Considered by many to be one of the greatest film directors of his era, Martin Scorsese was nominated for best director five times before receiving an Academy Award for The Departed in 2007. The Departed also won him best director awards from the Golden Globes and the Director's Guild of America. Scorsese's debut feature film, Who's That Knocking at My Door, was released in 1967.
Scorsese signed on in May of 2009 to direct a biopic of Frank Sinatra. Several actors being considered to play the lead role in the film are Johnny Depp, James Franco and Leonardo DiCaprio.Kansas Star: Frank Sinatra's biopic (May 21, 2009)
Recurring Themes
Although his films take place in various settings and explore a variety of topics, his main characters are often desperate individuals struggling to find and maintain their identities within an oppressive social structure. An Italian-American Roman Catholic himself, many of Scorcese's movies touch on themes of redemption and guilt, machismo and include scenes of graphic violence.