What Does Martin Scorsese Worry About?

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It should make us all feel a little better about our own worries that MartinScorsese’s work gives him nightmares. Not Shutter Island-typenightmares, just anxieties about progressing with each film, telling the story in adifferent way, bringing something new to the narrative. With 22 films and abattery of awards to his name, Scorsese is considered one of America’s greatestfilmmakers. We spent a few minutes with him at an event launching the Hennessy ad campaignhe participated in, talking about his new projects, his inspirations, violence and humannature. Mr. Scorsese, what’s on your mind rightnow?I’m getting involved with this Wolf of Wall Streetproject that we hope to start shooting in late summer. I’m coming off a scriptconference last night with Terry Winter, who wrote the script, who is the executivewriter, of course, for Boardwalk Empire. So... I’m seeing everythingthrough that prism in a way.Can you explain that?It’s how to approach the story, how to tell the story as a film. Where is ittaking me? Can I tell the story in a new way that I think I’ve achieved a differentnarrative, using narrative differently? The themes are themes I’ve always dealtwith, and I think they’re pertinent to the present situation all over the world.Then I have to handle it a certain way. I’ve been listening to music. Trying tofigure out shots. What am I gonna bring to it? And the thing is, I can’t wait untilI’m there on the set. I don’t work that way. The hardest part goes on now,starting from this week until we start shooting. Then it becomes an absolute nightmare[laughs]. At least it’s a nightmare where you’re with other people. But I amhaving nightmares. Take me inside a Martin Scorsese nightmare.There was one recently. I said, “OK, we’re going to runthe picture now, just for me -- I’m going to look at it by myself.” Andthere’s a section midway through where we’re stopping for three minutes andwe’re switching onto another reel -- some complicated technical thing -- andI’m just looking at it with my editor, Thelma. So I show up in the screening roomand everybody is there. The producers and financiers. They’re all going, “Hey,ready to go [rubbing his hands together]!” I said, “No, no! There must be somemistake, see, because I just need to see it.” And they’re going, well,we’re all here now. And I said, “I know you’re all here, but I have toscreen it myself.” I left. I said, “You run it.” I woke up on that one.There are many anxiety dreams.I didn’t realize you had somuch anxiety.I’ve been on a tour opening Hugo for fourmonths. It’s a lot of movement, a lot of talking, a lot of interviews. But I lookforward -- especially in New York, L.A., London, Paris, Morocco, wherever else -- youusually have some friends, and I have a cognac after dinner and we sit and talk. I missthat give-and-take. Sometimes it goes two or three hours. You meet with other filmmakers,actors, writers, old friends. It keeps you alive creatively. That’s somethingthat’s needed before I do a picture. And maybe that inspires you to move forward,you know? The best way it happens is when you don’t realize it’s going tohappen, when somebody’s there and they walk in. It could be anybody from Sacha BaronCohen to Gaspar Noe, who’s a very interesting French director, to Terry Gilliam inLondon. It goes on that way. When Terry sits down, that’s it. We’ll get intothe real stuff. That’s what I need.What is most important toyou at this stage in your career? The most important thing is, how canI move forward towards something that I can’t articulate, that is new instorytelling with moving images and sound? 3D helped with Hugo a great deal. Itwas telling us what it needed. Are we up to this new technique? This is really important.How do you tell it differently? In the case of Hugo, it was use of space andmovement. The best part for me was the actors’ faces in 3D because they become moreaccessible to the audience. A lot of people said that. They’re looking right at you,like a sculpture that moves. I wish I could do everything in 3D. In any event,there’s that: The surprise of where I’ll wind up. Can I surprise myself? Maybeit should all be simplified. Maybe the whole technique should be thrown out. Go anotherway. I don’t really know. Those are the hard questions. Inevitably it comes down toworking with the actors on the set. There are some moments where you’re in ittogether and there’s no turning back. You know what you need. You may not be able toarticulate it right away, but especially if you have an actor I’ve worked with a lot-- Leo,Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo,Michelle Williams, Cate Blanchett, Patricia Clarkson (she’s amazing). You juststumble over things and say, “Oh, yeah, that’s it!” It may just be amedium shot. I’m looking toward that. It’s exciting but also scary because Idon’t want to have to repeat. It has to go further. It has to address the materialin the present film, not the one 20 years ago. Continue Reading

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