Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest Hollywood directors of all time. Since the 1960s, Scorsese has worked tirelessly to direct some of the most iconic movies in history, movies known for their complex characters, moral ambiguity and gritty depictions of life in America. Along with his incredible storytelling, Scorsese worked with some of the finest cinematographers the industry has to offer, such as Michael Ballhaus, Rodrigo Prieto and Michael Chapman, to create incredible camera shots that have cemented their place in cinematic history. .
What sets Scorsese’s direction apart from his various cinematographers is the emotional resonance of their shots. Fusing technical innovation with the ability to capture the complex emotions at play of his characters enhances the storyline of every movie he has directed. Scorsese’s use of framing, lighting, POV shots, and slow motion make the camera shots more than just a way to convey the narrative of his movies, but a way to represent the larger themes at play, such as guilt, corruption, revenge, and Power.
10
Dolores turns to Ash
Shutter Island (2010)
A camera shot made possible by the use of both practical effects and CGI is also one of Scorsese’s most haunting. in Shutter IslandTeddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) visions his late wife Dolores (Michelle Williams) telling him that “You have to let me go“. Teddy currently believes that Dolores was burned to death in their apartment as a result of the arsonist, Andrew Laeddis, and sees her disintegrate into ashes while in his arms. There is a shot accompanied by Max Richter’s”.On the nature of daylight”, a string piece that perfectly captures the themes at play here.
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It’s a harrowing shot, and one that serves a dual purpose in propelling Shutter Islands story ahead. On the one hand, this is a haunting depiction of Dolores’ death, but on the other, Dolores’s crumbling body acts as a representation of Teddy’s mental state. like Shutter Island Progressing, Teddy becomes more and more agitated and anxious as his mental state declines, eventually culminating in the incredible twist ending. This shot is a visual representation of Teddy’s emotional descent, making it one of the most charged shots in Scorsese’s filmography.
9
Jimmy smoking in the bar
Goodfellas (1990)
In a movie heralded by many to be Scorsese’s magnum opus comes one of the coolest, yet suspense-filled camera shots of his entire career. In this scene in GoodfellasJimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) is sitting in a bar, smoking a cigarette while looking at Morrie Kessler (Chuck Low). The camera begins to move towards Jimmy as he takes a drag, his eyes never leaving his subject. The opening guitar riffs to Cream’s “Sunshine Of Your Love” give this particular shot an awesome ambiance that pays homage to the cold, calculated nature of Jimmy’s character.
The cream track, the brooding lighting, De Niro’s emotional yet calculated expression, and the slow zoom all contribute to make this shot one of Scorsese’s most beautifully simple.
Jimmy appears to be lost in thought as he watches Mori, but it is widely assumed by audiences that he is plotting a way to kill him after consistently badgering him about paying him back money from the Lufthansa heist. This is a shot that somehow managed to capture the whole essence of Jimmy’s character without Nero speaking a single word of dialogue, giving viewers a glimpse into his morally bankrupt mind. The cream track, the brooding lighting, De Niro’s emotional yet calculated expression, and the slow zoom all contribute to make this shot one of Scorsese’s most beautifully simple.
8
Travis at the cinema
Taxi Driver (1976)
Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is one of the most iconic Scorsese characters of all time, with his story being the focus of Taxi drivers narrative. In one of the most uncomfortable scenes of Taxi Driver, Travis begins an intensive regimen of physical and tactical gun training, before visiting an adult theater. In a sharp, dark, lonely shot, Travis is seen sitting in the cinema and making finger guns at the adult film he is watching, before putting his hand to his face as if to hide the movie from his eyeline.
It’s an extremely unsettling camera shot, and one that has become one of Scorsese’s most iconic. From the slow zoom to Travis’ blank expression, to the way his fingers cast shadows across his face, this is one of the greatest yet subtle ways to show someone is a sociopath without outright saying it. It’s a powerful shot that visually isolates Travis from the rest of the theater, with Scorsese and his cinematographer, Michael Chapman, perfectly capturing his alienation and Establish this moment as the turning point in Travis’ unraveling.
7
Jordan Belfort’s POV
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
In the final act of The Wolf of Wall StreetScorsese makes use of an incredible POV shot from the perspective of sleazy stock trader Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). Belfort agreed to a plea deal with authorities after they discovered his illegal trading methods, a deal that sees him wear a wire and give up the names of everyone else involved in the trades. The POV shot sees Belfort returning to the Stratton Oakmont offices, with his employees all streaming to meet him, blissfully unaware that he is turning them all in to the police.
Ultimately, it’s a shot that reinforces the themes of excess, exploitation, greed and selfishness that define The Wolf of Wall Street, and is juxtaposed by Belfort’s regretful monologue as he walks through the crowd.
Technically, this camera shot is masterful, with Scorsese using a smooth, continuous take as Belfort makes his way through the crowd of smiling stockbrokers. It’s a slick shot that seems to encapsulate Belfort’s manipulation and treachery, blurring the line between complicity in crime and mere observation. Ultimately, it’s a shot that reinforces the themes of excess, exploitation, greed and selfishness that define The Wolf of Wall Streetand is juxtaposed by Belfort’s regretful monologue as he walks through the crowd.
6
Copacabana Steadicam
Goodfellas (1990)
One of the most famous pictures in Goodfellas It comes when Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) accompanies Karen (Lorraine Bracco) to the Copacabana club. There is a continuous steadicam shot that follows Henry and Karen as they walk across the road to the club, enter through the back entrance, weave through narrow hallways and bustling kitchens, before eventually reaching the main living room where their table is already set for them. . It is undoubtedly one of the most immersive shots in Scorsese’s filmography.
The Copacabana Steadicam is nothing short of a technical marvel, requiring intense coordination not only from the crew behind the camera, but from the cast in front of it. The smooth movement and speed in which everything seems to happen can almost sweep the audience off their feet and plunge them into the glamor of Henry’s life. Thematically, the camera shot also serves as a stark reminder of how quickly Henry ascended the world of organized crime, with his swift navigation through the back hallways of the Copacabana representing his ability to navigate the criminal underworld.
5
Heatwave sequences
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Scorsese’s last film, and perhaps his most important, Killers of the Flower Moon Tells the harrowing true story of the Osage murders in 1920s Oklahoma. The Osage are a group of Native Americans who, after oil was discovered on their land, became some of the richest people in the United States, but were then systematically targeted and murdered by the white community. in one of Killers of the Flower MoonBill Hale (Robert De Niro)’s most haunting shot, has set fire to his field to collect insurance money, with the fire creating a beautiful heatwave effect on camera.
The use of lighting and practical effects in this shot is incredible, with the fiery glow creating an intense atmosphere that threatens to overwhelm the viewer. It is a hellish landscape, where the silhouettes of people can only be made, silhouettes that Scorsese intends to add to the shot’s”Hallucinatory“Feel (by ScreenDaily). The flames not only destroy Bill’s field, but are also a symbol for the destruction and oppression of the Osage livelihood and culture, a powerful visual metaphor for the movie’s central themes of exploitation and racial violence.
4
Sam lights a cigarette
Casino (1995)
Scorsese’s 1995 movie Casino Tells the story of Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) as he is tasked with ensuring that the operation of the Tangier Casino in Las Vegas is running smoothly. It’s a great movie full of Scorsese’s signature shots, but one of the best comes when Ace has his back to the camera, then turns, puts a cigarette in his mouth and lights it. It might just seem like a simple camera shot, but (besides being cool to watch) manages to capture the essence of Ace in a brilliantly subtle way.
As Ice turns out across the casino floor, the crowd is permeated with a sense that the man undoubtedly has authority, but is disconnected from the world around him. Ace is emotionally distant from what is actually happening in the casino, potentially viewing his job as a necessity more than something he would like to do. The cool, almost independent way he lights his cigarette is a testament to this, which means that the character can seize control in an instant, but prefers to keep his distance.
3
“As far back as I can remember…”
Goodfellas (1990)
The opening shot of GoodfellasAccompanied by Henry Hill’s (Ray Liotta) famous line “As far as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster“, became potentially the most iconic camera shot in Scorsese’s entire filmography. The shot sees Henry bide his car’s brakes at the red light, staring at bloody rags in the trunk, before immediately closing the trunk. , Tony Bennett’s “Rags To Riches” starts playing, acting as the metaphorical cherry on top for Goodfellas‘ Perfect opening scene.
It’s a shot that perfectly captures the essence of the movie, with the brooding lighting acting as a symbol for the criminal underworld in which Henry has found himself. A gangster, reflecting the normality of organized crime for the character. It’s a technically flawless shot, with a quick but smooth zoom, an iconic narrative, an incredible needle drop and one of the most legendary freeze frames in cinematic history.
2
“Are you talking to me?”
Taxi Driver (1976)
Perhaps one of the most famous shots (and lines of dialogue) in movie history comes in Scorsese’s 1976 Taxi driver. Robert De Niro’s Travis Bickle is psyching himself up in his apartment mirror, practicing his tough-guy persona and preparing for a violent confrontation. The shot in particular locks in Travis’ reflection as he talks to himself, uttering the now-iconic line.
Technically a very simple shot, that doesn’t take anything away from how effective it is. The static camera really allows De Niro’s actions and monologue to take center stage, with every gesture, every blink, every gesture and every word being picked up by the audience. The shot is not removed, showing the incredible acting talents of De Niro, and also giving audiences a further glimpse into Travis’ growing instability that they are helpless to stop.
1
The final shot
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
It is truly difficult to think of a more poignant, emotional or moving final shot in Scorsese’s cinematography, or indeed anyone’s, than the final shot of Killers of the Flower Moon. After the rather meta scene of Scorsese giving a monologue to an audience about the Osage murders, the movie cuts to a shot of a modern-day group of Osage people in a powwow dancing circle. It’s a bird’s-eye shot that slowly zooms out, revealing the true size of the dancing circle, before cutting to black and letting the credits roll.
After watching over 200 minutes of the Osage people being oppressed and systematically killed for their money, seeing that their legacy lives on in the 21st century imbues the audience with a glimmer of hope. Of course, this camera shot cannot undo the terrible injustice of the Osage murders, but it serves an important purpose of delivering the message that their people endured. It’s an emotionally charged shot that’s technically incredible, and transcends as important just for the sake of the story, but important to the fight for Native American justice in general. This is undoubtedly Scorsese’s best camera shot.
Sources: ScreenDaily.