Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese, with over 25 feature films since 1967, is the defining voice of American cinema, fusing operatic violence with moral complexity across crime epics. He finally won the Best Director Oscar for The Departed (2006), having been nominated six times prior, a persistence that outshines #2 Hitchcock's zero wins despite five noms. His films have grossed over $2.5 billion worldwide, with Goodfellas generating $47 million domestically on a $25 million budget—a 88% profit margin. Scorsese's influence is quantified by his 10 Academy Award nominations for Best Director, more than any other living filmmaker, and his technique of long takes is faster than the average editor's approach. Despite being ranked #4, his box office total is cheaper than the typical rival's, making him both critically and commercially enduring.