When debating about the greatest directors of all time, names such as Alfred Hitchock, Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg have to pop up. But all of them feel like titans of a gone era. No other two directors have been more influential and critically successful in modern times than Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese.
Movies by the two directors always trigger plenty of anticipation. That’s what happens when you are too good. Everyone looks forward to the next thing you have to offer. But which of the two directors is better than the other? Are they equal or does one tower above the other? Here’s a case for each of the two filmmakers.
Tarantino: The Ability To Blend Several Genres
Tarantino is the master of the mix and match. His films are mostly collages of two or more genres rather than one specific genre. He has the ability to make one single feature into a biopic, a Spaghetti Western and a war movie all at the same time.
Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood was the latest film to illustrate how Tarantino can’t stick to just one limited area. When it comes to films, a single course is boring. He loves his buffet. Why stick to one when you can do plenty? Soon, he might just go the superhero route too.
Scorsese: Slow Motion, Freeze Frame And Narration
Plenty of directors try to use narration in their films but no one does it better than Scorsese. Not only does this help you understand a complex movie much more quickly but it also adds to the superb dialogue and humor. Scorsese also enjoys using slow motion and freeze frame techniques to good effect in movies like The Aviator, Goodfellas, and The Departed.
These techniques help in placing emphasis on a specific scene. Scorsese is also quite good at using the camera to highlight emotion. The best example of this is found in The Wolf Of Wall Street, specifically the scenes where Leonardo Di Caprio’s character is addressing his employees.
Tarantino: The Stylish Gore
Both directors love violence. Most of Scorsese’s films have scenes where “houses are painted.” This is because he mostly makes gangster flicks. But while the violent scenes in his movies are often shocking and memorable, they are not always stylish.
Tarantino’s violence is quite unique. The “ear slice” scene in Reservoir Dogs was even banned on VHS in the UK. The scene involved Mr. Blonde cutting off the ear of a police officer before pretending to speak to it. The replays of the accidents in Death Proof will even make you more uncomfortable while seeing soldiers pumping bullets into Hitler’s head with machine guns in Inglourious Basterds leaves you wondering they didn’t choose the chest.
Scorsese: A Total Risk Taker
Many good directors play it safe with their themes in order to avoid the unnecessary backlash that might their careers. But that’s not Martin Scorsese. Who can forget the totally explicit nature of The Wolf Of Wall Street? His daredevilry actually goes way back. The Last Temptation Of Christ (1988) imagined Jesus Christ as a lustful and depressed man. As expected, it caused plenty of controversies.
In Roger Ebert’s book Scorsese by Ebert, the legendary film critic revealed how Scorsese received death threats from Christian extremists and had to use bodyguards for years. Protests were plenty and a cinema in Paris that was showing the film was also set on fire. Interestingly, Scorsese received a Best Director nomination at the Oscars. Two years later, he followed it up with Goodfellas.
Tarantino: The Complete Package
When trying to choose two people who appear to be equally good, the question “What more do you have to offer?” has to be asked of each of them. While both Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino are good directors, Tarantino can act, write and produce too. Scorsese can only direct and produce. He often prefers to use screenwriters.
Tarantino has appeared as an actor in movies such as Reservoir Dogs andDesperado. He often writes his own movies and has been awarded Best Original Screenplay a number of times. With all these capabilities, Tarantino can make a movie all by himself if he wanted.
Scorsese: Consistency And Longevity
Scorsese made his first film Who’s That Knocking at My Door in 1967. He has remained relevant ever since. Other directors that were popular at the time, including Francis Ford Coppola, have faded out of the limelight. Meanwhile, Scorsese keeps getting Academy Award nominations.
Scorsese has made a new movie every three to four years without fail. There’s no time off for him. There’s no desire to quit the movie business too. Tarantino only his first movie in 1992 and he has already stated that he will retire after his 10th film (He has made 9 so far). Already tired sir? Compare that to Scorsese who has made 26 films.
Tarantino: More Versatile With The Cast
It has been noted that Martin Scorsese normally uses either Robert De Niro or Leonardo DiCaprio as the leads in nearly all his movies. He simply doesn’t trust actors who aren’t his buddies. This is okay since the two actors always give outstanding performance but its also risky.
Even though Tarantino has a couple of trusted lieutenants like Samuel L Jackson, he is normally more open to working with different people. Throughout his career, he has cast several different actors as leads including: John Travolta, Kurt Russel, Pam Grier, Uma Thurman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Jamie Foxx, and Christoph Waltz.
Scorsese: A Sucker For History And Adaptation
Most of Martin Scorsese’s movies are about real flawed people. He doesn’t celebrate heroes. He celebrates antiheroes while still making sure to indirectly pass the message that whatever they do isn’t acceptable. The director prefers adapting books, as seen in The Irishman, Silence, The Wolf Of Wall Street and Shutter Island. And he does this so well.
Even when the accuracy of the source material is put in doubt as was the case with I Heard You Paint House (the source material for The Irishman), Scorsese always defends his work. Unlike Tarantino who mostly relies on imagination, Scorsese prefers going with facts, which is a harder thing to do.
Tarantino: He Taught Himself How To Make Movies
To learn his craft, Martin Scorsese attended New York University and the Tisch School of the Arts. Quentin Tarantino, on the other hand, taught himself the art of filmmaking. The director has said that he learned how to make movies while working at a Los Angeles video store.
He discovered his love for Hong Kong crime films and the French New Wave while watching tons of movies during working hours. He would later incorporate the elements used in these films into his own. He’s also been pretty honest saying: “I teal from every great movie ever made.”
Scorsese: Better Numbers
Where general thoughts can’t settle a debate, numbers do the trick. Martin Scorsese has better numbers than Quentin Tarantino in every department. His films have grossed $2.5 billion collectively while Tarantino’s films have grossed $2.2. billion. It’s important to note that Scorsese’s box office figures haven’t been adjusted for inflation yet so they are way higher.
Martin Scorsese also has four movies with a score of 95% and above on Rotten Tomatoes whereas Tarantino’s best movie only has a score of 92%. To add to that, films which Scorsese has directed have won 19 Oscars whereas films which Tarantino has directed have won 7 Oscars.
