SCORSESE

From Taxi Driver and Goodfellas to The Age of Innocence and The Wolf of Wall Street, Martin Scorsese’s intense and exhilarating films define him as one of the most influential directors of our time. Now the first exhibition celebrating the indelible cinematic legacy of the prolific and passionate auteur comes to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne from 26 May 2016.

SCORSESE explores the breadth of Martin Scorsese’s work, from his early experimental beginnings through to his award-winning feature films, working methods and key creative collaborations, as well as his personal motivations and passions, offering insight into Scorsese’s career as an unparalleled screen stylist and a tireless champion of cinema. The exhibition draws on the riches of Scorsese’s personal collection and recollections, demonstrates a relentless and accelerating work ethic over almost six decades with no signs of slowing down.

“It’s an honour to be taking audiences on a ride through some of the most exhilarating filmmaking of all time in SCORSESE,” said Katrina Sedgwick, ACMI Director and CEO. “Scorsese’s passion for the moving image spans feature film, documentary and television, along with a fervent commitment to the preservation and celebration of our cinematic history.”

“When the opportunity arose to spotlight this creative master of cinema, we just knew it had to happen at ACMI as Australia’s shrine to cinema.”

Growing up in New York’s Little Italy and suffering from acute asthma, Scorsese’s childhood was spent looking down at the world from his apartment window and up at the screen in his local cinema. He was determined to grow up and make films that honoured the Hollywood and European traditions he loved, but that also reflected his own experiences as a working class Italian-American.

The ways in which his life has permeated his art are explored in this exhibition, which takes as its starting point Scorsese’s family life and journeys through themes including the power dynamics between men, be they brothers or gangsters, troubled relationships between men and women, and of course his beloved New York.

Perhaps above all, it is Scorsese’s indelible characters – anti-heroes torn between rebellion and acceptance, sin and redemption – which have captured audiences and spawned numerous pop culture references.

With over 60 director credits spanning almost as many years, Scorsese’s range is extraordinary; from the high octane (Raging Bull, Gangs of New York) to thrillers (The Departed, Shutter Island), to spiritual quests (The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun), biographical dramas (The Aviator, The Wolf of Wall Street), period adaptations (The Age of Innocence), adventure (Hugo), television (HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and 2016 release Vinyl) and even music video (Michael Jackson’s Bad).

A man driven by his passions, Scorsese’s fascinations have delivered us his insightful filmic takes on the lives of musicians George Harrison (Living in the Material World) and Bob Dylan (No Direction Home), affectionate documentaries on his family life (Italianamerican) and the Italian and American cinema traditions that continue to inspire him (My Voyage to Italy).

Best known as an Academy Award®-winning director, Scorsese has also demonstrated a deft hand in screenwriting, editing and producing, whilst developing strong creative partnerships reinforcing his distinctive style. Enduring collaborations with actors including Robert De Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio, cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, costume designer Sandy Powell, and editor Thelma Schoonmaker (also collaborating on Scorsese’s imminent release Silence), are explored within the exhibition.

Curated by the Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum for Film and Television, Berlin, Scorsese’s story is illuminated through 600 objects including storyboards, hand annotated film scripts, unpublished production stills, costumes, film clips and more.

Exhibits have been drawn from Scorsese’s private collection, including the Scorsese family home, the Robert De Niro Collection and the Paul Schrader Collection at the Harry Ransom Centre, Sandy Powell and Brigitte Lacombe, weaving an impressive narrative through recent cinema history that has already been adored by cinefiles and critics from Berlin to Ghent, Turin to Paris and now Melbourne.

A champion for the exhibition, preservation and restoration of film, Scorsese established The Film Foundation in 1990 and in 1997 was recognised for his contribution to film culture with an AFI Life Achievement Award. During the exhibition, ACMI will delve into the their Collection to curate a series of digital archival works paying homage to the themes and characters in Scorsese’s films alongside an analogue collection of films that inspired Scorsese, both available to view in the Australian Mediatheque.

SCORSESE
Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), Federation Square, Melbourne
Exhibition: 26 May – 18 September 2016
Admission fees apply

For more information, visit: www.acmi.net.au/Scorsese for details.