cover image The Films of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro

The Films of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro

Andrew J. Rausch, Scarecrow, $34.95 (208p) ISBN 9780810874138

Can there ever be enough written about the emotionally fraught and visceral work of cinema legends Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro? For fans who've snapped up biographies of the distinguished director and his first celebrated muse, not to mention special DVD collections of their films, the answer is no, never. Rausch (Reflections on Blaxploitation) presents a thorough and enthusiastic examination of the eight movies on which Scorsese and De Niro collaborated, from Raging Bull, often said to be the best film of the ‘80s, to the underappreciated The King of Comedy, to the lackluster Casino. With insight into their collaboration and breezy behind-the-scenes accounts, Rausch explores the dynamics of their partnership, notably Scorsese's instinct for improvisation and De Niro's Method immersion. Blow-by-blow plot descriptions of each film go into startling detail, and although Rausch didn't speak personally with either Scorsese or De Niro, he edits previously published interviews well, and gleans great insights from the conversations he did have with many of the duo's colleagues. (July)