American Riviera Award honoring Martin Scorsese

Reviewed by Andrea Uttenthal. Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, 2012.

“I like to talk to a man, who likes to talk”. This was how moderator Leonard Maltin, opened up the honoring of the greatest American film director of his era, Martin Scorsese. And oh boy, this man indeed has the gift of the gab!

Opening up with the humorous line; “I brought my 3D glasses, just in case”, Martin Scorsese got the show going from the first second on stage. He also informs us that he has his asthma spray with him, so he won’t suddenly turn blue. Having asthma actually caused Scorsese’s beginning love for film. Since he in his early childhood learned that he has asthma, it excluded the ability to play sports or do any activities with other kids. He therefore had to find joy in another field. And I’m sure I speak on behalf of the majority, when I say, we’re all glad it turned out to be in the world of film!

Before getting deeper into Scorsese’s work, a brief montage was shown on the big screen behind him, showing his entire career in a couple of minuets. When it ended, the audience bursted into an overwhelming applause.

Throughout this extraordinary career, Scorsese has brought his unique vision and beautiful gifts to life in a series of unforgettable films, directing landmark films such as Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed, The Aviator, Shutter Island etc.

The first film being discussed was Taxi Driver from 1976. Surprisingly, Scorsese revealed that he never thought this specific film would turn out to be such a great hit as it did.
From here Scorsese got into talking about the passion of filmmaking taking us all the way back to the first filmmakers, the Lumière Brother and George Méliès, who were a great inspiration of his.

In between the showing of his masterpieces, Scorsese gives us inside view on his childhood and youth. “I could observe the neighborhood for hours”, which had an impact on the mood and location in his films later on in his career. We are also shown a humorous clip from his documentary “ItalianAmerican” from 1974 starring his parents in their apartment. I found this clip very entertaining, especially as his mother takes us into the kitchen showing how to make the perfect sauce.. Martin Scorsese took some film classes at NYU, where he also got to teach. In the years 1963-64 he did some short films, but it wasn’t until 1972-72, Scorsese finished his first motion picture. “I didn’t care about making money. I just wanted to make movies/films”, he casually said.

Martin Scorsese is such a great speaker that I fell like he didn’t even need to have an interviewer with him on stage. The instant a clip of one of his films was over, he picked up the torrent of speech as never being interrupted – with the newest film-clip as the topic of course. He also brought some funny ‘behind the scenes’ information to the table. He told us about his first meeting with Robert De Niro at a Christmas dinner, only because he was told he just had to meet this guy. The meeting ended up being the foundation of hiring De Niro as the main character in Raging Bull from 1980. Scorsese talked a bit more about his collaboration with De Niro, before getting into his appreciation of music. We saw clips from The Last Waltz (1978) and No Direction Home (2005), which portrays the artist Bob Dylan as a young man.

The film Main Street from 1973 was also being discussed quite a lot, since it was one of his first films. “I was told to write about what I know. I know the main streets.” Scorsese told us how this film is a NYC film shot in LA. “As long as it captures the NY spirt!” And since Martin Scorsese grew up in New York, he knows what his talking about.

“Honoring Scorsese has been a dream of SBIFF’s for many years,” have I heard executive Director Roger Durling say a couple of times now. “We’re thrilled that it’s happening during a year when this contemporary master of cinema is breaking new ground with Hugo.”
Hugo is Scorsese’s first film in 3-D – and his first film with children in it. He told us why he agreed to make this film, which among other things, has to do with his 7-year-old daughter and her friends. Hugo is taking the viewers on a thrilling journey to a magical world based on Brian Selznick’s award-winning, New York Times bestseller, The Invention of Hugo Cabret.  Scorsese admits that working on a 3D movie was challenging and he, as well as his crew, has to adjust to the new technique. It turned out to be a smart stunt from his side though. “Hugo is nominated in every category. That’s very gratifying!”.

Before being honored with the American Riviera Award, marking the first time the award has been bestowed on a director, Martin Scorsese’s dear friend and actor, Sir Ben Kingsley, had some very moving words to say. “To be directed by Marty is like being loved”. He also told us that we should never take no for an answer, because “Marty” doesn’t. ” Your handprint is in every heart!”, he truly said, and you could tell Martin Scorsese was really touched my these words.

This night was one of a kind and Martin Scorsese put the audience at ease with his humanity and storytelling. He is hailed as one of the most significant and influential American filmmakers of all time and should always be.