Martin Scorsese wants you to add these gems to your watchlist—immediately.

Martin Scorsese went to film school so people like us don't have to. The history of film permeates through his body of work; the techniques of auteurs like Truffaut, Renoir, and Kurosawa are subtly collected and transformed into something completely unique. Perhaps nowhere is there a better example of how gathering influences can illuminate a filmmaker's imagination.

Marty may have film school to thank for his exposure to such influences, but for those of us who not have had the opportunity to study these films in a classroom setting, it's our duty to educate ourselves. Second to picking up a camera and just going for it, the best way to learn about cinema may indeed be to watch the films that inspired the directors that, in turn, inspire us.

Back in 2006, budding filmmaker Colin Levy had the privilege of meeting with Scorsese after winning an NYC-based short contest. Unfortunately for Levy, he had yet to be exposed to much of Scorsese's most celebrated films (including Taxi Driver and Goodfellas) at the time of the meeting. Fortunately for us, his limited knowledge of cinema provided Marty with the opportunity to deliver one of the most prized lists for which a self-educated filmmaker could ever ask.

In the words of Levy, "I labored over a thank-you card, in which I expressed the overwhelming impression I had gotten that I don’t know enough about anything. I especially don’t know enough about film history and foreign cinema. I asked if he had any suggestions for where to start."

He received the following note in response:

We went ahead and scoured the internet for platforms to watch the films that Scorsese singled out. Aside from Abel Gance's five-hour 1927 box office smash hit Napoleon, which is only available on VHS, it turns out many of the films are available on Hulu (if you have a subscription) or Amazon.

All the usual suspects are there, but if you've ever felt overwhelmed by a certain director's body of work, then these are definitely the ones to start with: