The King of Film
"My Life's a movie, call me Martin Scorsese." These are lyrics from a mainstream hip hop song, "Shut it Down," by Pitbull and Akon. It is not this aspect of the song that sparks my interest, but the implication behind it. It strikes me as significant that a popularized and mainstream song would include a reference to Scorsese. The primary reason behind this importance is two-fold. Given the inherent 'geek-esque' quality of the film industry—in terms of amassing a working knowledge of cinema—it is uncharacteristic for mainstream America to incorporate or accept these references. But everyone appreciates and knows what Martin Scorsese does for a living. This fact is irrefutable. It is as much a result of Scorsese's genius as a filmmaker, as it is his popularity as a contributor to the film medium. If you include a song with a reference to Alexander...