The life and work of Martin Scorsese: every film in order, from Mean Streets to Killers of the Flower Moon
Who is Martin Scorsese? His life and essential films in order, from Mean Streets and Taxi Driver to Goodfellas and Killers of the Flower Moon, with his Oscar, his style and where to start.
Martin Scorsese is an American director, born on November 17, 1942, in New York City. He made Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas, won the Oscar for Best Director for The Departed, and has spent his career telling stories of faith, guilt and violence in the streets of New York. This guide follows his career film by film, with posters, so you can see where to start.
Martin Scorsese at a glance
- Born: November 17, 1942, in New York City, United States
- Known for: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street and Killers of the Flower Moon
- Signature: restless camera, rock and soul on the soundtrack, Catholic guilt and redemption, and long collaborations with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio
- Honors: the Oscar for Best Director for The Departed (ten nominations in the category) and the Palme d'Or at Cannes for Taxi Driver
Early life and career
Scorsese grew up in Little Italy, in Lower Manhattan, a sickly child who spent hours at the movies and once thought of becoming a priest. He studied film at New York University and made his name in the 1970s with Mean Streets and Taxi Driver. Beyond directing, he founded The Film Foundation in 1990 to restore and preserve old films.
The films, era by era
Mean Streets (1973)
Small-time hoods in Little Italy, with Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro. It is the film where Scorsese found his voice: rock and roll, guilt and street life.
Taxi Driver (1976)
A lonely Vietnam veteran drives a taxi through a nightmarish New York. It won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and made Robert De Niro a legend.
Raging Bull (1980)
The story of boxer Jake LaMotta, shot in black and white. De Niro won the Oscar for Best Actor and many critics call it the best film of the 1980s.
Goodfellas (1990)
Henry Hill's rise and fall in the mob. Its long tracking shot into the Copacabana and fast narration changed gangster movies, and Joe Pesci won an Oscar.
Casino (1995)
Robert De Niro runs a Las Vegas casino for the mob, with Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci. It is a grand, bleak portrait of greed.
Gangs of New York (2002)
Daniel Day-Lewis plays Bill the Butcher in nineteenth century New York. It began Scorsese's long run of films with Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Departed (2006)
An undercover cop and a mole in the police chase each other in Boston. It won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Scorsese's Best Director award.
Hugo (2011)
A boy living in a Paris train station discovers the legacy of Georges Méliès. It is a love letter to early cinema, shot in 3D.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Leonardo DiCaprio plays stockbroker Jordan Belfort in a loud, excessive comedy about greed. It is Scorsese's fastest and most outrageous film.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
The murders of Osage people in 1920s Oklahoma, with Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. It earned ten Oscar nominations.
Martin Scorsese movies in order
- Mean Streets (1973)
- Taxi Driver (1976)
- Raging Bull (1980)
- Goodfellas (1990)
- Casino (1995)
- Gangs of New York (2002)
- The Departed (2006)
- Hugo (2011)
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
- Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
What defines a Martin Scorsese film?
- Faith and guilt. Sin, punishment and redemption run through even his gangster stories.
- Music as story. Rock, soul and standards are chosen to tell the story, not to decorate it.
- A restless camera. Long tracking shots, freeze frames and fast editing, with his longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker.
Frequently asked questions about Martin Scorsese
Who is Martin Scorsese?
Martin Scorsese is an American director, born on November 17, 1942, in New York City. He made Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas, won the Oscar for Best Director for The Departed, and has spent his career telling stories of faith, guilt and violence in the streets of New York. This guide follows his career film by film, with posters, so you can see where to start.
When and where was Martin Scorsese born?
Martin Scorsese was born on November 17, 1942, in New York City and grew up in Little Italy, in Lower Manhattan.
What is Martin Scorsese's best movie?
Many critics point to Goodfellas, Taxi Driver or Raging Bull, while newer fans often prefer The Departed. There is no single answer, so rate them on Rankiew and build your own ranking.
Which Martin Scorsese movie should I watch first?
Start with Goodfellas for pure Scorsese, The Departed for a tight thriller, Taxi Driver and Raging Bull for the classics and Hugo for something the whole family can watch.
Did Martin Scorsese win the Oscar for Best Director?
Yes, once: for The Departed, at the ceremony held in 2007. He has been nominated for Best Director ten times.
Rate every Martin Scorsese movie
Which one is your favorite? On Rankiew you can rate every film, write reviews and build your own list of Martin Scorsese movies.
Sources: official studio releases, filmographies and public records.
