How’s this for a great idea, five critics and the man himself answer the question: “Who will be the next Martin Scorsese“. Well, that idea was floated by Esquire magazine… and they even carried it out seven years ago!

Noah Forrest at Movie City News has run an excellent article which details the filmmakers that were brought up in that old Esquire article. Theoretically these guys should be at the cutting edge and on top of their game, ready to inherit the mantle from Scorsese – I think you’ll find the list intriguing to say the least! Here’s the rundown:

Andrew Sarris nominated Kevin Smith.

Kenneth Turan nominated David O. Russell.

Tom Carson nominated Alexander Payne.

Elvis Mitchell nominated The Wachowski Brothers.

Todd McCarthy nominated Paul Thomas Anderson.

Finally, Scorsese nominated Wes Anderson.

Of all the names there I’d say Smith and the Wachowskis haven’t lived up to their potential in the last seven years, O. Russell is about the same level as he was back then, while Payne and Wes Anderson are perhaps heading on an upward trajectory. PTA is the director who I feel is most similar to ‘ol eyebrows, Boogie Nights was a porno Goodfellas and the way he moves the camera and edits to music is clearly influenced by Scorsese.

It’s a tough call but I will say this: Shane Meadows is the one director working today who reminds me of Marty. He may be British, and make films about Britain, but the characters he creates and the stories he tells are reminiscent of Scorsese’s early work in Mean Streets and Taxi Driver. Since Meadows works in the UK he’ll never get the money to broaden his scope, we won’t see Meadows do his Gangs of New York or The Departed, but he is a fine director making personal movies that pack a punch.

source – movie city news