The documentary series Mr. Scorsese, now streaming on Apple TV+, offers an extensive five-part, five-hour look into the life and work of Martin Scorsese, one of America’s most celebrated filmmakers. Directed by Rebecca Miller, this miniseries dives deeply into Scorsese’s personal history, cinematic influences, and his artistry, making the Martin Scorsese documentary stream essential for devoted movie lovers eager to explore the genius behind classics like Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and The Wolf of Wall Street.
A Raw Portrait of America’s Filmmaking Legend
Mr. Scorsese begins with a vibrant montage of scenes spanning the director’s career, setting the tone for a documentary imbued with intensity and introspection. The filmmaker himself frames the central question driving his work:
“Who are we? What are we, I should say, as human beings? Are we intrinsically good or evil?”
Martin Scorsese’s exploration of identity and morality informs both his films and this series.
The opening episode, titled “Stranger in a Strange Land,” traces Scorsese’s challenging upbringing in Queens, New York, against the backdrop of Italian–American tenement life during the 1950s. The series recounts a dramatic story: after a violent encounter between Scorsese’s father and their landlord, Italian crime families intervened, sending the family back to their cramped living quarters. This tumultuous environment, fraught with connections to organized crime, left a profound impact on Scorsese’s storytelling sensibility.
From age three, severe asthma confined young Marty indoors, pushing him to seek refuge in air-conditioned movie theaters. Film critic Spike Lee offers a darkly humorous comment on this formative hardship:
“Thank god for asthma!”
Through repeated viewings of Technicolor musicals, Italian neorealism classics like Bicycle Thieves, and shadowy noir films, Scorsese developed a nuanced cinematic eye. His childhood storyboards, featuring epic gladiator battles captured from high angles, reveal the origins of his trademark visual style.
Building the Foundation: Scorsese’s Early Creative Years
The documentary captures the tension between Scorsese’s Catholic upbringing and his fascination with the harsh realities of organized crime, themes prevalent throughout his oeuvre. His early passion for filmmaking took shape at New York University, where he became part of a wave of young directors inspired by French New Wave and Italian cinema to challenge Hollywood’s conventions.
Viewers learn how Scorsese formed lifelong collaborations that shaped his filmography. His meeting with Thelma Schoonmaker, who would become the editor of every Scorsese film since 1980, was a crucial turning point. The series also examines his uneasy involvement with the Woodstock documentary, where he was passed over for co-director credit, as well as his first directing job with Roger Corman, which he later viewed with regret.
Intimate anecdotes reveal how renowned filmmaker John Cassavetes encouraged Scorsese to remain true to his personal vision. The series includes a range of testimonies from peers like Steven Spielberg, Brian De Palma, and Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as archival footage featuring Scorsese’s parents, Charles and Catherine, who add depth to his early life story. Further texture comes from childhood friends recounting encounters with the “mean streets” of Queens, recalling the violence and urgency of their environment—even referencing incidents as grim as finding a dead body.
The Documentary’s Style and Cinematic Parallels
Mr. Scorsese echoes the intensity and detail of other recent multi-hour film retrospectives such as the 2017 documentary on Steven Spielberg and the 2015 film on Brian De Palma. Despite its dense focus on minutiae, the series balances reverence with raw insight into the director’s personality and creative process.
Rebecca Miller’s direction lays a solid foundation in the first installment, setting up for deeper analysis of Scorsese’s signature works like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull in subsequent episodes. The series promises to explore personal struggles, including Scorsese’s complicated relationship with fame, critical reception, and industry accolades such as the Oscars, which came late in his career despite his undeniable impact.
The presence of Thelma Schoonmaker remains a constant, offering candid commentary on both the craft and the man behind the camera. The documentarian also introduces lesser-known influences, such as Father Principe, a priest with a tough exterior who played a mentorship role in Scorsese’s life. This juxtaposition of spirituality and streetwise toughness illuminates essential themes running throughout his films.
Compelling Insights and Enduring Appeal
The documentary refuses to shy away from the contradictions in Scorsese’s life and work, touching on his struggles, inspirations, and enduring questions about human nature. The series is equaled in significance by its execution: the pacing, the depth of research, and the mixture of archival material with present-day reflections make it a compelling watch for cinephiles and general viewers alike.
One memorable observation comes from Goodfellas screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, who notes:
“Marty’s life depended on going to movies. It’s where he could breathe.”
This remark encapsulates the profound link between Scorsese’s physical frailty, shaped by asthma, and his emotional and creative nourishment through cinema.
The first episode ends with a close-up of Robert De Niro, a longtime collaborator, whose subtle smile hints at the storied partnership and mutual respect that have defined much of Scorsese’s towering career. While the five-hour runtime is generous, many viewers may find it only scratches the surface of such a complex figure, suggesting a longer exploration would be fitting.
Where to Find and Watch Mr. Scorsese
The entire Mr. Scorsese series is exclusively available for streaming on Apple TV+. Subscribers new to the platform can access a seven-day free trial before continuing with the ad-free streaming service at $13.99 per month. This exclusive availability underscores Apple TV+’s push to feature high-quality, in-depth documentary content about iconic filmmakers.
For fans of Martin Scorsese and enthusiasts of film history, this documentary offers both a profound and unsettling portrait of an artist whose work continually probes the human condition’s moral ambiguities.
John Serba, an experienced freelance writer and film critic from Grand Rapids, Michigan, offers this detailed perspective on a series that shapes up to be an essential addition to any cinephile’s viewing list.
