Who’s That Knocking at My Door
Andddddd we’re back! Welcome to my highly anticipated (at least in my own head) series where I’ll be reviewing all 26 of Martin Scorsese’s feature films in chronological order. I’ve had a great time with both my Shyamalan and Bigelow director’s series, and I thought it’d be a great time to explore the filmography of one of the absolute legends of cinema (and give me an excuse to watch all of his stuff I haven’t seen yet).
Marty’s first feature was also the acting debut of his star, Harvey Keitel, who will go on to star in many of Scorsese’s films. It also marks his first collaboration with editor Thelma Schoonmaker, who edited all but five of Marty’s films (the next five chronologically).
The plot of this film left a lot to be desired (there was little to none). However, the film is redeemed through strong visuals and good technique.
Marty has a lot of recurring themes that found their start here: the juxtaposing nature of religion, the dual life of gangsters, and a certain breed of machismo that Scorsese likes to deconstruct and critique. The roots can all be traced back here, which I think is just grand. I’m excited to see how they evolve and grow as Marty does as a filmmaker.
I’m not exactly sure how much there is to say about this film. I’m thankful it was able to launch the career of such a talented artist and I’m very excited to make my way through film history with him.
Scorsese Ranked:
Note: I’ve seen a fair portion of his films already, but I won’t be including those in my ranking until I reach them in this director’s series. Therefore, the opening is obvious and redundant.
- Who’s That Knocking at My Door
Next week, I’ll recap Marty’s next film Boxcar Bertha. Hope to see you then!
