This fall, Apple TV+ will debut the five-part documentary series Mr. Scorsese, which revisits the career of Martin Scorsese. The series includes a revealing look at a difficult moment early in his career when Columbia Pictures pressured him to significantly tone down the violent content in his breakthrough film, Taxi Driver. This conflict highlights the tension between Scorsese’s artistic vision and studio censorship.
Pressure to Slash Graphic Content in Key Scenes
In an exclusive clip from the series, Steven Spielberg recounts a distressing phone call from Scorsese, who was frustrated that Columbia wanted to cut some of the film’s most graphic moments. These included the climactic shootout scene where the character Travis Bickle, played by Robert De Niro, violently confronts a pimp involved in child prostitution.
“They want me to cut all the blood spurting. They want me to cut the guy who loses his hand,”
Spielberg recalls Scorsese telling him.
Scorsese’s Extreme Reaction to Studio Demands
Among rumors circulating in industry circles was the idea that Scorsese considered using a gun to threaten studio executives in order to preserve his original cut. When filmmaker Rebecca Miller asked him about these claims, Scorsese dismissed them with skepticism but admitted to feeling intense anger and desperation.
“I wasn’t going to get it,
he said.
I was angry. I said I was going to threaten them or shoot or something. I had no idea. What I wanted to do — and not with a gun — I would go in, find out where the rough cut is, break the windows and take it away.”
The Compromise That Saved the Film’s Integrity
Although Scorsese never acted on his bold plan, he and Columbia eventually reached a compromise. Instead of cutting the violent scenes entirely, the filmmakers desaturated the colors of the blood to make it appear brownish rather than red, which helped secure an R rating instead of the commercially crippling X rating. Scorsese likened the altered look to images from a tabloid.
Legacy of Taxi Driver and Partnership with Robert De Niro
Taxi Driver stunned audiences at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the prestigious Palme d’Or and earning four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. This film launched the enduring collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro, who have since worked together on eight more films, most recently Killers of the Flower Moon. Their partnership remains one of the most celebrated director-actor duos in cinema history.
Upcoming Premiere of Mr. Scorsese on Apple TV+
The documentary series Mr. Scorsese will premiere on Apple TV+ on October 17, offering viewers an intimate portrayal of the filmmaker’s storied career and the struggles he faced in protecting his creative vision.
