Neglected Scorsese: Overlooked Films, Television Shows, and Commercials

This collection examines over a dozen of Martin Scorsese’s most overlooked works, including the television shows, music videos, television commercials, and feature films that have been largely ignored by film critics and/or the moviegoing public. From After Hours (1985) and New York Stories (1989) to Il Mio Viaggio (1999), The Age of Innocence (1993), and The Aviator (2004), Neglected Scorsese reclaims the director's less-appreciated works, giving them the respect and attention they deserve. Scorsese is one of the finest directors in film history. Of all New Hollywood directors, he remains the most active, the most indispensable, the most “new,” not only changing with the times, but changing the times through the magnitude of his work. Without Scorsese’s gangster films, the global gangster genre would not be the same, nor anywhere near as accomplished and without his filmography, the entirety of American cinema would be greatly diminished. The purpose of this book is not about bringing more attention to Scorsese the director or to his most notable films. Rather, it argues that Scorsese’s lengthy career has produced individual works that have been neglected, even while others have been lauded. ‘Neglected’ in this collection is defined as those Scorsese films that were underappreciated by mainstream critics, by mainstream audiences, by scholars, or by any combination of the three. Further, the book’s focus goes beyond feature films, as Scorsese has directed shorts, music videos, television programs, and TV commercials. There is intrinsic value in these film forms, just as there is value in the analysis of those Scorsese directed.