Martin Scorsese Would Rather Burn a Film Rather Than Let The Studio Take It Over and Change It

Long-time film editor and Martin Scorsese collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker recently opened up about working with the legendary filmmaker and the kind of director he is. She worked with him on Killers of the Flower Moon and several other of Scorsese’s films over the years.

When talking about Raging Bull, which received eight Oscar nominations and won two, Schoonmaker believes that it wasn't truly appreciated for another 10 years, when it became a contender in Best Movie of All Time polls.

This led her to talk about a pattern she’s seen repeated again and again, as the studios continually attempt to change Scorsese’s vision of the films he makes. It’s a constant fight for Scorsese, and he would rather burn his film than let the studio take control of it. She explained to Total Film:

"It happened continuously with Marty's movies. It's only the last 10 years or so that he's been acknowledged as the great director he is. Believe me, we had to fight tooth and nail [on] every one of those films to keep it being changed by the studio. And Marty would burn the film rather than give it up. We would win, but it would be a long, hard battle."

It’s pretty wild that Scorsese is still dealing with studios fighting against him and his vision, which he seems to win in the end anyway. So, why do the studios continue to battle with him? I guess that’s just what Hollywood studio executives like to do. Maybe they have to feel like they’re earning their money somehow.

Regardless, it’s good to know that Scorsese has never had to burn any of his films!