Apple TV+ has unveiled a first look at director Rebecca Miller‘s five-part documentary, Mr. Scorsese, exploring the life and career of legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
In the clip (below), Scorsese and his filmmaker friends, including Steven Spielberg, recall the extreme lengths the Oscar winner was willing to go to protect his cut of 1976’s Taxi Driver, which was almost never released.
“They’re going to destroy the film anyway, you know. So let me destroy it. I’ll destroy it. But before destroying it, I’m going to steal it,” Scorsese says in the footage.
The docuseries “examines how Scorsese’s colorful life experiences informed his artistic vision as each film he made stunned the world with originality. Starting with his earliest experiences (New York University student films) through to the present day, this documentary explores the themes that have fascinated Scorsese, including the place of good and evil in the fundamental nature of humankind,” according to a press release.
Mr. Scorsese features exclusive access to the filmmaker’s private archives, as well as extensive conversations with Scorsese himself and never-before-seen interviews with friends, family and longtime collaborators, including Spielberg, Robert De Niro, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Robbie Robertson, Thelma Schoonmaker, Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster, Paul Schrader, Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, Jay Cocks and Rodrigo Prieto.
“This project is a filmmaker’s dream, to have had such access to legends of the industry, from Marty himself to his prolific collaborators, close friends and family members,” Miller writes in a statement. “I was honored he trusted me to create this documentary, which I believe will resonate with everyone from dedicated Scorsese fans to anyone who has grappled with failure and reached for stars.”
She continues,” I’m excited to share a sneak peek of Mr. Scorsese, which includes the true version of a mythic (a never-before-told) story about Taxi Driver, and how thanks to Marty’s perseverance and dedication to his art, the film retained its integrity and went on to become one of the most culturally significant films of all time.”
Mr. Scorsese premieres Oct. 17 on Apple TV+.