Arguably one of the greatest directors of all time, Martin Scorsese made some of the most daring films in cinema history. His impressive body of work is a meditation on the visceral nature of violence and male relationships that often reflected his own personal angst growing up in the violent streets of Manhattan's Lower East Side. Starting with "Mean Streets" (1973), a gritty look at life in Little Italy, Scorsese made his mark on Hollywood while simultaneously discarding many of its conventions. With his seminal films "Taxi Driver" (1976) and "Raging Bull" (1980), Scorsese firmly established himself as a top director of his generation. Though he hit a brief creative lull in the 1980s, films like "After Hours" (1985), "The Color of Money" (1986) and "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988) would have been welcome additions on any director's résumé. He returned to top form with the hyperkinetic mob tale, "Goodfellas" (1990), widely considered by fans to be among his best films. With each passing film - "Casino" (1995), "Gangs of New York" (2002), "The Aviator" (2004) - Scorsese cemented his legendary status, but failed to win the recognition of his peers. Five times nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards, he finally won in 2007 for his exceptional Irish gangster thriller, "The Departed" (2006), which gave him the recognition he had long deserved.