The Audition2015

Scorses-a-thon I avoided this during my original watchthrough one because it’s a short and two, mostly because the idea left a bitter taste in my mouth.  Scorsese was banned from China after making Kundun in 1997, a film about the atrocities committed on Tibet by China in the first half of the twentieth century. And so he returns to China 18 years later for a near 20-minute ad for a casino? Oh, I should clarify that he did not actually film in China as the casino had not actually finished construction before the production, and thus everything was shot on green screen in New York with digital renderings filling in for the landscapes and buildings. And one more thing… This cost $70,000,000.  Or I should say Marty was paid 70 million, with the actors each getting 13 million for less than two days’ work. In other words, a bribe. Also, this had to be made as a short film because the Chinese government doesn’t allow advertising for casinos.  The existence of this grosses me out and changes my perspective on everything Scorsese has made. Maybe it’s not that deep, but I can’t help this feeling.  Now for the actual short film, the idea is funny, and I think Scorsese making his own Tropic Thunder with his favorite actors would make a cool movie. De Niro and Leo’s self-parody characters work inherently due to their specific history with the director. The ending with Pitt is good, but then Leo has to deliver a commercial for the casino. They try to make it a bit, but it’s just blah.  There is an idea here that deserved better than to exist as a distasteful commercial. Overall, just a confusing blemish on a great career.