Martin Scorsese Defends 'The Wolf of Wall Street': 'The Devil Comes With A Smile' (Q&A)

Hollywoodreporter.com ^ | December 31, 2013 | Scott Feinberg

[Biggirl]

Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street -- a rollicking three-hour black comedy based on the true story of debaucherous con man Jordan Belfort -- has become one of the most controversial films in the director's 50 year career. The filmmaker, who has nothing left to prove after directing 23 narrative features including such classics as Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas, sees Belfort has part of a long tradition of the American confidence man who "takes your trust, takes your confidence and betrays you." While critics and moviegoers argue over whether Scorsese is celebrating Belfort or exposing him, the director himself says of Belfort's crimes, "This is something that's not going to go away if you don’t talk about it."

[allendale]

Martin Scorsese, ex-seminarian, makes very catholic movies. They are meant to be viewed as morality tales portraying modern American decadence. They are commercial and entertaining. Simple fact is that as Miley Cyrus reminds us decadence sells big in modern day America. It was no accident that the vile Obama was elected and reelected with 52% of the vote. Decent conservatives may wish it to be different but for now it is what it is.

[demshateGod]

Martin Scorsese makes filth because he’s absolutely depraved.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Biggirl.

‘Wolf of Wall Street’ whimpers, ‘Hobbit 2’ wins at the box office
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-wolf-wall-street-whimpers-hobbit-2-wins-at-box-office-20131228,0,4493256.story#ixzz2p5UOp7Rh

[lowbridge]

Reading the article, he doesnt have a really legitimate excuse for constantly casting a miscast leo dicaprio.

[x]

They are meant to be viewed as morality tales portraying modern American decadence. They are commercial and entertaining.

Is there a contradiction there? A moralist might not get so into depicting decadence, excess, cruelty.

Another director put it this way: "Scorsese is a moralist and is a man who is both attracted and morally repelled by the subject that he is dealing with."

[Dr.Deth]

[a fool in paradise]

It’s a “Reefer Madness” exploitation film for our times.

A lot of a sinning via sex, drugs, & violence, projected onscreen under the guise of being a “cautionary” tale.

[GeronL]

I don’t want to see it

[a fool in paradise]

I wouldn’t recommned it. It’s not “epic” (except in length) or particularly deep (it is presented in a very glossy superficial and exploitive series of quick cuts with rock music and a lot of Chess Records blues from Bo Diddley and Howlin’ Wolf in the background).

It isn’t even a particularly good Scorcese movie. I suppose it’s better than Bring Out Your Dead (with the drug abusing ambulance driver played by Nick Cage) which is the last Scorcese movie I can recall seeing (I tried watching Hugo on Netflix but wasn’t taken in by the 30 minute mark).

Then again, I prefer Casino to Good Fellas (which also did more to glamorize gangsterism and drug abuse than Casino did).

[Deb]

What a load of crap. Scorsese is a demented, little douche bag. "Rocky" was "commercial and entertaining"..."Good Fellas" was filth.

If his junk was "meant to be viewed as morality" he would have told the story of how Bernie Maddof was the major fundraiser and donor for the NY Democrat party and he wouldn't have made the most disgusting story of Jesus since "Corpus Christi".