Martin Scorseseis one of the biggest names in the movie industry and was responsible for some of thegreatest films of all time, although many may not be aware of his interesting side projects on television. Scorsese’s television works date back to the 1980s, as he embraced TV with an anthology release and has since occasionally signed up to direct TV episodes, executive produce documentaries, or even narrate long-standing passion projects. While they may not be as well known as his acclaimed films, Scorsese brought the same level of passion and enthusiasm to television as he has with moviemaking.
Likethe best Martin Scorsese movies, the director’s TV projects also address his consistent themes of gangsters, faith, and the complexities of human relationships. Scorsese even stepped in to direct thepilot episodes of television shows, laying the groundwork for the series' style and tone, which were then continually emulated throughout the entire series run, giving those shows a unique Scorsese appeal throughout. As one of the defining creative forces of modern times,it’s a testament to Scorsese’s consistent drive and work ethic that many of his television projects can stand up against his iconic feature film releases.
While today it’s not uncommon for major movie directors to take on the occasional TV project, back in the 1980s, there was a firm distinction between the two mediums, andit was rare for a filmmaker of Martin Scorsese’s stature to embrace the small screen. However, this was precisely what Scorsese did for theAmazing Storiesepisode “Mirror, Mirror” in 1986. This anthology series was created by Steven Spielberg, so it had some clout in the world of Hollywood, and other episodes were directed by Spielberg himself, Michael Moore, Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, and even Danny DeVito.
“Mirror, Mirror” told the story of a horror writer (Sam Waterston) known for his massive ego and disbelief in the supernatural who found himself haunted by a phantom with a misshapen face (Tim Robbins) that appeared in every mirror he saw. As one of the few true horrors tackled by Scorsese in his long career, “Mirror, Mirror” stood out as a unique experiment from the director, who would later makeCape FearandShutter Island. Scorsese would once again embrace the anthology format withNew York Storiesin 1989, a film in three parts directed by Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Woody Allen.
Boardwalk Empire
Cast
Based on Atlantic City in the 1920s and 1930s, Boardwalk Empire follows political heavyweight “Nucky” Thompson as he battles mobsters, politicians, government agents, and the common folk who look to take him on. Now, with the federal government cracking down on bootlegging and other illegal activities, and everyone looking to take over control of the city, Nucky’s lavish lifestyle is in danger of collapsing.
Martin Scorsese served as an executive producer and director of the pilot episode ofBoardwalk Empire, an HBO period drama that contained much of the director’s signature flair. As a gangster story set in 1920s Prohibition-era New Jersey,Boardwalk Empirewas a prestige TV with cinematic quality and major movie stars like Steve Buscemi and Michael Shannon among its cast. Scorsese did not just drop in to guest direct an episode but was an essential contributor to establishing the look, feel, and tone ofBoardwalk Empire.
Scorsese was involved withBoardwalk Empirebefore the show even started filming (viaCollider) and worked closely with series creator Terrence Winter to set up the atmosphere of the series, which was then emulated by later directors. From the casting decisions to reviewing the dailies, Scorsese and Winter would meet throughout the first season’s filming, and the director would give his comments and input. WhileScorsese directed just one episode, he was heavily creatively involved with the production ofBoardwalk Empire.
Vinyl
Vinyl centers on Richie Finestra, a music executive in 1970s New York who does everything he can to build careers from the city’s music scene. The series stars Bobby Cannavale as Richie Finestra and was created by Rich Cohen, Mick Jagger, and Martin Scorsese. The HBO series lasted for a single season in 2016.
The HBO seriesVinylwas one of the network’s most disappointing wasted opportunities, as it was canceled after just one season before it had time to find its feet. With Bobby Cannavale as the passionate record producer Richie Finestra,Vinylwas set in the world of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll of New York City in the 1970s, as punk, disco, and hip-hop styles were all exploding in an era of incredible creativity and intense debauchery. Much likeBoardwalk Empire,Scorsese came on board to direct the first episodeand executive produce the series.
WhileVinylhad an impressive creative team behind it, with Scorsese, Terrence Winter, Rich Cohen, and The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger all credited as co-creators, its planned second season was revoked despite HBO initially renewing it. Scorsese was devastated by the news ofVinyl’scancellation, describing it as “tragic” (viaIndiewire) and suggesting things might have gone differently if he had directed every episode rather than just the pilot.Vinylhad the potential to become one of HBO’s flagship shows, but some weak storytelling and formulaic choices meant it was pulled before things had really even gotten started.
Many casual film fans may not be aware that Martin Scorsese also had an impressive filmography of documentaries behind him, having made such classics as The Band’s concert filmThe Last Waltzor the Bob Dylan documentaryNo Direction Home. Scorsese took his talents for documentaries to Netflix to directPretend It’s a City, which featured interviews and conversations between Scorsese and Fran Lebowitz talking about living in New York City. With humor and heart, the seven-episode series featured plenty of Lebowitz’s signature wit.
Lebowitz is a prominent New York author, public speaker, and actor whom Scorsese previously worked with on his 2010 documentaryPublic Speaking, which, much likePretend It’s a City,presented Lebowitz’s unique take on modern life. This critical love letter to New York received widespread praise and was a funny and intimate portrait that felt especially relevant as it was released in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. With episodes loosely based around topics like money, athletics, and transportation,Pretend It’s a Cityalso featured appearances from Alec Baldwin, Spike Lee, David Letterman, Toni Morrison, and Olivia Wilde.
Alongside his frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese executive produced thistwo-part documentary miniseries chronicling the life of Theodore Roosevelt, the twenty-sixth President of the United States. Directed by British filmmaker Malcolm Venville,Theodore Rooseveltaired on the History Channel and featured Rufus Jones in the title role as this documentary dramatized different moments from Roosevelt’s life and presidency. By tapping into Roosevelt’s reputation as a progressive reformer and contradictory nature as a passionate conservationist with a love of hunting animals, this was a fascinating portrait that was not without its historical omissions.
Scorsese and DiCaprio’sinvolvement with this documentary was no surprise, as the duo have been interested in making their own biopic of the youngest-ever president for years, who became president in 1901 at just 42 years old.Roosevelt, a drama starring DiCaprio and directed by Scorsese, was first announced in 2015 (viaDeadline) but looks increasingly unlikely as the actor has been steadily growing out of the role. While viewers shouldn’t hold their breath for a true Scorsese biopic of this notable political figure, at least they have this documentary miniseries in the meantime.
3The Last Movie Stars (2022)
Martin Scorsese was an executive producer
The Last Movie Starswas a fascinatingly unique docuseries directed by Ethan Hawke that featured Martin Scorsese as an executive producer and interviewee. This series originated from an abandoned memoir project by the late actor Paul Newman, who taped over 100 interviews with his wife, Joanne Woodward, that featured the honest retelling of their lives, careers, and love story. While Newman poured gasoline on the tapes and lit them on fire, Newman’s daughter approached Hawke about making a documentary based on the transcripts of those tapes.
Considering this, Hawke had a loft challenge ahead of him, but he assembled actors to read pieces of the interviews, such as George Clooney as Newman, and pieced together the 50-year marriage of one of Hollywood’s most successful pairings that did not shy away from the darkness behind the scenes. Interviewees included Newman’s living children, Scorsese, and other celebrity guests.Scorsese’s connection to Newman included their work together in 1986 onThe Color of Money, also starring Tom Cruise, Scorsese’s only sequel, which acted as a follow-up to Newman’s 1960s hitThe Hustler.
While Martin Scorsese has long been associated with the excessive violence of gangster movies, another consistent theme that runs through his work is faith. From his controversial take on the life of Jesus inThe Last Temptation of Christto the missionary work of 17th-century Jesuit priests in Japan inSilence,Scorsese has never shied away from exploring religious subjects. Although Scorsese had normally explored these topics in his feature films, with the documentary seriesThe Saints, he’s looking directly at the lives and sacrifices of historical saints like John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, and Joan of Arc.
This project has a longstanding connection with Scorsese, who first considered making a television documentary about saints during the 1980s when he had considered moving away from films following the lukewarm response toRaging Bull(viaLa Civiltà Cattolica.) WhileThe Saintswas directed by Elizabeth Chomko, it featured Scorsese as an executive producer and series narrator.Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saintshas been made in partnership with the Fox Nation streaming service.
Martin Scorsese reunited the cast ofSecond City TelevisionforAn Afternoon with SC TV. This classic Canadian comedy ran from 1976 to 1984 and helped launch the careers of acclaimed names in comedy, including John Candy, Harold Ramis, Martin Short, and Rick Moranis. While Moranis has been on an acting hiatus since 1997, he was even announced to be appearing in a special (viaHollywood Reporter.)An Afternoon with SCTVwas filmed in 2018 and wasscheduled to be released on Netflix and CTVbefore it was shelved (viaNME) due to Scorsese’s other commitments.
While it remains to be seen when this reunion special will finally premiere,An Afternoon with SC TVwill be a highly anticipated release for lovers of the classic Canadian series. The original show featured the everyday goings-on of a fictitious TV station in the town of Melonville and the oddball and eccentric characters who inhabited it. As an offbeat and influential series, it’s a testament to the legacy of the show that a director ofMartin Scorsese’sstature opted to direct this television special, and viewers can hope that it sees the light of day sometime soon.
