Mel Brooks Names the Worst Movie Martin Scorsese Ever Made
Even the greatest directors have their off days, but because Martin Scorsese is one of the all-time greats, his lesser films still outperform much of what many contemporaries create. This is partly due to the high standard he set with masterpieces like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, Goodfellas, and Casino.
Scorsese’s Lesser-Known Works
Films such as Gangs of New York, The Color of Money, Cape Fear, and The Aviator are still widely respected, though they do not quite reach the heights of his most iconic movies. Whether these are “great” depends on personal taste, but they often fall short when compared directly to his best work.
Mel Brooks’s Perspective
Despite the filmmaker's mostly solid filmography, Mel Brooks, an EGOT winner and legendary comedy creator, singled out one Scorsese film as the weakest. Brooks acknowledged that even Scorsese’s middle-tier films surpass the quality of work by directors like Michael Bay.
“The only reason I won two consecutive ‘Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series’ Emmys for my guest role on Mad About You was because ‘I’m Mel Brooks.’”
In a conversation with The AV Club, Brooks shared his humorous take on his accolades and expressed his high regard for Scorsese, even when judging his lesser films.
Author's Summary
Mel Brooks respects Martin Scorsese’s craft but considers one of his films the weakest, underscoring the high standards set by the famed director’s legendary career.