Paul Schrader who wrote the screenplay must also be mentioned. He partly based Travis Bickle on aspects of himself. Schrader's later films "Hardcore" and "American Gigolo", have thematic relations to the story of Taxi Driver.
SPOILER ALERT !!! I think you hit the nail on the head when you used the phrase "drowning in depression and loneliness". I think Travis Bickle in some ways represents a whole generation of Americans who found it difficult to find their place in society after coming back from the horrors of Vietnam. This loneliness and the inability to find his own identity in a society leads to the repressed anger that you were talking about. Initially he views Betsy as the perfect human being who is campaigning for a politician (Palantine) who is vying to bring about a change in the society and Travis appreciates this as he feels his city has become rotten. But when Betsy leaves him, in his head he blames her mentor Palantine and attempts to kill him. Iris is a girl in whom Travis sees an innocent soul and tries to save her from the dirty society. But then she rejects him, and he then goes after her "mentor" Sport. So all he wants is some company and to feel wanted. But the constant rejections fuel his depression and accentuate his feeling of not belonging anywhere. Travis without a doubt is one of the most fascinating and complex characters in film history.
B Herrman deserves a lot more than 5 secs esp since Scorsese waited 6 months for him to commit & did it while dying in great pain. It’s the greatest score in film history imo! 👌👏👏👏
I was looking for reviews of this film by women. It would be interesting to see out how men view this movie vs how women see this movie. The film has a theme of wanting to reach a certain mythology of masculinity.
The first time i watched "Taxi Driver" i was fifteen, now i'm twenty-two and it's still one of my favorite movie. Little fun fact : last year i realized that Martin Scorsese is also in the movie.
Taxi Driver is so well made, I watched it on a cable channel my aunt did not pay for, so the image was all diagonal and unintellegible. I DID NOT CARE!!! I watch the whole thing with out a picture: EXCELLENT NARRATIVE AND SOUND DESIGN! Good picture too, but the image was not even necessary! IMHO
I had the same reaction to you. I first saw it when i was probably 18-19 and simply didn't understand much of the themes and struggles Travis was going through. I just appreciated the style/aesthetic. Now I'm in my mid 20s and Travis has become more relatable to me than ever before.
6:47 Yes! When someone sees themselves in a very negative light, they will view other people in that same negative light. This is why mass shooters feel so much animosity towards society. They know how weak and frail and bitter they are and they want to turn all that dark emotion that's wearing them down against others. The suffering they have endured will now have to be endured by others. Anyway, I think this is the review that led to the discovery of your channel. Great job analysing it.
Agreed, and great comparison to real life Bickels. However, as an adult who has also gone through angry times, I have matured enough to realize people do not know me anything - especially understanding. Just like I want to be left alone to enjoy life as I choose fit - I expect the same from others.
To me this has to be Martin's masterpiece. It's his best film, in the since that it's original. I also like how if you watch the film you notice that Travis is the only one in the film that is dressed like how we dress today, but everyone else in the film is dressed out dated, like the 70s. It makes travis set apart like he is from a different world. Ps. You should review more classic movies.
i was the same way. saw it was a teenager, liked it and all. rewatched it during college and it had such an effect on me. one of my all-time favorites for sure.
Isolated in NYC. Fought for a country which does not want him or need him. Children do not run away from home to become prostitutes for no reason. This movie has much to say about life then and now.
Everybody forgets Paul Schrader's incredible script. Without Schrader, Scorsese wouldn't have been the director he is now. IMDB all of his best films and see who wrote them!!
Man I couldn’t agree more in regard to the change in perception for the film. Initially watching it a few years back I also focused on the style and even more so romanticized the character of Travis. Although after just recently watching it again and moving further into adulthood Travis’s story and the world of New York Scorsese created just hits different. That quote by Betsy “He's a prophet and a pusher, partly truth, partly fiction a walking contradiction” really encapsulates the kind of person Travis is. The similarities to le samourai’s Jef Costello and Travis are also more apparent. But damn the wildest part is probably coming to terms with Jodie foster playing Iris. Thanks for the insight
To me, I think it is the perfect movie. The film combines brilliantly the director, actor and writer's execution. It is hard to tell tell who controls the scene.
Interesting review, Travis(RDN) is such a powerful, volatile character, such a great cast in Taxi. Be great to hear you do a review on Midnight Cowboy someday.
In the scenes with Harvey Keitel as the pimp, Paul Schrader once said that in researching the location he couldn't find a single white pimp in that area; but since there were already racially charged scenes earlier (Scorsese inside a cab, storekeeper beating a black stick-up man, etc.), he didn't want to have a scene with Travis killing all black pimps. So he sacrificed some authenticity for some balance. But of course, the racial themes are felt throughout the film anyway -- including the subtle note with Travis chasing after WASPy women while he himself is obviously not.
I saw this when it came out, Scorsese wasn't 'Scorsese' then, he was barely known. Nor was it mentioned much that it was Bernard Herrman's last movie, he was as yet unappraised in retrospect and it was just music. I think younger viewers come to it with baggage and preconceptions and I feel sorry that they don't see it with its original unheralded power.
I'm 21 years old, Watched it 6 months ago without knowing a single thing about it. Very phenomenal character study of a man trapped in his own personal loneliness/hell. The soundtrack is always in my head. One of the greatest films of all time undoubtedly.
Right. I'm old too. I feel sorry for people who read up, almost too much, on this movie before seeing it. It's really not the way to watch a movie like this. We were VERY lucky, to have seen Dog Day Afternoon and etc. without reading up on it first.
@@IamtheDesperado Exactly. I saw it at 18 in a midnight matinee $2 entry in like 1982 knowing nothing about it. It became my favorite movie of all time. I went back every single night for two weeks until they changed the midnight matinee movie. Read nothing about it before hand and grew up in NYC, and this was 6 years after it was in first run. Heard nothing about it, I was into Karate flicks! Great way to experience it, knowing nothing, 18 and ALONE, for two weeks straight there every night alone.
Oh I love this film! One of my favorite scenes is when he is buying weapons from his dealer. I also particularly love the subtleties in all of the character's behaviors. Harvey Keitel does a great job as well. How much would this film hold up if it was released in 2015?
@@65g4 I have liked Goodfellas less and less as I have gotten older. Really, it is a story about losers who work to make others rich while they spiral down. They say they are about loyalty to their family first, but without hesitation, gleefully murder their own "family" Really, it is simply tiresome.
Hello, I wonder what is your opinion about the conversation between Travis and Wizard. I find it a very important moment in the fim, which is never talked about.
It's an important scene. It solidifies a lot of notions the audience had about Travis. Without that scene I don't think his transition would have been as effective.
Thank you for your answer. Yes, I agree with the importance of the scene for the way the plot functions. But I also think this is Schrader’s subtle critique of capitalism. Wizard’s talk about the person that becomes the job, touches on two crucial concepts Marx’s concept of alienation and Weber’s concept of the ethic of Protestantism. In short, Marx believed that under capitalism with the invent of mass production, the alienation of man (sic) from his labor that occurs leads to social alienation, or what he called species being. Weber on the other hand traced the origin of capitalism in the protestant emphasis on work for works sake, or what he called the protestant ethic. (It is not surprising that Schrader envisioned Travis as someone with Calvinist upbringing.) Weber thought that eventually this will lead to human’s entrapment in the so called iron shell - that capitalism reduces everything to the dull reality of work and traps people in such reality. Therefore, what Wizard (I think that this is not a random choice of the character’s name) is explaining is the everyday coping mechanisms of an individual against the reality of such a system, i.e. I work there 26 years, but I fantasize that it is temporary, because I don’t own my cab. On the other hand, for Travis there is nothing outside of work, but the stage for alienation is already set, socially, he simply is incapable of stopping a process of continued self-alienation. I think what Schrader wants to point out here is that Travis’ mental illness is a symptom of larger illness. That becomes even more clear with Schrader’s work as a director. In 1978 he directed Blue Collar, where the critique of capitalism and the plight of the working class is not even subtle anymore.
But when Travis says "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard" he completely won me over, unstable psychopath in waiting or not. That's my bro. On point, sir. Wizard is full of shit.
@@travisbest9041 I disagree. Wizard says, there really is no difference between a taxi driver and a CEO, and to find happiness in existence. Or that there is dignity in a job like a taxi driver. Wizard tries to have a sincere conversation in response to Bickle, and Bickle spits on it. Which means Bickle is simply a jerk.
I have family who lived in New York in the 70's and they said that is exactly how it was depicted in Taxi Driver- Very sleazy, the city was bankrupt and literally falling to pieces, and also very dangerous, full of crazy people made worse by how insane the city was, BUT also incredibly exciting and full of creative energy.
All the characters are so lonely and alienated to various degrees in TD. Albert Brooks in particular does an incredible job in getting his characters loneliness across in a few scenes. Also love Hermanns urban jungle theme.
You are such a fantastic reviewer, you deserve so much more attention than you get! I'm so glad I found your videos :) Taxi Driver is my favourite film
deepfocuslens Anytime! I would love to know your opinion on 'The King of Comedy'? I think it is a fantastic film that is severely under appreciated amongst Scorsese's filmography. Rupert Pupkin is, in my opinion, one of DeNiro's greatest character portrayals, and the films subject matter, message, and subsequent approach taken to them is unique and has remained relevant since the films release. Would love to know your opinion on the film! :)
Rocky won best picture, but centuries from now I bet the film historians will be far more interested in Taxi Driver. One gives a glorified depiction of a brutal and dehumanizing sport that fooled many into becoming boxers and the other immortalizes 1970's New York while graphically depicting the descent into anomie for the veteran of a lost war.
I take exception to boxing being called dehumanizing. It has issues like CTE I won't refute that but to say it takes away positive human qualities is just not true in most cases, it can teach discipline and give a sense of purpose. Many boxers have said the sport saved them from a life of street crime. Taxi Driver's a lot better than Rocky though of course.
One of my favorite flicks since I first watched it around 1980. My only gripe in the film is the continuity errors with his haircut. From the beginning of the movie till when he was watching American Bandstand on TV his hair was at its longest. When he met the Secret Service dude it was clearly shorter. Then we have the famous "you talkin to me "scene, it becomes long again. Then after that scene back too short.
If New York was populated with buildings ONLY three stories high...this would be an impossible film to make. The height of the architecture blocking out the sun and sky gives almost every scene an oppressive claustrophobic feel. Travis's mind gradually takes on the form of his environment. Its not a film about depression so much as desperation.
In a city full of creeps, travis is the biggest creep himself. But other than wanting to kill palantine, i absolutely understand everything that travis does. And i was rooting for him against sport and the other pimps. I just have a hard time accepting the fact that travis did NOT die in the end of the shootout.
Shame on you for not giving Harvey an honorable mention. He was great as Sport. The scene where hes manipulating Jodie Foster is such an accurate representation of how those types of relationships work.
Scorsese kept hinting throughout the movie that Bickle was gonna go to a dark place, and he almost did but in the end he did the right thing.....did it lead to any substantive change? Not really, he still lives the same meaningless life and gets a pat of the back.
really enjoy how to break these movies down, every time I finish a movie I check to see if you have talked about it, yes I know this is from 2015 but I just watched taxi driver a few weeks back and noticed you did a review on it hahah
I love the snare drum man Gene Palma whom I read in an article wanted to be Gene Krupa and of course play like him, he was well known in those parts back then and was paid $172.50 for his cameo in Taxi Driver, there are some articles on Gene if interested, the way he was filmed was perfect I think kind of the last somewhat normal person before you crossed into the seedy underbelly, I’m sure Betsy was already a bit frightened at that point
Great film. The contrast is incredible. We think Travis is crazy and he thinks we are. Subtext up the arse in this film. Great screenplay. I would love to hear you critique films like "12 Years a Slave", "Monster's Ball" and "Precious". I have some strong opinions about these films but I really enjoy your insight...
This is my favorite film of all time. The thing is that the character Travis relies on the point of view society. One, the supposed straight laced overground condemns Travis as a low life, "killer" or criminal. However, the underground considers Travis a "cowboy" or "cop." He hates the fact that he is not considered a product of a positive input on society. He screams for acceptance. However, it wasn't until he kills 3 men that overground society paints him as a hero but he became what they called him: killer. One forgets that the first scene with Palentine is he is with an underage prostitute in the back seat of Travis Bickle's taxi. This is before the character Iris and Matthew are introduced. He sees authoritative figures treat the women he loves as a piece of meat or being manipulated. Therefore, the take out of the alpha Male should be carried out.
i'm so glad you reviewed this great film. i always wonder why betsy calls travis a walking contradiction, yes the film shows us he is is one but betsy says this to him on their first date when she barely knew him. why do you think she said that?
I've always thought of Taxi Driver as the dark companion piece to Shane (1953). Shane takes place in the world of innocence while Taxi Driver is firmly routed in the world of experience. Both stories are the tale of an outsider, the tragedy of a man unable to change or find his place in society. Shane and Travis are both killers in the past and seem themselves forced to return to violence to solve the problems of the communities they desire to be a part of but because of who they are never can be. I think the ending of Shane also reflects on how to interpret the ending of Taxi Driver as well. The Wrestler, Drive, Pale Rider and Gran Torino are all films along the same lines as Shane that follow a similar story form and have more character parallels than Taxi Driver but I think they all fit the same theme. If you have seen Shane as well I'd love to know if you think there are similarities or not because I think the connection between the two films and Shane's influence in general goes under noticed in film discussion.
It's been a long time since I've seen Shane but I don't remember him as angry or someone who can't fit in. It's possible that there was some influence from it regardless. I love Shane and taxi driver but Scorsese is definitely overrated since the '80s .
It is kinda sad that all De Niro does now is Romantic Comedies. Honestly in my opinion, he needs ta get back in these psychological action roles, even at his old age.
The visuals of 1970s New York City & the unforgettable score by Bernard Hermann Are some of the greatest things I've seen in any movie. It's shocking this didn't win cinematography & Score Oscar
Great review! I have not seen the movie since 1976 when I was ten years old. Do not ask me how I got into the cinema at such a young age. Of course, I did not understand everything, but strangely enough, I remember most of it.
I first went to the Cinema to see Taxi Driver in about 1977 when I was just 18, and I'm ashamed to say I walked out half way through, bored by it. I've since become something of a 'film buff' and Scorcese fan, and I have watched it properly on several occasions. I think it's a superb film, one of the best ever, which only goes to illustrate that whatever we think, we know nothing at age 18.
Such an interesting comment. I'm same age ---. at that time I had heard of this movie, but did not see it until about 2005.. Movies that made an impression on me in that era.... Annie Hall The Last Waltz
Of the two, Hinckley, who had a twisted obsession with Jodie Foster and actually stalked her at one point, was the sole deluded "nutjob" who was admittedly inspired by the film. Goetz, who arguably acted in self-defense and was found to be completely sane (and was subsequently cleared of all charges except for one count of carrying an unlicensed firearm), had no connection to "Taxi Driver." If anything, his actions were more reminiscent of Charles Bronson's character in the original "Death Wish" with the newspapers going as far as to dub him "The Death Wish Gunman", "The Death Wish Shooter" and "The Death Wish Vigilante." Although he never actually admitted to being inspired by the latter film, the similarities are too obvious to ignore: th-cam.com/video/of-57Ivfwz8/w-d-xo.html
Awesome review as always! Taxi Driver is one of my all-time favorites. Btw I don't know if you're into rap, but have you seen the Steven Spielberg vs. Alfred Hitchcock video by Epic Rap Battles of History? Some of the humor is kind of immature, but it's still pretty awesome
God damn! This horrible, facist Reichpublican Era has done such a number on you. Can't believe how animated and exuberant you used to be. Now....still a great online critc, but so sad. Make deepfocuslens happy again and vote Democrat people.
Your views will continue to to progress or recede on certain issues or movies as you grow older, it's inevitable!! Hopefully we will transcend in our knowledge of our world!
Paul Schrader who wrote the screenplay must also be mentioned. He partly based Travis Bickle on aspects of himself. Schrader's later films "Hardcore" and "American Gigolo", have thematic relations to the story of Taxi Driver.
Hardcore is brutal a great film and has Peter Boyle which is always a plus
@@thunderstruck5484 Agreed - I love Boyle
SPOILER ALERT !!!
I think you hit the nail on the head when you used the phrase "drowning in depression and loneliness". I think Travis Bickle in some ways represents a whole generation of Americans who found it difficult to find their place in society after coming back from the horrors of Vietnam. This loneliness and the inability to find his own identity in a society leads to the repressed anger that you were talking about. Initially he views Betsy as the perfect human being who is campaigning for a politician (Palantine) who is vying to bring about a change in the society and Travis appreciates this as he feels his city has become rotten. But when Betsy leaves him, in his head he blames her mentor Palantine and attempts to kill him. Iris is a girl in whom Travis sees an innocent soul and tries to save her from the dirty society. But then she rejects him, and he then goes after her "mentor" Sport. So all he wants is some company and to feel wanted. But the constant rejections fuel his depression and accentuate his feeling of not belonging anywhere. Travis without a doubt is one of the most fascinating and complex characters in film history.
Paragraphs should be your (and Bickle's) friend
Iris didn't reject Travis? They got on well
B Herrman deserves a lot more than 5 secs esp since Scorsese waited 6 months for him to commit & did it while dying in great pain. It’s the greatest score in film history imo! 👌👏👏👏
I actually went around thinking my actions and decisions with this score in the back of my head for more than a week.
I was looking for reviews of this film by women. It would be interesting to see out how men view this movie vs how women see this movie. The film has a theme of wanting to reach a certain mythology of masculinity.
love this movie, one of my favorites. great review
WHAT THE FUCK IS BOBSAMURAI DOING HERE???
The first time i watched "Taxi Driver" i was fifteen, now i'm twenty-two and it's still one of my favorite movie. Little fun fact : last year i realized that Martin Scorsese is also in the movie.
What do you think of it now, 6 years later?
He's actually in it two different times.
Very good review. Most people throw too much Freudian psychobabble when discussing this film.
Taxi Driver is so well made, I watched it on a cable channel my aunt did not pay for, so the image was all diagonal and unintellegible. I DID NOT CARE!!! I watch the whole thing with out a picture: EXCELLENT NARRATIVE AND SOUND DESIGN! Good picture too, but the image was not even necessary! IMHO
I had the same reaction to you. I first saw it when i was probably 18-19 and simply didn't understand much of the themes and struggles Travis was going through. I just appreciated the style/aesthetic. Now I'm in my mid 20s and Travis has become more relatable to me than ever before.
Like all great films, you will see more and differently as you age...
6:47 Yes! When someone sees themselves in a very negative light, they will view other people in that same negative light. This is why mass shooters feel so much animosity towards society. They know how weak and frail and bitter they are and they want to turn all that dark emotion that's wearing them down against others. The suffering they have endured will now have to be endured by others.
Anyway, I think this is the review that led to the discovery of your channel. Great job analysing it.
Agreed, and great comparison to real life Bickels.
However, as an adult who has also gone through angry times, I have matured enough to realize people do not know me anything - especially understanding.
Just like I want to be left alone to enjoy life as I choose fit - I expect the same from others.
Travis Bickle is Holden Caulfield. He is also a would-be assassin of a celebrity/ politician but never completes the act.
To me this has to be Martin's masterpiece. It's his best film, in the since that it's original. I also like how if you watch the film you notice that Travis is the only one in the film that is dressed like how we dress today, but everyone else in the film is dressed out dated, like the 70s. It makes travis set apart like he is from a different world. Ps. You should review more classic movies.
Raging bull just about tops this for me , but that’s only just I do think taxi driver is more accessible of the two though
i was the same way. saw it was a teenager, liked it and all. rewatched it during college and it had such an effect on me. one of my all-time favorites for sure.
Great film by great actor
Really beautiful, perceptive and spot on review. Top stuff.
Isolated in NYC.
Fought for a country which does not want him or need him.
Children do not run away from home to become prostitutes for no reason.
This movie has much to say about life then and now.
Everybody forgets Paul Schrader's incredible script. Without Schrader, Scorsese wouldn't have been the director he is now. IMDB all of his best films and see who wrote them!!
Man I couldn’t agree more in regard to the change in perception for the film. Initially watching it a few years back I also focused on the style and even more so romanticized the character of Travis. Although after just recently watching it again and moving further into adulthood Travis’s story and the world of New York Scorsese created just hits different. That quote by Betsy “He's a prophet and a pusher, partly truth, partly fiction a walking contradiction” really encapsulates the kind of person Travis is. The similarities to le samourai’s Jef Costello and Travis are also more apparent. But damn the wildest part is probably coming to terms with Jodie foster playing Iris. Thanks for the insight
Great review. I rewatched the movie two days ago and it is one of Scoreses finest moments.
To me, I think it is the perfect movie. The film combines brilliantly the director, actor and writer's execution. It is hard to tell tell who controls the scene.
Agreed, in many ways, this NYC indie movie is indeed a "perfect" movie.
Interesting review, Travis(RDN) is such a powerful, volatile character, such a great cast in Taxi. Be great to hear you do a review on Midnight Cowboy someday.
good review. my favorite movie of all time. travis bickle is literally me.
i love you
Mannnn Why couldn't I find this channel before damn you youtube algoithm
One of the best reviews i heard in a while!!! Good job!!
+Eduardo E. Rivolta Thank you!
In the scenes with Harvey Keitel as the pimp, Paul Schrader once said that in researching the location he couldn't find a single white pimp in that area; but since there were already racially charged scenes earlier (Scorsese inside a cab, storekeeper beating a black stick-up man, etc.), he didn't want to have a scene with Travis killing all black pimps. So he sacrificed some authenticity for some balance. But of course, the racial themes are felt throughout the film anyway -- including the subtle note with Travis chasing after WASPy women while he himself is obviously not.
I saw this when it came out, Scorsese wasn't 'Scorsese' then, he was barely known. Nor was it mentioned much that it was Bernard Herrman's last movie, he was as yet unappraised in retrospect and it was just music. I think younger viewers come to it with baggage and preconceptions and I feel sorry that they don't see it with its original unheralded power.
But it is still a pretty relevant film for today's time, so I think young people today would get it the same way as 70s audiences.
I'm 21 years old, Watched it 6 months ago without knowing a single thing about it. Very phenomenal character study of a man trapped in his own personal loneliness/hell. The soundtrack is always in my head. One of the greatest films of all time undoubtedly.
Right. I'm old too. I feel sorry for people who read up, almost too much, on this movie before seeing it. It's really not the way to watch a movie like this. We were VERY lucky, to have seen Dog Day Afternoon and etc. without reading up on it first.
@@IamtheDesperado Exactly. I saw it at 18 in a midnight matinee $2 entry in like 1982 knowing nothing about it. It became my favorite movie of all time. I went back every single night for two weeks until they changed the midnight matinee movie. Read nothing about it before hand and grew up in NYC, and this was 6 years after it was in first run. Heard nothing about it, I was into Karate flicks! Great way to experience it, knowing nothing, 18 and ALONE, for two weeks straight there every night alone.
We do not have time machines, so we do the best we can do.
Oh I love this film! One of my favorite scenes is when he is buying weapons from his dealer. I also particularly love the subtleties in all of the character's behaviors. Harvey Keitel does a great job as well. How much would this film hold up if it was released in 2015?
I think this film would hold up incredibly well. It's timeless.
deepfocuslens
great review and this is one of my all time favourites but my fav from Marty is GoodFellas
@@65g4 I have liked Goodfellas less and less as I have gotten older.
Really, it is a story about losers who work to make others rich while they spiral down.
They say they are about loyalty to their family first, but without hesitation, gleefully murder their own "family"
Really, it is simply tiresome.
Hello, I wonder what is your opinion about the conversation between Travis and Wizard. I find it a very important moment in the fim, which is never talked about.
It's an important scene. It solidifies a lot of notions the audience had about Travis. Without that scene I don't think his transition would have been as effective.
Thank you for your answer. Yes, I agree with the importance of the scene for the way the plot functions. But I also think this is Schrader’s subtle critique of capitalism. Wizard’s talk about the person that becomes the job, touches on two crucial concepts Marx’s concept of alienation and Weber’s concept of the ethic of Protestantism. In short, Marx believed that under capitalism with the invent of mass production, the alienation of man (sic) from his labor that occurs leads to social alienation, or what he called species being. Weber on the other hand traced the origin of capitalism in the protestant emphasis on work for works sake, or what he called the protestant ethic. (It is not surprising that Schrader envisioned Travis as someone with Calvinist upbringing.) Weber thought that eventually this will lead to human’s entrapment in the so called iron shell - that capitalism reduces everything to the dull reality of work and traps people in such reality. Therefore, what Wizard (I think that this is not a random choice of the character’s name) is explaining is the everyday coping mechanisms of an individual against the reality of such a system, i.e. I work there 26 years, but I fantasize that it is temporary, because I don’t own my cab. On the other hand, for Travis there is nothing outside of work, but the stage for alienation is already set, socially, he simply is incapable of stopping a process of continued self-alienation. I think what Schrader wants to point out here is that Travis’ mental illness is a symptom of larger illness. That becomes even more clear with Schrader’s work as a director. In 1978 he directed Blue Collar, where the critique of capitalism and the plight of the working class is not even subtle anymore.
But when Travis says "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard" he completely won me over, unstable psychopath in waiting or not. That's my bro. On point, sir. Wizard is full of shit.
@@travisbest9041 I disagree.
Wizard says, there really is no difference between a taxi driver and a CEO, and to find happiness in existence.
Or that there is dignity in a job like a taxi driver.
Wizard tries to have a sincere conversation in response to Bickle, and Bickle spits on it. Which means Bickle is simply a jerk.
I have family who lived in New York in the 70's and they said that is exactly how it was depicted in Taxi Driver- Very sleazy, the city was bankrupt and literally falling to pieces, and also very dangerous, full of crazy people made worse by how insane the city was, BUT also incredibly exciting and full of creative energy.
All the characters are so lonely and alienated to various degrees in TD. Albert Brooks in particular does an incredible job in getting his characters loneliness across in a few scenes.
Also love Hermanns urban jungle theme.
Lonely in the crowds of NYC...
Probably, the best character study ever put to film.
You are such a fantastic reviewer, you deserve so much more attention than you get! I'm so glad I found your videos :) Taxi Driver is my favourite film
Sam Hollis Thank you so much! :)
deepfocuslens Anytime! I would love to know your opinion on 'The King of Comedy'? I think it is a fantastic film that is severely under appreciated amongst Scorsese's filmography. Rupert Pupkin is, in my opinion, one of DeNiro's greatest character portrayals, and the films subject matter, message, and subsequent approach taken to them is unique and has remained relevant since the films release. Would love to know your opinion on the film! :)
Rocky won best picture, but centuries from now I bet the film historians will be far more interested in Taxi Driver. One gives a glorified depiction of a brutal and dehumanizing sport that fooled many into becoming boxers and the other immortalizes 1970's New York while graphically depicting the descent into anomie for the veteran of a lost war.
I take exception to boxing being called dehumanizing. It has issues like CTE I won't refute that but to say it takes away positive human qualities is just not true in most cases, it can teach discipline and give a sense of purpose. Many boxers have said the sport saved them from a life of street crime. Taxi Driver's a lot better than Rocky though of course.
@@possessedslig I take issue to you taking issue.
BTW, Taurai Zimunya may want a word, oh wait...he can't.
One of my favorite flicks since I first watched it around 1980. My only gripe in the film is the continuity errors with his haircut. From the beginning of the movie till when he was watching American Bandstand on TV his hair was at its longest. When he met the Secret Service dude it was clearly shorter. Then we have the famous "you talkin to me "scene, it becomes long again. Then after that scene back too short.
its my all time fav movie. no one is more relatable to me than Travis
If New York was populated with buildings ONLY three stories high...this would be an impossible film to make. The height of the architecture blocking out the sun and sky gives almost every scene an oppressive claustrophobic feel. Travis's mind gradually takes on the form of his environment. Its not a film about depression so much as desperation.
In a city full of creeps, travis is the biggest creep himself. But other than wanting to kill palantine, i absolutely understand everything that travis does. And i was rooting for him against sport and the other pimps.
I just have a hard time accepting the fact that travis did NOT die in the end of the shootout.
I love hearing your reviews! always smart and insightful. thanks for doing those
Shame on you for not giving Harvey an honorable mention. He was great as Sport. The scene where hes manipulating Jodie Foster is such an accurate representation of how those types of relationships work.
Scorsese kept hinting throughout the movie that Bickle was gonna go to a dark place, and he almost did but in the end he did the right thing.....did it lead to any substantive change? Not really, he still lives the same meaningless life and gets a pat of the back.
really enjoy how to break these movies down, every time I finish a movie I check to see if you have talked about it, yes I know this is from 2015 but I just watched taxi driver a few weeks back and noticed you did a review on it hahah
I love the snare drum man Gene Palma whom I read in an article wanted to be Gene Krupa and of course play like him, he was well known in those parts back then and was paid $172.50 for his cameo in Taxi Driver, there are some articles on Gene if interested, the way he was filmed was perfect I think kind of the last somewhat normal person before you crossed into the seedy underbelly, I’m sure Betsy was already a bit frightened at that point
Great film. The contrast is incredible. We think Travis is crazy and he thinks we are. Subtext up the arse in this film. Great screenplay. I would love to hear you critique films like "12 Years a Slave", "Monster's Ball" and "Precious". I have some strong opinions about these films but I really enjoy your insight...
+Richard Evans I reviewed 12 Years a Slave and Precious when they came out.
Wow
those movies have NOTHING to do with this one.
A wonderful film - too bad life does not bring such happy endings.
Such is life...
This is my favorite film of all time. The thing is that the character Travis relies on the point of view society. One, the supposed straight laced overground condemns Travis as a low life, "killer" or criminal. However, the underground considers Travis a "cowboy" or "cop." He hates the fact that he is not considered a product of a positive input on society. He screams for acceptance. However, it wasn't until he kills 3 men that overground society paints him as a hero but he became what they called him: killer. One forgets that the first scene with Palentine is he is with an underage prostitute in the back seat of Travis Bickle's taxi. This is before the character Iris and Matthew are introduced. He sees authoritative figures treat the women he loves as a piece of meat or being manipulated. Therefore, the take out of the alpha Male should be carried out.
Bickle would like you to use paragraphs...
i'm so glad you reviewed this great film. i always wonder why betsy calls travis a walking contradiction, yes the film shows us he is is one but betsy says this to him on their first date when she barely knew him. why do you think she said that?
She is a spoiled rich girl who is stimulated by playing with fire.
It always baffled me as to why he took her to a porno, but I just realised he figured it would put her in the mood.
He is a weirdo who cannot connect with other people.
A normal person would know this would in fact, NOT "put her in the mood..."
Scorsese's best? Taxi Driver or The King of Comedy imo
Thats a hard one, id say king of comedy.
I've always thought of Taxi Driver as the dark companion piece to Shane (1953). Shane takes place in the world of innocence while Taxi Driver is firmly routed in the world of experience. Both stories are the tale of an outsider, the tragedy of a man unable to change or find his place in society. Shane and Travis are both killers in the past and seem themselves forced to return to violence to solve the problems of the communities they desire to be a part of but because of who they are never can be. I think the ending of Shane also reflects on how to interpret the ending of Taxi Driver as well.
The Wrestler, Drive, Pale Rider and Gran Torino are all films along the same lines as Shane that follow a similar story form and have more character parallels than Taxi Driver but I think they all fit the same theme. If you have seen Shane as well I'd love to know if you think there are similarities or not because I think the connection between the two films and Shane's influence in general goes under noticed in film discussion.
I disagree, in the sense of the angry, violent loner who is unable to fit it, I think The Searchers is a better comparison
It's been a long time since I've seen Shane but I don't remember him as angry or someone who can't fit in. It's possible that there was some influence from it regardless. I love Shane and taxi driver but Scorsese is definitely overrated since the '80s .
It is kinda sad that all De Niro does now is Romantic Comedies. Honestly in my opinion, he needs ta get back in these psychological action roles, even at his old age.
The visuals of 1970s New York City & the unforgettable score by Bernard Hermann
Are some of the greatest things I've seen in any movie.
It's shocking this didn't win cinematography & Score Oscar
Great review! I have not seen the movie since 1976 when I was ten years old. Do not ask me how I got into the cinema at such a young age. Of course, I did not understand everything, but strangely enough, I remember most of it.
I used to watch it alot when i was 17/18 years old... 😞
Oh the irony of being a pervert, " introverted " weirdo" .... 😞
What to doooo
Get a rich, fulfilling life of course
could you do a review of The Master, or The Fountain? I'm interested to know what you think of those films.
I reviewed The Master when it came out. I'll consider The Fountain. :)
deepfocuslens thanks!
Pretty good review. There's no such thing as an "ex-Marine." A Marine is Marine, forever. :) Semper Fi.
You should look up(in his biography of John Wayne) the observations of Garry Wills on this film. It is worth reading the whole book anyway.
👍🏿👍🏿
I first went to the Cinema to see Taxi Driver in about 1977 when I was just 18, and I'm ashamed to say I walked out half way through, bored by it. I've since become something of a 'film buff' and Scorcese fan, and I have watched it properly on several occasions. I think it's a superb film, one of the best ever, which only goes to illustrate that whatever we think, we know nothing at age 18.
Such an interesting comment.
I'm same age ---. at that time I had heard of this movie, but did not see it until about 2005..
Movies that made an impression on me in that era....
Annie Hall
The Last Waltz
I love your review of my most favorite movie. Great insight. Thank you for this!
Gosh! Your reviews always make me watch these movies again. Wonderful job. Love your work.
Feels like your in a dream heading into madness.
Great review.....Very perceptive and articulate.......Great movie......
My favorite film of all time.
One of my favorits and great review!
The film sadly inspired two nutjobs: John Hinckley Jr. and Bernhard Goetz.
Of the two, Hinckley, who had a twisted obsession with Jodie Foster and actually stalked her at one point, was the sole deluded "nutjob" who was admittedly inspired by the film. Goetz, who arguably acted in self-defense and was found to be completely sane (and was subsequently cleared of all charges except for one count of carrying an unlicensed firearm), had no connection to "Taxi Driver." If anything, his actions were more reminiscent of Charles Bronson's character in the original "Death Wish" with the newspapers going as far as to dub him "The Death Wish Gunman", "The Death Wish Shooter" and "The Death Wish Vigilante." Although he never actually admitted to being inspired by the latter film, the similarities are too obvious to ignore: th-cam.com/video/of-57Ivfwz8/w-d-xo.html
Great review!!!
Well said!
Awesome review as always! Taxi Driver is one of my all-time favorites. Btw I don't know if you're into rap, but have you seen the Steven Spielberg vs. Alfred Hitchcock video by Epic Rap Battles of History? Some of the humor is kind of immature, but it's still pretty awesome
No, I haven't. I'll have to check it out.
Cool let me know what you think!
God damn! This horrible, facist Reichpublican Era has done such a number on you. Can't believe how animated and exuberant you used to be. Now....still a great online critc, but so sad. Make deepfocuslens happy again and vote Democrat people.
Your views will continue to to progress or recede on certain issues or movies as you grow older, it's inevitable!! Hopefully we will transcend in our knowledge of our world!
Great review! This film is incredible, probably my all time favorite after Shawshank Redemption