Martin Scorsese’s latest movie is a huge departure from his normal projects as he has taken the helm of 3D children’s adventure film Hugo. This week we’re looking at the very best of his work on Blu-ray, encompassing the themes he’s best known for – violence, deception and gangsters! So if you’re stuck for ideas this weekend, why not try out one of the following:
Shutter Island
Featuring one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s finest performances, Scorsese’s Shutter Island opened to rave reviews and took the box office by storm last year. U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to investigate a missing patient from Shutter Island, a high security prison for the criminally insane. With a stellar cast including Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams and Mark Ruffalo, many compare Scorsese’s direction to Alfred Hitchcock’s with his lingering shots and chilling choice of score. Extras include Behind the Shutters which features extensive interviews with cast, crew and author Dennis Lehane, discussing the movie’s themes and the cast’s preparations for their roles. Into the Lighthouse also stands out, giving viewers a look at the film’s construction, the dark psychological elements interwoven in the plot as well as real-life insight into psychiatric care in the 1950s.
The Departed
Following the lives of two undercover police officers acting on opposite sides of the law, The Departed saw Scorsese awarded his first Oscar for Best Director. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, the tale of violence, bloodshed and identity will leave audiences on the edge of their seats till the very end. Special features include a documentary on the on real life Boston gangster Whitey Bulger, who inspired Jack Nicholson’s character, alongside deleted scenes and featurettes focusing on Scorcese himself. Crossing Criminal Cultures explores the director’s fascination with the mafia genre, with comment from an array of stars who have worked with him and archived footage from some of his greatest movies.
Taxi Driver
‘You talkin’ to me?’ is undoubtedly one of the greatest lines in movie history, proudly charting at 10 in AFI’s Top 100 Movie Quotes. Now you can now watch Robert De Niro utter them in high definition thanks to Sony Pictures Entertainment’s restoration of the movie on Blu-ray. Scorsese insisted the film should still look like ‘a product of the time and place in which it was made’ so fans of the original need not be afraid of attempts to modernise its look. Telling the story of a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran working as a night time taxi driver, it’s often regarded as one of De Niro’s finest roles. All the stops have been pulled out for the extras too, which include an interactive script to screen function, in-depth interviews with writer Paul Schrader as well as Scorsese and De Niro and a look at the locations, storyboards and iconic role it has played in pop culture since its release in the 70s.
So what do you think of our choices? Hit the comments to tell us your favourite Scorsese movies, or tell us what else you’ll be looking forward to watching on Blu-ray this weekend.
