Movie - 53, Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver (1976)

by

Martin Scorcese

Movie Seen: 03 November 2015

Note Written: 16 February 2016

'Taxi Driver' follows a New York cab driver Travis Bickle, a chronic insomniac, trying to make a change in the world that he lives in after he sees and is disturbed by the growing troubles and injustices of it. His actions may not be honour worthy, but his spirit is in the right place - this might leave the viewer in conflict as we, the audience, also face such circumstances like this, want to do something drastic, want to fight these frustrations, yet do not cross the line owing to fear of law or other hesitations of our societal and personal lives. Travis Bickle could easily become one of us, and that's how he became one of the most iconic characters of film history. 

The basic theme of the film (vigilante's without a flashy cape) is reproduced in many films from then. 

My favourite scene from the movie was not the mirror one (improvised by Robert de Niro) but the scene with Martin Scorcese's cameo as the frustrated husband who enters Bickle's cab. The transformation of De Niro to be a kind of saviour, a vigilante, with his mohawk makes for one of the most convincing moments of personal change for the viewer. Travis becomes a vigilante not just with a single incident, it is a gradual progress, the result of a gradual frustration and maturity that is gained by age.  

The life and experiences of urban living, it's frustrations, the various layers of living are all closely examined in the film, through Travis Bickle. Will sure watch again for a better reading of the film.