scorsese on scorsese (the age of innocence) -- ·Þ³ø³¡

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Date Posted: 04:16:40 10/28/00 Sat
Author: cherbourg
Subject: scorsese on scorsese (the age of innocence)

Just read the Age of Innocence chapter,
I am so touched and moved by it.
Scorsese decribes how he was impressed by Edith Wharton's original novel and what particularly enamoured him and urged him to turn this novel into a film.
He was so precise about what he wants and what he wants his audience to see.
he mentioned more than one time about "impression"
according to him, he wants to present the audience his impression after reading the book. In some parts, he wants the frames to work just like impressionist paintings do. (Now I can tell that my lecturer is really into Scorsese)
He has exceptional idea about what ciname should be.
(he resents the excess use of dialogues and the "act to act" way of story telling as people did in dramas)
He describes very detailedly how he visualized, planned, dealt with, shot, and edited some scenes.
He has a (master's) clear mind about what is important and what should be included as well as excluded.
(well, of coz, you may say, every director does! Such as Steven Speilberg [wow]. But...Scorsese's choice is just exceptional, which works out powerfully and successfully. And Scorsese is artistic while Speilberg is...I dun know)
(I think i have to train myself to express in a more scholarly way, and I have to give proof!...give me some time)
He is so precise.
He knows perfectly what he wants.
He brilliantly conceives the central point and emotional tention of the book.
Such a master! As Jay Cocks (screenwriter) recalls in the forward of the "making-of" book, Scrosese "sees scenes" (and some more, I could not remember, please DO ask me if you want to know more, I have the article [actually the book] right on my shelf) when he's reading the novel.

excerpts:

One of my favourite scenes is just after Mrs Mingott has had a stroke, and Newland says he'll collect Ellen at the railroad stantion. When they walk out, May says, "But how can you meet Ellen and bring her back here if you have to go to Washington this afternoon?", and he replies, "I'm not going. The case is off. Postponed." Newland doesn't give anything away even when May persists in asking him about it, and says, "Then it's not postponed?" and he has to reply, "No. But my going is." I even had to tone down her glance. She just glances to the right as she walks off. Winona asked, "Could I just have a second look?" and I said, "NO, no, don't. She wouldn't give a second look." Because he already knows she's on to something. P.192

Part of the reason why I choose this part to quote is, of coz, that it deals with Winona Ryder, ha ha! Nonetheless, those who has seen the film would know that this May's glance is really obscure and tiny. I presonally watched the film twice but without even paying attention to it!(alright, I am a bad viewer) But Scrosese not only cares about it, but is also so precise at what he wants to present and what he doesn't want to show. A full understanding of how tension is built, how charater is protriated.

So this is just a glance of the whole chaper, and the whole book.
One has to read through it to discover the greatness of it.
I read the Taxi Driver chapter some year ago. I have to say this book, to be more exact, these chapters really touch me in the way that they have shown me the vision and the passion of a great filmmaker.
The Age of Innocence is not a film to be missed (!)and this book is not a book to be missed, if you like Scorsese, or simply if you like films!

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Replies:

the actual quotation by Cocks -- cherbourg, 22:19:01 10/31/00 Tue