The movie Martin Scorsese knew he could never beat: “You can’t go near that”
If you love cinema, you’ve probably seen a Martin Scorsese film. While his movies might not be for everyone, many of his creations have become widely regarded as some of the finest pieces of cinema Hollywood has to offer, from Taxi Driver and Raging Bull to Goodfellas and The Age of Innocence. Working with big names and big budgets, Scorsese’s films are never short of impressive, and as a result, he is one of the most well-loved names in the industry.
The filmmaker started out in the 1960s, a time when cinema was drastically changing for the better. More provocative, explicit, and violent content was making its way into the mainstream, with practically every genre we love today going through a rapid evolution. Scorsese released his debut feature, Who’s That Knocking at My Door, in 1967, which, while made on a small budget, featured many of the themes he would come to be known for.
Scorsese’s films often follow a man who goes through personal struggles, caught between themes such as religion, romantic relationships, family, friendship, politics, and crime. He does this excellently in Taxi Driver, following Travis Bickle as his mental health quickly deteriorates and he finds himself surrounded by violence and delusion. The movie is a classic for a reason, with Bernard Herrmann’s score fitting in perfectly with images of the decaying New York City streets and the neon lights of cars.
The movie was written by Paul Schrader, who also worked with Scorsese on movies like Raging Bull and The Last Temptation of Christ. The auteur often directs from a screenplay written by someone else, bringing these ideas to life with his own distinctive style. In the case of 2006’s The Departed, he chose to remake the movie Internal Affairs, a Hong Kong action thriller. His movies might feel distinctively American – often taking place in New York – but Scorsese is greatly inspired by Hong Kong cinema, specifically their action movies, which have a significant cult following.
There is one movie from the genre that Scorsese thinks is so brilliant that he simply couldn’t compare. Talking to Cinema Blend, the director revealed, “You know, Hong Kong cinema, once I saw John Woo’s The Killer, you can’t go near that, you can’t even begin. As far as my skills as a filmmaker, you can’t. That’s taking our film and their culture and mix everything up together.”
Released in 1989, The Killer follows a man who plans on retiring from his job as an assassin, only to accidentally injure a woman in a nightclub. Feeling guilty, he attends the venue many more times and watches her perform before beginning a romantic relationship with her. When he realises that she needs treatment for the injury he caused her, the assassin decides to carry out another hit to fund it.
The movie is one of the highest-regarded Hong Kong action movies, becoming a hugely influential piece of cinema that has inspired filmmakers in the decades since. It is interesting that Scorsese likes the movie so much because Woo was actually influenced by the American director’s films when he made The Killer.
