NEW YORK. The legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese has found himself reflecting on a moment from the past. It’s a memory of when the revered Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa received an honorary Academy Award in 1990. During his brief and humble acceptance speech, Kurosawa, then 80 years old, confessed that he hadn’t fully grasped the essence of cinema. At the time, this struck Scorsese as an intriguing statement from a master filmmaker, but it wasn’t until Scorsese himself turned 80 that he began to truly appreciate Kurosawa’s words.
In a recent interview, Scorsese revealed, “I’ve lived long enough to be his age, and I think I understand now. Because there is no limit. The limit is in yourself. These are just tools, the lights and the camera and that stuff. How much further can you explore who you are?”
Scorsese’s lifelong exploration of the art of cinema has grown even more profound and introspective with time. In recent years, his films have expanded in scale and ambition as he delved into themes of faith (“Silence”) and loss (“The Irishman”). His latest work, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” is an audacious endeavor, depicting the systematic killing of Osage Nation members for their oil-rich land in the 1920s. While it’s a departure from Scorsese’s usual gangster films, it weaves themes of trust and betrayal into American history.
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” produced by Apple with a budget of $200 million, represents a significant undertaking by Scorsese to continue his ambitious and personal filmmaking on a grand scale, which is increasingly rare in today’s film landscape.
Scorsese regards “Killers of the Flower Moon” as “an internal spectacle” and a departure from his previous Western films. Through consultations with the Osage Nation, the film aims to authentically depict their history, culture, and language.
For Scorsese, the COVID-19 pandemic provided a period of reflection and reevaluation, allowing him to reconsider his filmmaking choices. He emphasized the meditative process of preparing for a film and highlighted his preference for reading over handling emails.
As a staunch advocate for the art of cinema, Scorsese continues his mission to preserve and celebrate the medium. While he acknowledges the evolving landscape of visual storytelling, he remains unwavering in his belief that cinema can enrich lives and is an art form worth preserving for future generations.
Though time may be running out for Scorsese, he maintains an unquenchable curiosity and astonishment about the possibilities of cinema. His enduring passion for film and storytelling continues to drive his creative exploration.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
