A Canterbury Tale

Martin Scorsese graduated as a film major from New York University in 1964 and it was during a summer programme at NYU, where Thelma Schoonmaker was taking an editing course, that she was brought in to help student director Scorsese with problems on his film. He went on to co-edit Woodstock in 1970 with Thelma, for which she got an Oscar nomination.

Robin meeting Martin Scorsese.

Scorsese cites Michael Powell as one of his major influences, repeatedly renting Powell and Pressburger's "The Tales of Hoffman" as a teenager, and still counting "The Red Shoes" as one of his favourite films.

In 1970 he received a special tribute at the Telluride Film Festival. The award was presented by Michael Powell.

BBC's Robin Gibson caught up with Martin Scorsese in New York, and they chatted about how he first met Powell, his influence on his films, and the importance of Powell and Pressburger in movie history.

Scorsese had tried to persuade Thelma Schoonmaker to work for him for years, but, unable to get into the union, she declined. She believes that eventually Al Pacino got her membership, and in 1980 she edited Scorsese's "Raging Bull", for which she won her first Oscar.

Robin chatting to Thelma Schoonmaker.

Martin Scorsese won a Best Director Oscar for the film "The Departed" which also won the Best Editing Oscar for Thelma. 

It was Scorsese who introduced her to Michael Powell, who she wed in 1984, a marriage she described as a "blissfully happy union".

Robin also met up with Thelma and they talked about her life with Michael Powell, his childhood in Kent and her visits to Canterbury.