by Jared Stroup

Created on: September 12, 2008   Last Updated: September 13, 2008

Martin Scorsese's "Shine a Light"

With forty years of filmmaking defiance and consistency, Martin Scorsese's name has become universally synonymous with quality American cinema; often ranking among the most influential American filmmakers of the last half century. With over twenty films, a number of them classics, Scorsese has developed a reputation as a master craftsman; cultivating a unique style through countless hours in front of the tube soaking up foreign films and documentaries from a very young age. Growing up in New York and absorbing all these films equipped Scorsese with a rolodex of film knowledge, as well as his infamous rapid-fire speech pattern.

A favorite among critics, as well as a national treasure among most film buffs, Scorsese has adopted a number of signature cinematic devises over his career. A Scorsese trademark that may be the most detectable to the unseasoned viewer is his uncanny use of music; a field in which he never ceases to raise the bar. An ardent music fan, Scorsese's name is attached to an ever growing number of music-related films, documentaries, live concerts. He did editing work on the original "Woodstock" movie, made a movie of The Band's final show called "The Last Waltz", produced the extensive PBS series "The Blues", and made what is undoubtedly the definitive documentary on Bob Dylan, "No Direction Home". The one lingering question that's been plaguing Scorsese fans for years now is: with all these music-oriented projects under his belt, and music being a major factor in all his films, why hasn't Scorsese made a film about The Rolling Stones yet? Any weathered fan of Martin Scorsese's legendary filmography would be quick to associate many of his cinematic images to the music of the, also legendary, Rolling Stones.

A dominant presence in a handful of Scorsese's films, the Rolling Stones have become, among countless other designations, the musical personification of a Scorsese film. The song "Gimme Shelter" is so ubiquitous among Scorsese's work; its use has become a bit of a punch line in certain cinematic circles. Scorsese's 1995 crime epic "Casino" features a vast array of Rolling Stones songs amidst the boundless chain of music endlessly accompanying the film; totaling a half dozen or more Stones songs in the three hours. His 1973 break-out film "Mean Streets" showcased the most innovative use of rock and pop music that had been seen up to that point. Among the most memorable from that film are two Stones' songs;

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