A 1970s Martin Scorsese film? Underrated? Seriously? Yes, not everything Marty helmed in those early days was as well received as a Taxi Driver or a Raging Bull. I was tempted to place the essential Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore in this place but, while that film may be overlooked in the grand scheme of things it is still regarded as a great movie (95% on Rotten Tomatoes). New York, New York, on the other hand, has been met with a notably frostier critical reception (and failed to make a profit at the box-office). Which is a shame, really, because is is a brilliant film. It is ligter in tone to a lot of the directors work of the era, a conscious decision by Scorsese after the emotionally-draining experience of making Taxi Driver, something which critics weren't best pleased by. Scorsese (who was battling cocaine addictions) also changed a lot of other things from previous productions, such as improvising the majority of the dialogue and employing purposefully artificial sets in order to mimic the look of classic 1930s and 40s MGM musicals. These were experiments that were either rejected by, or went over the heads of, many who pilloried the film when it was initially released. But watching it today (especially the 163 minute cut), it is quite the spectacle and features two incredibly strong performances from Robert De Niro and Liza Minnelli. Not just for Scorsese completists, this one. Decent theme song, too...
