The Films of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro

By (author) Andrew J. Rausch

Not available to order

Publication date:

03 May 2010

Length of book:

234 pages

Publisher

Scarecrow Press

ISBN-13: 9780810874145

In 1973, early in their careers, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro collaborated for the first time. Over the next few decades, they worked together on seven more movies, many of which brought them both acclaim and awards. And while successful director and actor pairings have occurred throughout the history of film, few have fashioned so many works of enduring value as these two artists. In little more than two decades, Scorsese and De Niro produced eight features, including the classics Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and GoodFellas.

In
The Films of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, Andrew J. Rausch examines the creative output of this remarkable pair, from their initial offering, Mean Streets, to their most recent film together, Casino. Rausch looks at their relationship as individual artists who worked together to create cinematic magic, as well as the friendship that was forged nearly 40 years ago. Drawing upon interviews and other sources, Rausch goes behind the scenes of their eight films, providing insight and analysis on all their collaborations, including New York, New York, The King of Comedy, and Cape Fear. A rare glimpse into the moviemaking process of these two legends, The Films of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro will appeal to both scholars and fans alike.
Can there ever be enough written about the emotionally fraught and visceral work of cinema legends Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro? For fans who've snapped up biographies of the distinguished director and his first celebrated muse, not to mention special DVD collections of their films, the answer is no, never. Rausch (Reflections on Blaxploitation) presents a thorough and enthusiastic examination of the eight movies on which Scorsese and De Niro collaborated, from Raging Bull, often said to be the best film of the '80s, to the underappreciated The King of Comedy, to the lackluster Casino. With insight into their collaboration and breezy behind-the-scenes accounts, Rausch explores the dynamics of their partnership, notably Scorsese's instinct for improvisation and De Niro's Method immersion. Blow-by-blow plot descriptions of each film go into startling detail, and although Rausch didn't speak personally with either Scorsese or De Niro, he edits previously published interviews well, and gleans great insights from the conversations he did have with many of the duo's colleagues.