ACMI Stories & Ideas Folgen

Renowned for his visual, kinetic style, his deeply informed passion for screen history and his tireless championing of film preservation, Scorsese’s innovative and multifaceted work has defined him as one of the world’s greatest filmmakers. In this talk, our experts are uncovering the range of influences that have helped shaped Scorsese’s own films, discussing the iconic collaborations that have defined his work, and exploring the rich cinematic history that routinely inspires the filmmaker. Examining the distinctive cinematic impact of the screen legend, Dr Mark Nicholls (University of Melbourne) will lead a group of special guests including Dr Bruce Isaacs (Film Studies, University of Sydney), Dr Adrian Danks (RMIT) and writer, editor and critic Rebecca Harkins-Cross in a cinematic exploration of the indelible cinematic legacy of the prolific and passionate auteur. Featuring a special address from renowned film scholar Professor Ian Christie (UK), editor of Scorsese on Scorsese (Faber and Faber, 1996). Supported by United States Consulate General Melbourne

"Martin Scorsese's films, from Mean Streets to The Aviator, are explosive in their impact, crammed with information and detail. Scorsese is torn between the sacred and the profane. On the one hand, his Catholic upbringing leads him to tackle religious subjects, while the Saturday matinee kid in him revels in the trashy gore of his gangster films." - David Stratton Describing Scorsese as the most passionate of the post-1960’s new wave of young directors, which included cinema luminaries such as Bogdanovich, Spielberg, Coppola and Lucas, Stratton anoints the great director as “the cinema’s greatest proselytiser”, a film maker consistently converting audiences with his rapid fire style and palpable passion for the art form. In this rare opportunity to hear from one of Australia’s leading voices on world cinema, Stratton will survey the master filmmaker’s impactful catalogue of films, examining the body of work on show in Essential Scorsese and exploring the impact of one of contemporary cinema’s most influential creators. David Stratton David Stratton was the director of the Sydney Film Festival from 1966-1983. He contributes film reviews to The Australian, and is the author of two books on Australian cinema: The Last New Wave and The Avocado Plantation. From 1981-2004 he presented films on SBS Television and was, with Margaret Pomeranz, co-host of The Movie Show from 1986-2004. In July 2004, Margaret and David moved to ABC Television with their show, At The Movies, which aired until 2014.

Prison Songs is an award-winning documentary musical made by WA filmmakers Kelrick Martin and Harry Bardwell, working in association with Indigenous singer/songwriter Shellie Morris and acclaimed British documentary maker, and pioneer of the documentary musical form, Brian Hill. It is a real musical set in a very real situation, and like any musical it uses the expressive qualities of music, songs and dance to communicate intimacy and conviction, giving it an emotional resonance unfamiliar to conventional documentary forms. In this session, Prison Songs forms the basis of a case study in documentary musicals, acting as a launching point to illuminate elements like structure, casting, musical composition and intended impact. Speakers: Kelrick Martin (Director), Harry Bardwell (Producer) and Shellie Morris and Casey Bennetto (Composers) Host: Leanne Pooley