Scorsese Shorts

A compilation of five early short films by Martin Scorsese—both nonfiction and fiction, made between 1963-1978—this illuminating collection kicks off with Italianamerican (1974), the director’s wonderful tribute to his parents Charles and Catherine. Filmed in their Little Italy apartment in New York, the documentary plays as an interview that is appropriately woven around the making and eating of a big Italian meal. Scorsese’s mom works on the meatballs and sauce, while his dad talks about growing up on the tough city streets. Unsure about the filming process (Catherine asks her son if she’s supposed to talk to him directly or the camera), the elder Scorseses are comfortable reminiscing about the past, including their own parent’s journeys to the new land, early years in America, and the particularities of being Italian-American (recollections often accompanied by film footage and still photographs). In this garrulous and charming couple, son Martin clearly found a wealth of material to draw from that would infuse his later films (his mother appeared in several) with a characteristic streetwise Italian point-of-view. Next up is American Boy (1978), which captures a freeform interview with Steven Prince, a mesmerizing storyteller who makes his grand entrance into the living room setting by tackling a friend and wrestling around on the floor. Scorsese, who is often caught by the camera’s roving eye and is heard offscreen offering directions, mostly observes as Prince relates one outrageous autobiographical tale after another about his parents, adventures as a heroin-addicted road manager for Neil Diamond (Prince would not book flights longer than four hours, so that he could frequently shoot up), and involvement in a late-night gas station robbery that ended with a gruesome killing. In the final scene, Scorsese has Prince retell a story three times, coaching him to substitute a key word in the last version—pointedly underscoring the potential for artifice in documentaries. The other three entries are fictional, starting with The Big Shave (1967), a horrific short in which a young man shaves himself into a bloody lather (it was initially seen by critics as a shocking response to the Vietnam War). It’s Not Just You, Murray! (1964) and What’s a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? (1963) are both student films that find Scorsese experimenting with a number of cinematic forms (including stop-motion animation) while also emulating influential directors (including Fellini). Although the fiction pieces feel somewhat dated, the two documentaries have aged like fine wine. Presented with a handsome 4K digital transfer, extras include an engaging conversation between Scorsese and film critic Farran Smith Nehme, a discussion among filmmakers Ari Aster and brothers Josh and Benny Safdie, a 1970 audio interview with Scorsese, and a booklet with an essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri. Highly recommended.