One of the greatest to ever sit in a director’s chair,Martin Scorseseis a living legend of cinema. Whether it was his early days working as an editor on the famousWoodstockdocumentary or the exceptionalKillers of the Flower Moon, Scorsese’s eye for detail and distinct authorial style have made him one of the most recognizable names in the annals of film.
Many have discussedwhat exactly Scorsese’s best work isand, in doing so, discussed which decade he has worked best in. From the boundary-breaking 1970s to his epic, star-studded work of the 2010s, it’s hard to pick a perfect decade of Scorsese magic. With that in mind,the 1980s have a bit of an edge. Now a household name, and with his first experience of a critical flop inNew York, New York, Scorsese entered the 80s with a point to prove andproduced some of his greatest masterpieces, although one stands out because of its lesser quality.
6’New York Stories' (1989)
Starring Woody Allen, Rosanna Arquette, and Mia Farrow
New York Stories' status as the lesser Scorsese movie of the ’80s is actually not the director’s fault,with this movie an anthologyof three New York-based short films curated by three iconic directors: Scorsese,Woody Allen, andFrancis Ford Coppola. Scorsese’s segment, “Life Lessons,” follows an acclaimed artist who finds himself unable to work and seeks to use jealousy to fuel his passion.
A unique viewing experience that fans of Scorsese will still enjoy,New York Storiesis simply too unfocused to work.
New York Storiesis let down by Coppola’s segment, a paper-thin and uneven effort from a director who never found a footing in the story. On the contrary, Scorsese’s segment was actually fairly critically acclaimed. However, that doesn’t stop it from falling foul of flaws, with a stunted running time leaving underdeveloped characters and removing any true sense of emotional heart. A unique viewing experience that fans of Scorsese will still enjoy,New York Storiesis simply too unfocused to work and can’t escape the title ofScorsese’s most disappointing movie of the 1980s.
Rent on Amazon
5’The Color of Money' (1986)
Starring Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, and Mary Elizabeth
Scorsese famously doesn’t direct many sequels, makingThe Color of Money, a follow-up to 1961’sThe Hustler, already an intriguing outlier in his filmography. The movie follows “Fast Eddie” Felson (Paul Newman), a champion of pool hustling, who takes on a protégé,Tom Cruise’s Vincent. By teaching him the ways of the hustle, Felson takes Vincent and his girlfriend on a money-making tour, only for Vincent’s confidence to turn sour and the two to come to blows.
Reprising his role from the original, Newman won the Academy Award for Best Actor for this performance, keeping alive Scorsese’s streak of luring the very best of top talent out of their performances and into the minds of the Academy. The rest of the ensemble,including an underrated turn from a young Cruise, is just as impressive, with Scorsese showcasing his eye for detail throughout. Although it’s most famous for Newman’s performance,The Color of Moneyremains a considerable achievement for Scorsese, impressing on every rewatch.
The Color of Money
4’After Hours' (1985)
Starring Rosanna Arquette, Verna Bloom, and Thomas Chong
A tale of a lack of luck,After Hoursfollows Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne), a man who meets a woman in New York’s SoHo district, loses $20 out of a cab, and endures an entire night of terrible fortune. As each coincidence extends the farce, Paul slowly loses faith in his night ever regaining hope, with the sheer stark chaos of the evening becoming increasingly surreal.
In some way,After Hoursis Scorsese’s funniest movieof the 1980s. In fact, some would label ithis funniest movie of all time, with the director, who historically avoids the genre, proving his range of ability. A darkly devilish thrill ride,After Hoursis a standout in Scorsese’s filmography, if not thematically, then certainly in execution. Dunne’s lead performance is magnetically endearing, with his domino-falling lack of luck told over one night making for a brilliantly immersive viewing experience.
After Hours
3’The Last Temptation of Christ' (1988)
Starring Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, and Barbara Hershey
For those who like a movie soaked in controversy, look no further thanThe Last Temptation of Christ. Put simply, the film follows the life of an impressively engaging Jesus Christ (Willem Dafoe) as he battles human suffering on the journey to his own on the cross.
Exploring religion as many of Scoresese’s films do, a theme close to his heart and influenced by his childhood,The Last Temptation of Christwas certainly provocativeupon release andstands as a film whose quality was overshadowed by its controversy. In truth,the movie is ahead of its time in many ways, unafraid to tackle difficult themes while never losing a sense of cinematic scope. Despite many suggesting it is disrespectful,The Last Temptation of the Christseems tame by 2024’s standards. Those with a more open-minded mind will surely beready for the challenging, thoughtful exploration of faith the movie champions.
The Last Temptation of Christ
2’The King of Comedy' (1982)
Starring Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Tony Randall
Possibly Scorsese’s most underrated movie,The King of Comedyfollows Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro), a struggling comedian who becomes obsessed with Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis), a late-night talk show host famed for his charm. Eventually, Pupkin kidnaps his hero, setting off a chain of events that leads to nothing but dark chaos.
An inspiration for the recent hitJoker, in which De Niro appears in as the talk show host,The King of Comedyis a psychological thriller that requires a rewatch. A sometimes unsettling but intelligently gripping movie, Scorsese illustrates his somewhat unmatched ability to drive spades of meaning into morally ambiguous characters. Unlike many otherviolent movies in Scorsese’s catalog,The King of Comedynever resorts to graphic violence, instead using psychological tricks to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.The King of Comedyis a gemof the psychological thriller genre and one of Scorsese’s most haunting efforts.
The King of Comedy
1’Raging Bull' (1980)
Starring Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci
The best Scorsese movie of the 1980s is certainly no split decision.Raging Bulltells the story of real-life boxer Jake LaMotta (De Niro) as he attempts to claw success from the jaws of inner demons. However, his passion for fighting is fueled by an evil temper, one that pushes LaMotta to the brink of losing it all.Raging Bullis perhaps Scorsese’s best movie of all time, especially if a certainTaxi DriverandGoodfellashad never been conceived. Not only is it one of Scorsese’s best, but it is also one of De Niro’s, including what is perhaps his magnum opus performance across a storied career.
The film thrives in many categories, but especially in its depiction of the brutality of boxing, with Scorsese’svision forRaging Bullinspired by Buster Keaton. Quite rightly, the filmwon two Academy Awards for both De Niro and Scorsese’s long-time editor,Thelma Schoonmaker, although many would suggest it was robbed from the other six it was nominated for. A compelling visual experience that uses a black-and-white cinematic style for both narrative and aesthetic effect,Raging Bullis an unquestionable masterpieceand is most definitely Scorsese’s best of the decade.
