Use of Camera moving into Close Ups

This is an interesting technique that Scorsese uses in nearly all of his films - rather than cutting from a mid shot to a close up, the camera moves forward until the item that is in close up is in the correct frame.

We see this in Raging Bull, when the camera moves into a close up of the 8th round sign, in Jake's fight with Sugar Ray Robinson. This is used as a way of showing time passing, but the use of a moving camera exaggerates the use of close up, rather than a simple cut. The audience can see the close up coming, and are therefore paying more attention to what is shown in the close up.

The camera moves into a close up of Travis and his infatuation, Betsy, having lunch, in Taxi Driver. This time the camera moves more slowly, which gives the audience time to see some of their surroundings on the way to the close up of Travis and Betsy. Scorsese communicates the way that Travis sees Betsy - as if nothing else around them matters, which is shows by the camera slowly cutting off everything else until all we see is them at the table.

This was also used extensively in the 1988 film The Last Temptation of Christ. For example, when we first see Judas enter Christ's house, the camera moves quickly into a close up of his face. This shows both that he is an important character, and also foreshadows his betrayl of Jesus, as his face is shrouded in black. This is also used in a different way in this film, not to show a close up, but to disconcert the audience with the camera's movement. Jesus points over a cliff and the camera swings out, making the audience feel as if they are falling over the edge. This is used to show Jesus' confusion, and Martin Scorsese effectively communicates his struggle with his connection to God.