After Hours (1985)
Just imagine all the gems Scorsese makes after hours…
Presentation:
Scorsese is clearly a master storyteller, but the cinematography in his movies is more notable for the editing and music. After Hours is the first time I understood the genius of the director for stylish image making. Drawing from the neorealism of Italian cinema, this film feels like the New York version of Suspiria. From the incredible opening dolly shot, you know that the cinematography in this movie is going to be banging. There is an absurdist surrealism that is done in a way that I haven’t seen in American cinema that is delightful to watch for all of the 90 minutes. The casting is fantastic and you can really see Scorsese himself in the lead character - and it’s outrageously funny. There’s an obsessive descent into madness that would go on to inspire the entire identity of the Safdie brothers.
Conclusion:
It’s hard for a cinephile to call a comedy a masterpiece, but this is as close as it gets. Martin Scorsese is primarily known as a great storyteller, but it’s only after watching this that I could see him as an auteur filmmaker. I found the recurring dolly shots and camera movement in this film to be complex and interesting, though most probably won’t because the cinematography is not necessarily flashy due to the dark pavement of New York and desaturated color. There are some that say this is Martin Scorsese’s best film, and there is absolutely merit to that depending on your criteria. I can’t recommend this underrated movie enough, and if more people saw this his legacy wouldn’t be gangster movies. You know you’re a master filmmaker when even your popcorn movies are at this level of quality.
Recommendations
Just imagine all the gems Scorsese makes after hours…