Martin Scorsese: Ranking His Movies From Worst To Best

22. New York, New York

Martin Scorsese's passion for all things cinema history-related is evident in much of his work - his gangster films alone reveal an informed understanding of the dynamics and tropes of the genre, which he expertly handles and subverts. With New York, New York Scorsese turned his hand to the MGM musical classics and delivered an epic-length, sometimes sprawling tribute to the legends of old. Starring Robert De Niro and Liza Minnelli as two performers and lovers, it is as much an ode to the titular city as it is to the music scene which flourished there. Half respectful nod, half playful parody, its box office failure is said to have led the director further into his cocaine-fueled lifestyle, something which has been explored in detail in the exceptional book Easy Riders, Raging Bulls by Peter Biskind. Scorsese's lack of control over the project has been cited as one justification for its flaws, and it sits uncomfortably alongside his other better work.