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I will always treasure my interactions with Satyajit Ray: Martin Scorsese
American filmmaker Martin Scorsese needs no introduction. In his 50-year career, Scorsese’s films have won a total of 20 Academy Awards across various categories, including the Best Director award in 2007 for The Departed.
At 74, he has had a close relationship with the Indian film industry as well. Anurag Kashyap had sent two of his films, Gangs of Wasseypur and DevD, to the Hollywood filmmaker. Scorsese later sent Kashyap a letter praising the films. Speaking to HT City in an exclusive interview, Scorsese says, “He (Kashyap) sent me a couple of his films, and I loved them. I told him the same. I remember sending him a letter as well after it. I met him at a film festival a couple of years ago.”
It’s not only those films that Scorsese remembers fondly.
The Raging Bull director has long been a big fan of two Indian legends: filmmaker Satyajit Ray, and dancer Uday Shankar for his classic Kalpana (1948).
“I’m totally in awe of the movie Kalpana. It’s a genuine dance film. In other words, a film which is not just about dance, but there is dance in movement, composition and energy,” Scorsese says.
“I’m also a big fan of Satyajit Ray’s body of work. The few interactions I had with Ray are memories I treasure.”
Scorsese’s latest directorial venture Silence saw him working with Japanese actors — the filmmaker elaborates on Hollywood working with actors from different countries. It’s a great trend, he feels, and he himself would love to work with more foreign actors.
“It‘s good that our industry is tapping great talent across the globe. It’s progress,” he says. “It’s good for the industry, which thrives on talented performances. In Silence, I worked with Japanese actors.
They are remarkable. Meeting them, working with them is a revelation.
Their range, the depth of their talents is astonishing. It’s good that barriers are being broken. Good time to be alive.”
Anurag Kashyap sent me a couple of his films, and I loved them. I told him the same. I remember sending him a letter after it MARTIN SCORSESE, FILMMAKER
As he prepares for his next film, Silence, starring Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver, we speak to director, Martin
Scorsese (right) about the film, his half-a-century-long career and his take on US President Donald Trump.
Silence took you more than 20 years to make. What took so long?
I have been planning to make the film for almost three decades. I was given the book (by the Japanese novelist Shusaku Endo) in 1988 and I began reading it in 1989. And ultimately, I decided that I wanted to adapt this into a movie. A part of my whole process with this movie has been that I really couldn’t make it back then. I didn’t know how to make it.
How different is Silence from your other major films, such as Raging Bull or Taxi Driver?
I had just made The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and I knew I couldn’t approach this film that way. It needed to have its own style. I had to let it grow in me and think about it. So, it is different in that aspect from my other movies. My search for faith has never really ended from when I became aware that there was such a thing as faith and started to look at how it’s acted out in your daily life. It’s in Mean Streets and it’s in Taxi Driver and it’s in Raging Bull.
In the age of sequels and prequels, none of your films have
I was asked once about a sequel for Raging Bull. But I just couldn’t relate to it and think or know how it would look like. I don’t think I could revisit the material; my film said what it had to then.
You have directed two documentaries on two musicians so far — George Harrison and Bob Dylan. Is there any other (legendary) musician on whom you intend to make a documentary?
Not yet. However, I wanted to make a biopic on Frank Sinatra and it breaks my heart that I cannot make it.
Hollywood has been quite vocal in its distaste for Donald Trump. What’s your take on him?
Trump is a hatchet-wielding gang leader. I’m stunned and anxious at the same time. There’s a great deal of anger, and till the time there’s no mass revolt, the agitation will multiply. I’m worried about double-think or triple-think, which makes you believe you have the freedom, but they can make it difficult to get the picture shown, to get it made, and ruin reputations. This has happened before.
There’s a great deal of anger, and till the time there’s no mass revolt, the agitation will multiply
MARTIN SCORSESE, FILMMAKER