Summary
AlthoughMartin Scorseseis one of the most celebrated living directors, his prolific output means there are a few hidden gems dotted throughout his lengthy career. Calling Martin Scorsese’s work underrated seems almost delusional given how much critical acclaim the director has enjoyed throughout his career. EvenScorsese’s worst movies are rankedabove the best movies of many other directors, and the filmmaker’s impact on the movie industry is immeasurable. Despite this, Scorsese has directed a surprisingly high number of movies that were unfairly forgotten or dismissed by critics upon their initial release. Many of these are underrated classics.
Scorsese’s career began back in the mid-60s when he directed a handful of short films while a student at the Tisch School of the Arts. Scorsese’s 1967 directorial debut,Who’s That Knocking at My Door, attracted the attention of the late, great B-movie icon Roger Corman, who helped the director get a start in the industry. The rest is history, as the ensuing decades saw Scorsese become one of the world’s most celebrated directors. However, throughout these years,Scorsese’s low number of Oscar winsreinforced the reality that not all his movies were appreciated in their time.
Killers Of The Flower Moon Extended Martin Scorsese’s Unfathomable Oscars Record
Killers of the Flower Moon extended an unfathomable Oscars record that Martin Scorsese has thanks to the movie’s poor performance at the 2024 awards.
1986’sThe Color of Moneywas a financial hit for Scorsese and the movie’s reviews were largely positive, with critics praising both Tom Cruise and Paul Newman’s performances as a pair of charismatic pool sharks. As such, the movie might not seem underrated at first glance. However,The Color of Money’s sequel status always complicated its critical reception. WhileThe Color of Moneyis well-liked by critics, it is rarely considered superior to its predecessor, 1961’sThe Hustler. Director Robert Rossen’s Paul Newman vehicle was an instant classic upon release and, 25 years later, Scorsese couldn’t replicate its impact.
In many career retrospectives, Scorsese’s debutWho’s That Knocking at My Dooris lumped in with his student movies as an early-career curio. A dark drama about a Catholic boy’s inability to accept his girlfriend’s traumatic past,Who’s That Knocking at My Doorwas Scorsese’s first attempt to tackle the themes of toxic masculinity and Catholic guiltthat went on to define his career in the eyes of many critics. WhileScorsese’s 1973 hitMean Streetswas a more dynamic calling card for himself and star Harvey Keitel,Who’s That Knocking at My Doorremains a poignant, raw character study.
2011’sHugodoesn’t have a lot in common withWho’s That Knocking at My Doorsave for its underappreciated status. An adaptation of Brian Selznick’s historical fiction novelThe Invention of Hugo Cabret,Hugois a fun, visually inventive period piece that offered future stars Asa Butterfield and Chloë Grace Moretz early lead roles.Hugo’s story of an orphan living in Paris’s train station is a whimsical, vibrant joy and a departure for Scorsese that proves the director can excel even when making lighter fare. A stellar supporting cast including Ray Winstone and Christopher Lee elevatesHugoeven further.
While Scorsese’s outsized acclaim has led some viewers to avoid his work, Nicolas Cage is a more traditionally divisive figure. The star is a classic “Love them or hate them” actor, but 1999’s unique supernatural dramaBringing Out The Deadproves that Cage has serious dramatic chops behind all the memes and infamous scenes. A gripping look at the life of a troubled paramedic,Bringing Out The Deadis arguablyNicolas Cage’s best movieand easily one of Scorsese’s most underrated efforts. Moving, chilling, and occasionally surreal, this drama is a truly stunning collaboration between the duo.
Viewers put off Scorsese by his reputation for making grisly gangster movies would do well to seek out 1977’s musical dramaNew York, New York. A box office underperformer upon release,New York, New Yorkis a sprawling love story about Robert De Niro’s self-centered saxophonist and Liza Minelli’s lonely singer falling in and out of lovein 1940s New York. Admittedly,New York, New Yorkisn’t Scorsese’s best work and its ambitions exceed its grasp, as Scorsese’s attempts to revive the melodramatic musical mode of the ‘40s fall short. However, it remains a surprisingly fun diversion.
IfNew York, New Yorkproves that not all of Scorsese’s movies are as dark as his critics claim, 2016’s historical dramaSilenceproves they also aren’t all filled with sex and drugs. AfterThe Wolf of Wall Street’s success, Scorsese switched gears with this thoughtful drama about a pair of Jesuit priests attempting to bring Catholicism to Japan during the 1600s. Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver are superb asSilence’s protagonists, while Liam Neeson gives one of his best performances as their disillusioned mentor.Silencewas a box office bomb, but remains an insightful meditation on faith.
Continuing this list’s recurring theme of proving that most complaints about Scorsese’s career don’t hold water is 1974’s warm romantic comedyAlice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Despite many complaints about Scorsese’s lack of female protagonists,Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymoreis a funny, charming, and perceptive story of a widowed mother looking for a better life. Ellen Burstyn delivers a stellar turn as the titular protagonist, while Jodie Foster and Harvey Keitel ensure the rest of the movie’s cast is stacked with famous faces. A gem that later influenced Wes Anderson,Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymoreremains underrated even among Scorsese’s fandom.
Ever sinceThe King of Comedyshaped Joker’s entire story, it has become increasingly difficult to claim that black comedy is underrated. However, while it might have inspired an acclaimed billion-dollar hit decades later, it is important to note just how reviledThe King of Comedywas upon release. A deadpan thriller about Robert De Niro’s troubled, delusional wannabe comedian Robert Pupkin,The King of Comedywas initially a massive box office flop. Some critics were kind, but others were left cold, with Pauline Kael calling Pupkin “A nothing.” Most reviewers highlighted its similarities toTaxi Driver.
The King of Comedywas a cold character study that centered on a uniquely odious character’s hunger for fame.
However, these comparisons were rarely kind. WhereTaxi Driverhoned in on the alienation of disenfranchised working-class men post-Vietnam,The King of Comedywas a colder character study that centered on a uniquely odious character’s hunger for fame.Joker’sTaxi Driversimilaritiesmight explain why the movie managed to make a better impression than Scorsese’s 1982 comedy, since Joaquin Phoenix’s antihero is rendered surprisingly human, much like De Niro’s Travis Bickle. In contrast,The King of Comedy’s Robert Pupkin might be Scorsese’s most purely unlikable and annoying protagonist, and even critics had a hard time stomaching his antics for an entire movie.
Scorsese’sThe Last Temptation of Christis arguably the director’s most personal movie, but its touching exploration of faith, sacrifice, purpose, and forgiveness was lost amid the hysteria surrounding its release.The Last Temptation of Christ’s release was marred by protests, death threats, censorship, and a terrorist attack from far-right Catholic extremists who objected to its content. Ironically,The Last Temptation of Christmight be the best mainstream movie about Christ in Hollywood historyprecisely because of the same elements that upset extremists. Controversially, Scorsese’s movie sees Willem Dafoe’s Christ tempted by the joys of human life during his suffering.
The Last Temptation of Christsuffered violent pushback for exploring Christ’s personal sacrifices.
WhileMel Gibson’sPassion of the Christbecame a huge financial success by gaudily leaning into the goriest excesses of Christ’s physical torture,The Last Temptation of Christsuffered violent pushback for exploring Christ’s personal sacrifices. The closing act, which envisions Jesus descending from the cross to live a happy, full life at the expense of humanity, is a transcendental effort to encapsulate the unimaginable weight of sacrificing one’s life for a larger cause. It’s arguably the most moving moment in Scorsese’s diverse filmography and one that makes the otherwise imperfectThe Last Temptation of Christessential viewing.
AfterThe Last Temptation of Christ’s explorations of heavy themes, it might be a surprise to see 1985’s dark comedyAfter Hoursgain this list’s top spot. However,After Hoursis an astounding reminder of Scorsese’s pure filmmaking prowessthat eschews many of the director’s most familiar themes in its wild story. There are no gangsters inAfter Hours, nor are there any ruminations on faith and morality. Unlike every movie Scorsese has made afterward,After Hoursis neither a biopic nor an adaptation. Instead,After Hoursis the ostensibly simple story of an average guy’s very bad night.
After Hoursis a darkly hilarious trip into Hell.
Griffin Dunne’s nervy Paul takes a rare risk when he attempts to romance Roseanne Arquette’s Marcy, and things soon go from bad to worse for the beleaguered office worker. A supporting cast including Catherine O’Hara, Terri Garr, John Heard, Cheech and Chong, Dick Miller, and Linda Fiorentino ensure thatAfter Hoursis a darkly hilarious trip into Hell, butScorsese’s largely forgottenAfter Hoursis not merely funny. Paul’s ordeal also becomes oddly existential, tapping into levels of paranoia, unease, and dread that few later imitators could replicate. This makesAfter Hoursthe most underrated movie inMartin Scorsese’s career.
