As directed by Scorsese, “King of Comedy” was misinterpreted by many film critics–the black comedy offers a pungent (ahead od its time) look at perverse obsession with celebrities.
Raging Bull (1980): Scorsese’s Masterpiece, Starring De Niro in Oscar-Winning Performance
April 29, 2012 by
In Raging Bull, Scorsese equates sexuality with brute force and erratic violence; it’s a vicious circle. Freud has called it the “Madonna-whore complex.” Prizefighter Jake LaMotta suffers such low self-esteem and insecure masculinity that he cannot respect a woman who would sleep with him, and is convinced that given the choice she would rather sleep with another man.
Mean Streets (1973): Scorsese’s Third Film, Starring Harvey Keitel and DeNiro Announced the Arrival of a Major Talent
February 21, 2008 by
Emphasizing characterization rather than plot, Mean Streets assured Scorsese a central role in contemporary film history. Densely rich and angst-ridden, his films are rooted in his Italian-American-Catholic experience, confronting themes of sin, guilt and redemption in a fiercely contemporary yet universal fashion. His explorations of male camaraderie, violent behavior, and men's deep fear of women have left a significant imprint on the work of numerous directors.
King of Comedy (1983): Scorsese Directs De Niro and Jerry Lewis
February 22, 2007 by
As written by Paul Zimmerman and directed by Scorsese, “King of Comedy” was misinterpreted by many film critics. At heart, the movie is a pungent black comedy about a showbiz hanger-on and loser who idolizes America's top TV comedian/talk show host and figures out a bizarre scheme to get on the program. Though timely and relevant, for some reason, the film was considered too mordant and “sick” by some viewers at the time, disregarding the tale's rather accurate (and scary) portrayal of what's the best‚Äîand quickest–way to achieve celebrity status in American society today.
