Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest Hollywood directors of all time. Since the 1960s, Scorsese has worked tirelessly to direct some of the most iconic movies in history, movies known for their complex characters, moral ambiguity, and gritty depictions of life in America. Alongside his incredible storytelling, Scorsese has worked with some of the finest cinematographers the industry has to offer, such as Michael Ballhaus, Rodrigo Prieto, and Michael Chapman, to create incredible camera shots that have cemented their place in cinematic history.
What sets the direction of Scorsese and his various cinematographers apart is the emotional resonance of their shots. Fusing technical innovation with the ability to capture the complex feelings at play of his characters enhances the storyline of every movie he has directed. Scorsese’s use of framing, lighting, POV shots, and slow motion make these camera shots more than just a way to convey the narrative of his movies, but a way to represent the larger themes at play, such as guilt, corruption, vengeance, and power.
10 Dolores Turns To Ash
Shutter Island (2010)
A camera shot that was made possible through the use of both practical effects and CGI is also one of Scorsese’s most haunting. In Shutter Island, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) envisions his deceased wife Dolores (Michelle Williams) telling him that “You have to let me go“. Teddy currently believes that Dolores was burned to death in their apartment as a result of the arsonist, Andrew Laeddis, and sees her disintegrate into ashes while in his arms. It is a shot accompanied by Max Richter’s “On The Nature Of Daylight“, a string piece that perfectly captures the themes at play here.
It’s a harrowing shot, and one that serves a dual purpose in propelling Shutter Island‘s narrative forward. On the one hand, it’s a haunting depiction of Dolores’ death, but on the other, Dolores’ crumbling body acts as a representation of Teddy’s mental state. As Shutter Island progresses, Teddy becomes more and more agitated and anxious as his mental state declines, eventually culminating in the incredible twist ending. This shot is a visual representation of Teddy’s emotional descent, making it one of the most charged shots in Scorsese’s filmography.
9 Jimmy Smoking At The Bar
Goodfellas (1990)
In a movie heralded by many to be Scorsese’s magnum opus comes one of the coolest, yet tension-filled camera shots of his entire career. In this scene in Goodfellas, Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) is sat at a bar, smoking a cigarette while looking at Morrie Kessler (Chuck Low). The camera begins to move towards Jimmy as he takes a drag, his eyes never leaving his subject. The opening guitar riffs to Cream’s “Sunshine Of Your Love” gives this particular shot an awesome ambiance that pays homage to the cold, calculated nature of Jimmy’s character.
The Cream track, the brooding lighting, De Niro’s emotionless yet calculated expression, and the slow zoom all contribute to making this shot one of Scorsese’s most beautifully simple.
Jimmy appears to be lost in thought as he watches Morrie, but it is widely assumed by audiences that he is plotting a way to kill him after being consistently badgered about paying him back money from the Lufthansa heist. This is a shot that somehow manages to capture the entire essence of Jimmy’s character without De Niro having to speak a single word of dialogue, offering viewers a glimpse into his morally bankrupt mind. The Cream track, the brooding lighting, De Niro’s emotionless yet calculated expression, and the slow zoom all contribute to making this shot one of Scorsese’s most beautifully simple.
8 Travis At The Cinema
Taxi Driver (1976)
Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is one of the most iconic Scorsese characters of all time, with his story being the focus of Taxi Driver‘s narrative. In one of the most uncomfortable scenes of Taxi Driver, Travis begins an intense regimen of physical and tactical gun training, before visiting an adult theater. In a poignant, dark, lonely shot, Travis is seen sat in the cinema making finger guns at the adult film he is watching, before he puts his hand to his face as if to conceal the movie from his eyeline.
It’s an extremely unsettling camera shot, and one that has become one of Scorsese’s most iconic. From the slow zoom in towards Travis’ blank expression, to the way his fingers cast shadows over his face, this is one of the greatest yet most subtle ways to show that someone is a sociopath without explicitly saying it. It’s a powerful shot that visually isolates Travis from the rest of the theater, with Scorsese and his cinematographer, Michael Chapman, being able to capture his alienation perfectly and establish this moment as the turning point in Travis’ unraveling.
7 Jordan Belfort’s POV
The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
In the final act of The Wolf of Wall Street, Scorsese employs the use of an incredible POV shot from the perspective of sleazy stock trader Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). Belfort has agreed to a plea deal with the authorities after they uncover his illegal trading methods, a deal that sees him wear a wire and give up the names of everyone else involved in the trading. The POV shot sees Belfort returning to the Stratton Oakmont offices, with his employees all beaming to meet him, blissfully unaware that he is giving them all up to the police.
Ultimately, it’s a shot that reinforces the themes of excess, exploitation, greed, and selfishness that define The Wolf of Wall Street, and is juxtaposed by Belfort’s regretful monologue as he walks through the crowd.
Technically, this camera shot is masterful, with Scorsese employing a smooth, continuous take as Belfort makes his way through the crowd of smiling stockbrokers. It’s a slick shot that seems to encapsulate Belfort’s manipulation and treachery, blurring the line between complicity in crime and just observation. Ultimately, it’s a shot that reinforces the themes of excess, exploitation, greed, and selfishness that define The Wolf of Wall Street, and is juxtaposed by Belfort’s regretful monologue as he walks through the crowd.
6 Copacabana Steadicam
Goodfellas (1990)
One of the most famous shots in Goodfellas comes when Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) is escorting Karen (Lorraine Bracco) to the Copacabana club. It’s a continuous Steadicam shot that follows Henry and Karen as they walk across the road to the club, enter through the back entrance, weave through narrow hallways and bustling kitchens, before eventually reaching the lively main room where their table is already set up for them. It’s undoubtedly one of the most immersive shots in Scorsese’s filmography.
The Copacabana Steadicam is nothing less than a technical marvel, requiring intense coordination, not just from the crew behind the camera, but from the cast in front of it. The smooth motion and speed at which everything seems to happen can almost sweep the audience off their feet and push them into the glamour of Henry’s life. Thematically, the camera shot also serves as a stark reminder of how quickly Henry has ascended the world of organized crime, with his swift navigation through the back hallways of the Copacabana representing his ability to navigate the criminal underworld.
5 Heatwave Sequences
Killers Of The Flower Moon (2023)
Scorsese’s most recent movie, and perhaps his most necessary, Killers of the Flower Moon tells the harrowing true story of the Osage murders in 1920s Oklahoma. The Osage are a group of Native Americans who, after oil was discovered on their land, became some of the wealthiest people in the US, but were then systemically targeted and murdered by the white community. In one of Killers of the Flower Moon‘s most haunting shots, Bill Hale (Robert De Niro) has set fire to his field to collect insurance money, with the fire creating a beautiful heatwave effect on the camera.
The use of lighting and practical effects in this shot is incredible, with the fiery glow creating an intense atmosphere that threatens to overwhelm the viewer. It’s a hellish landscape, where the silhouettes of people can just be made out, silhouettes that Scorsese himself intended to add to the shot’s “hallucinatory” feel (via ScreenDaily). The flames not only destroy Bill’s field, but are also a symbol for the destruction and oppression of the Osage livelihood and culture, a powerful visual metaphor for the movie’s central themes of exploitation and racial violence.
4 Sam Lights A Cigarette
Casino (1995)
Scorsese’s 1995 movie Casino tells the story of Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) as he is tasked with ensuring that the operation of the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas is running smoothly. It’s a brilliant movie full of Scorsese’s signature shots, but one of the best comes when Ace has his back to the camera, then turns around, puts a cigarette in his mouth, and lights it. It may just seem like a simple camera shot, but (besides being cool to watch) manages to capture the essence of Ace in a brilliantly subtle way.
As Ace turns to look out over the casino floor, the audience is imbued with a feeling that this man undoubtedly has authority, but is detached from the world around him. Ace is emotionally distant from what is actually happening in the casino, potentially viewing his job as a necessity more than something he would like to be doing. The cool, almost careless way that he lights his cigarette is a testament to this, implying that the character can seize control in an instant, but prefers to keep his distance.
3 “As Far Back As I Can Remember…”
Goodfellas (1990)
The opening shot of Goodfellas, accompanied by Henry Hill’s (Ray Liotta) famous line “As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster“, has become potentially the most iconic camera shot in Scorsese’s entire filmography. The shot sees Henry bathed in the red light from his car brakes, staring at bloody rags in the trunk, before he promptly slams the trunk shut. As he shuts the trunk, Tony Bennett’s “Rags To Riches” starts playing, acting as the metaphorical cherry on top for Goodfellas‘ perfect opening scene.
It’s a shot that perfectly captures the essence of the movie, with the brooding lighting acting as a symbol for the criminal underworld Henry has found himself in. It establishes his character, with the almost conversational way that Harry tells us that he always wanted to be a gangster, reflecting the normalcy of organized crime for the character. It’s a technically flawless shot, with a fast yet smooth zoom, an iconic narration, an incredible needle drop, and one of the most legendary freeze fames in cinematic history.
2 “You Talkin’ To Me?”
Taxi Driver (1976)
Perhaps one of the most famous shots (and lines of dialogue) in movie history comes in Scorsese’s 1976 Taxi Driver. Robert De Niro’s Travis Bickle is psyching himself up in the mirror of his apartment, practicing his tough-guy persona and preparing for a violent confrontation. This shot in particular locks in on Travis’ reflection as he talks to himself, uttering the now-iconic line.
Technically a very simple shot, this does not take anything away from how effective it is. The static camera truly allows De Niro’s actions and monologue to take center stage, with every gesture, every blink, every twitch, and every word being taken in by the audience. The shot doesn’t cut away, showcasing De Niro’s incredible acting talents, while also giving audiences a further glimpse into Travis’ growing instability that they are helpless to stop.
1 The Final Shot
Killers Of The Flower Moon (2023)
It is truly hard to think of a more poignant, emotional, or touching final shot in Scorsese’s cinematography, or indeed, anyone’s, than the final shot of Killers of the Flower Moon. After the rather meta scene of Scorsese himself giving a monologue to an audience about the Osage murders, the movie cuts to a shot of a modern-day group of Osage people in a powwow dancing circle. It’s a birds-eye shot that slowly zooms out, revealing the true size of the dancing circle, before cutting to black and letting the credits roll.
After watching over 200 minutes of the Osage people being oppressed and systemically killed for their money, seeing that their legacy lives on in the 21st century imbues audiences with a glimmer of hope. Of course, this camera shot cannot undo the horrific injustice of the Osage murders, but it serves an important purpose of delivering the message that their people have endured. It’s an emotionally charged shot that is technically incredible, and transcends being important just for the sake of the narrative, but important for the fight for Native American justice overall. This is undoubtedly Scorsese’s finest camera shot.
Sources: ScreenDaily.