After viewing the trailer for Scorsese's newest film Shutter Island, and not really knowing what to think about it (although I will of course fairly save judgment until I actually see the film, not three second of clips strung together) I started thinking about some of the great American director's most forgotten films. Some may disagree with me, many will probably agree, but I think the man is one of the five best American director's of all time, and his films almost always have a certain energy to them that make them infectious. Take a look at The Departed, certainly one of Scorsese's lesser films, but he he almost tricks you into thinking it's really good because of the sheer energy displayed in the filmmaking. More thoughts after the jump.
So, my question is what do you think is his most underrated film? I love his brilliant 1999 film Bringing Out the Dead, which certainly has to rank up there as one of the best collaborations between him and screenwriter Paul Schrader. It's about as perfect a film that Scorsese has made, touching on all of the deep themes and religious allegories that make the films he makes with Schrader so damn great. I think it definitely qualifies as Scorsese's most underrated film.
A case could also be made for the wonderful, and not much talked about, The Age of Innocence. A film that shows Scorsese's range, making a PG-rated Victorian romance with the usual Scorsese themes simmering beneath the surface. He also masks the camera and uses iris shots to great affect, giving the film its much needed antiquated feel.
I'm sure there are others out there that people will claim are underrated. I'm a fan of his misunderstood comedy The King of Comedy, and I certainly think that is a good candidate for Scorsese's most underrated film. Perhaps it's his more recent The Aviator (which I think is the best of his post Bringing Out the Dead era of films), or perhaps Kundun...
So let me know what you think. Extra question: What is Scorsese's most overrated picture? My answer is either The Departed or Gangs of New York.
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