How Three Landmark Films Changed Hollywood’s Creative Landscape

Martin Scorsese has long stood as a figurehead for directors who challenge convention. His approach to filmmaking, often at odds with mainstream expectations, has kept him at the forefront of the industry since the days of Taxi Driver. Yet, even for someone as innovative as Scorsese, there was a period when the very nature of directing in Hollywood underwent a profound transformation.

Reflecting on his early career, Scorsese often recalls how closely his stories mirrored the world he inhabited. When crafting works like Mean Streets, he found himself just a step removed from the lives he depicted, lending his films a sense of immediacy and authenticity. However, as the 1970s drew to a close, a shift began to take hold—one that would alter the balance of creative power in American cinema.

Raging Bull and the End of an Era

By the time he embarked on Raging Bull, Scorsese was ready to subvert expectations. The film, centred on a troubled boxer whose life spirals out of control, offered a stark, unvarnished look at its subject. Robert De Niro’s performance, coupled with the film’s raw atmosphere, set it apart from the more polished boxing dramas of the era, such as the Rocky sequels. Scorsese opted for black-and-white cinematography, a decision he explained to GQ:

“Black-and-white would make it distinctly different from the other boxing films that were being made. Also, Irving Winkle pointed out to the studio that films that were made in black-and-white up until that point in the ‘70s were Paper Moon and Lenny, and they were hits.”

The visual style of Raging Bull, with its striking camera work and evocative editing, drew viewers into the brutality of the ring. The film’s release coincided with a pivotal moment for United Artists, the studio behind it. Scorsese noted,

“The week that film was released was the same week, from the same studio, that Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate opened. That, along with Raging Bull and Apocalypse Now, all from the same studio, United Artists. It ended the power of the director in American filmmaking, and that had to come back through independent cinema, through the 1980s.”

Apocalypse Now and the Limits of Ambition

Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, released in 1979, stands as one of the most ambitious undertakings in film history. Loosely inspired by Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the film reimagines the novella’s themes within the context of the Vietnam War, exploring the darker aspects of human nature and the consequences of interventionism. Its scale and complexity set it apart from the more formulaic blockbusters of the time.

Scorsese’s own work during this period contributed to a broader movement away from traditional studio filmmaking. He deliberately sought to distinguish the boxing sequences in Raging Bull from the rest of the film, creating a sense of dislocation for the audience. The result was a cinematic experience that felt both intimate and otherworldly, particularly during the scenes inside the ring with Jake LaMotta.

Creative Freedom and Its Aftermath

Looking back, Scorsese remembers a time when directors enjoyed remarkable freedom within the studio system. He describes the era as one of opportunity and experimentation:

“Things were wide open, and we took it like barbarians at the gate. We transformed whatever we could, but they caught us.”

The release of these three films—Raging Bull, Apocalypse Now, and Heaven’s Gate—marked a turning point. The studios, wary of the risks involved, began to rein in directors’ autonomy, prompting a shift towards independent filmmaking throughout the 1980s.