At Just 31, Martin Scorsese Directed The Movie That Introduced His Signature Style

Before being considered one of the best directors of all time, Martin Scorsese was a struggling artist. After graduating from NYU film school, Scorsese helmed the micro-budget feature "Who's That Knocking at My Door?" and the Roger Corman-produced "Boxcar Bertha." But both of those were just warm-ups for the movie that introduced his signature style: "Mean Streets."

Released in 1973, when Scorsese was just 31, "Mean Streets" tells the story of a gang of wannabe gangsters living in New York City's Little Italy. Charlie Cappa (Harvey Keitel) is constantly beleaguered by his best friend, Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro), whose refusal to pay his gambling debts makes him a pariah. Charlie is secretly having an affair with Johnny's epileptic cousin, Teresa (Amy Robinson). A devout Catholic, Charlie holds his finger to candlelight to test the fires of Hell. He finds himself stuck in a Hell on Earth when he tries to leave the city with Johnny and Teresa, only to be wounded in a shooting.

Fans of Scorsese's movies can spot many of the themes that would dominate his future work: Catholic guilt, violence as a profession, and the immigrant experience. The film also established many his stylistic flourishes, including a constantly roving camera, dramatic lighting, bold use of color, fast editing, and a rock-and-roll soundtrack. It was also the first collaboration between Scorsese and his favorite leading man, Robert De Niro, who became something of a surrogate for him.

After "Mean Streets," it didn't take long for Martin Scorsese to establish himself as the best American director of his generation, with titles like "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," and "GoodFellas" deepening the themes and style he established in his breakout. By the time he finally won his long overdue best directing Oscar for "The Departed," he had earned the status of a master filmmaker, and has continued to redefine himself with late-career masterworks like "Silence," "The Irishman," and "Killers of the Flower Moon."

One of the best crime movies of all time, "Mean Streets" has enjoyed a legacy not often afforded to early works by legendary directors. As part of a brand new Criterion 4K release, new audiences can appreciate its vibrant color palette and bold style, which is just as rich today as it was over 50 years ago.

When watching "Mean Streets," one can see the influence Scorsese drew from his 10 favorite movies of all time, both stylistically (the use of color in "The Red Shoes," the camera movement in "The Leopard") and thematically (the religiosity of "Diary of a Country Priest," the violence of "Ashes and Diamonds"). Likewise, "Mean Streets" paved the way for everyone from Quentin Tarantino to Spike Lee to Richard Linklater, all of whom made personal statements on low budgets with their first films. It's hard to imagine any of them without Marty.