Above: Raging Bull (1980), top left; The Aviator (2004), bottom right; The King of Comedy (1982), top right; Casino (1995), bottom left

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“Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out.” – Martin Scorsese

In essays treating films of the twentieth century, students in Film History often focus on elements that distill a director’s vision. Elyssa Iacobello cites flashing flashbulbs as a critical component of Martin Scorsese’s vision. She observes:

“Flashbulbs [in a scene hint] that Martin Scorsese had a hand in the film. Using them in different settings, he captures different emotions that come with flashbulbs. In Raging Bull, you feel the suffocating pressure emanating from the aggressive reporters. In The Aviator, you experience the strange disorienting effect of the flashing lights. Using flashbulbs in multiples and at the correct time, Scorsese heightens the feeling he wants you to feel. In the suffocation, you feel trapped. In the strangeness, you feel the illusion. Scorsese uses flash bulbs for editing effects, too. In The Aviator, he uses flashes to disguise difficult cuts. In that film, flashbulbs and strobes disorient both characters and viewer. Scorsese is very fond of dreamlike states in movies. His flashes allow you to feel like you have stepped into another world.”