Martin Scorsese has yet again proved why he is one of the best directors to ever embrace Hollywood with his latest directorial, Killers of the Flower Moon. However, despite giving back-to-back classics, Hollywood’s most prestigious award hasn’t fully captured the essence of this cinema legend.
With a career spanning decades, marked by achievements and honors, Scorsese has won only one Oscar for The Departed, leaving the director empty-handed on several occasions. Fans have long debated this issue, particularly since some of the director’s famous films, including Raging Bull and Goodfellas, were overlooked for the Academy Awards.
Thelma Schoonmaker Believes Academy Hasn’t Treated Him Right
In a recent Esquire interview discussing Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese’s close friend Thelma Schoonmaker, who has collaborated on 22 films with him, talked about Scorsese’s persistent Oscar struggles.
Schoonmaker told Esquire:
“Yeah, we’re not very lucky with the Oscars. I mean, Marty has deserved many. … I know, and that’s not fair. Because they’re really his as well as mine. But Marty should have won at least seven, as far as I’m concerned. But we’re very unlucky at the Oscars, because the films are sometimes very unusual. And people are sometimes not used to it, or they resist it, or [resist] voting for it.”
Schoonmaker also highlighted two major Oscar snubs for the director. In 1980, Raging Bull lost to Ordinary People, and Robert Redford took home the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director. Then, in 1991, Goodfellas lost to Kevin Costner’s Dance With Wolves, marking another upset for the Hollywood legend.
Schoomaker added:
“I think he would have liked to win for Raging Bull. When we were standing there, those of us who did win, I was waiting for Marty to come with his Oscar. And he didn’t. It was the worst night of my life. It was devastating that he didn’t win. A movie like that, that is so brilliantly directed. But it was a tough movie. And Ordinary People, I understand it’s a very good movie, I’ve never seen it. But people were maybe a bit put off by the toughness of Raging Bull. But look how it’s lasted. It’s a benchmark movie.”
Besides, many fans believe that Scorsese should have won for Taxi Driver in 1976, but he didn’t even get a nomination for the film.
Joe Pesci Convinced Martin Scorsese To Change a Script
Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas delves into the various aspects of dimensions of the crime world. Despite the gritty theme, Scorsese managed to put forward engaging dialogue and funny scenes, making it a great experience for viewers.
The scene where Joe Pesci asks, “How am I funny?” had a powerful impact on viewers, capturing the essence of the film. While Scorsese received praise for the scene, it wasn’t intended to be in the script. Instead, Pesci improvised the scene to showcase his acting prowess before joining the cast of the film.
