees Scorsese Tackle Hefty Themes
IfNew York , New Yorkproves that not all of Scorsese ’s movies are as dark as his critics claim , 2016 ’s historical dramaSilenceproves they also are n’t all fill up with gender and drug . AfterThe Wolf of Wall Street ’s success , Scorsese switched gears with this thoughtful dramatic event about a pair of Jesuit priests attempting to bring Catholicism to Japan during the 1600s . Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver are brilliant asSilence ’s champion , while Liam Neeson gives one of his best performances as their disillusion mentor . Silencewas a box office bomb , but remains an insightful meditation on organized religion .
4Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
Scorsese’s Early Masterpiece Proves The Director’s Critics Wrong
continue this list ’s go back stem of turn up that most complaints about Scorsese ’s career do n’t obligate water is 1974 ’s ardent romanticist comedyAlice Does n’t Live Here Anymore . Despite many ill about Scorsese ’s deficiency of distaff protagonists , Alice Does n’t Live Here Anymoreis a funny , magical , and perceptive story of a widow mother seem for a better living . Ellen Burstyn delivers a stellar turn as the titular supporter , while Jodie Foster and Harvey Keitel ensure the rest period of the movie ’s cast of characters is stack with famous faces . A stone that after influenced Wes Anderson , Alice Does n’t go Here Anymoreremains underestimate even among Scorsese ’s fandom .
3The King of Comedy
This Influential Black Comedy Was Hated Upon Release
Ever sinceThe King of Comedyshaped Joker ’s entire story , it has become increasingly unmanageable to claim that black comedy is underrated . However , while it might have inspire an acclaimed billion - one dollar bill come to decades by and by , it is important to note just how reviledThe King of Comedywas upon release . A deadpan thriller about Robert De Niro ’s troubled , delusional wannabe comedian Robert Pupkin , The King of Comedywas ab initio a massive box part collapse . Some critics were genial , but others were bequeath cold-blooded , with Pauline Kael calling Pupkin “ A nothing . ” Most reviewers highlight its similarities toTaxi Driver .
The King of Comedywas a cold character reference study that centered on a uniquely detestable role ’s thirstiness for fame .
However , these comparisons were seldom kind . WhereTaxi Driverhoned in on the disaffection of voteless working - stratum humanity office - Vietnam , The King of Comedywas a cold character cogitation that focus on on a uniquely detestable character ’s hunger for fame . Joker’sTaxi Driversimilaritiesmight explicate why the motion-picture show managed to make a better impression than Scorsese ’s 1982 funniness , since Joaquin Phoenix ’s antihero is rendered surprisingly human , much like De Niro ’s Travis Bickle . In contrast , The King of Comedy ’s Robert Pupkin might be Scorsese ’s most strictly unlikable and pesky protagonist , and even critic had a intemperate time stomach his put-on for an entire motion-picture show .
2The Last Temptation Of Christ
Scorsese’s Sincere Religious Epic Is Moving And Challenging
Scorsese’sThe Last enticement of Christis arguably the music director ’s most personal motion-picture show , but its touching exploration of faith , sacrifice , intention , and forgiveness was lost amid the fury surrounding its firing . The Last Temptation of Christ ’s button was spoil by protests , death threat , censorship , and a terrorist attack from far - correct Catholic extremists who objected to its content . Ironically , The Last Temptation of Christmight be the best mainstream flick about Christ in Hollywood historyprecisely because of the same elements that upset extremists . Controversially , Scorsese ’s movie consider Willem Dafoe ’s Christ tempted by the joys of human life story during his hurt .
The Last enticement of Christsuffered violent pushback for exploring Christ ’s personal forfeit .
WhileMel Gibson’sPassion of the Christbecame a immense fiscal success by tawdrily leaning into the goriest excess of Christ ’s physical torture , The Last Temptation of Christsuffered vehement pushback for exploring Christ ’s personal forfeiture . The closing act , which envisions Jesus descending from the hybridization to live a felicitous , full sprightliness at the expense of humanity , is a transcendental effort to capsulise the inconceivable weight of sacrifice one ’s lifetime for a large causal agency . It ’s arguably the most moving moment in Scorsese ’s divers filmography and one that get to the otherwise imperfectThe Last enticement of Christessential wake .
1After Hours
Scorsese’s Most Underrated Movie Is A Comedic Nightmare
AfterThe Last Temptation of Christ ’s explorations of expectant themes , it might be a surprisal to see 1985 ’s glowering comedyAfter Hoursgain this list ’s top billet . However , After Hoursis an staggering reminder of Scorsese ’s pure filmmaking prowessthat eschews many of the film director ’s most familiar idea in its wild tale . There are no gangsters inAfter hour , nor are there any ruminations on faith and morality . Unlike every picture Scorsese has made afterwards , After Hoursis neither a biopic nor an adaptation . or else , After Hoursis the ostensibly dim-witted floor of an average guy wire ’s very bad dark .
After Hoursis a darkly hilarious trip into Hell .
Griffin Dunne ’s nervy Paul take a rarefied risk when he attempt to romance Roseanne Arquette ’s Marcy , and thing presently go from bad to worse for the beleaguered office prole . A supporting casting including Catherine O’Hara , Terri Garr , John Heard , Cheech and Chong , Dick Miller , and Linda Fiorentino insure thatAfter Hoursis a in darkness uproarious trip-up into Hell , butScorsese ’s for the most part forgottenAfter Hoursis not merely funny . Paul ’s ordeal also becomes funnily existential , tapping into levels of paranoia , unease , and apprehension that few late imitators could replicate . This makesAfter Hoursthe most underrated film inMartin Scorsese ’s vocation .
