These two early short works from Martin Scorsese demonstrate why he ranks at the top of his generation of filmmakers. In the documentary ITALIANAMERICAN, the director joins his parents, Catherine and Charles Scorsese, for supper in their Little Italy flat. Through stories ranging from the couple's immigrant experiences to the origins of apartment accoutrements, the junior Scorsese paints a portrait of his own family's heritage and good fortune. By contrast, THE BIG SHAVE relates the unsettling and symbolic tale of a young man who cuts himself shaving one otherwise mundane morning and thereby lets his thoughts on religion, suffering, and blood flow freely.Although these two early works appear to be completely opposite to each other superficially and aesthetically, there are similarities between them that combine to paint an even more truthful portrait of who Scorsese is as an individual. Most notably, these are the themes of family and Catholicism, both of which have continued to influence and inspire him as a filmmaker.
