Taxi Driver is a
film about many things, but overall, it is about the theme of isolation and
focuses on one particular loner in a big city who can be construed as an antihero. It is a film that draws from
many genres: the Western, horror, noir, and was also influenced by the films of
the Italians (DeSica, Rosselini, Fellini).
Discuss in at least two paragraphs, the themes of isolation and/or the antihero and how Scorsese’s film is influenced by the different genres and by the
Italians.
Due: January 3
Throughout Scorsese's film, Taxi Driver, the film's protagonist, Travis, an unstable vietnam war veteran, can not in any way, shape, or form conform himself to the society around in. In a way, he sticks out like a sore thumb. Because of his experiences feels as if he is separate from society, causing him to isolate himself. But when he attempts to interact with society, he fails miserably because he doesn't necessarily fit in with the people around him. Lets take the scene where Travis goes to the XXX movie theater by himself, he has isolated himself from those who he is not like by entering this movie. Now think about when Travis took Iris to see an XXX movie. Travis did not understand that she wouldn't have liked that movie considering the fact that Travis doesn't know how to interact with people of the normal society, which causes him to isolate himself even further after his failed attempt to establish a relationship. He is also established as somewhat of an anti hero, which is defined as someone who doesn't fit the conventional characteristics of a typical "hero". Travis took risks and overcame obstacles like a hero, but because of his instability and insanity, he is the last person we'd expect to be heroic.
ReplyDeleteYou can tell this film was influenced by several different genres. Genres such as horror, noir, and western. The noir aspect came in mostly during the night, while Travis was driving his taxi through the city. The angles, harsh lighting, and non-diagetic music caused the film to have the dark, noir film feel to it. Aspects of this film that caused it to resemble a western was the introduction of guns and Travis' attempt to learn a "quick draw" technique. This genre was also apparent in one of the final scenes when Travis had somewhat of a shoot out with several gangsters. This scene also incorporated horror as well because of the darkness, angles, and mise-en-scene (blood, setting, etc...) that was present in this scene.
Martin Scorsese’s 1976 thriller “Taxi Driver” is well renowned for its overwhelming theme of isolation. Travis Bickle, the central character of the film is both physically and emotionally isolated from society around him. Travis’ status as a taxi driver gives him myopic and peculiar insight into society. At one point in the film he tells his love interest, Betsy that “…people will do anything in front of a taxi driver. I mean anything…It’s like you’re not even there, not even a person. Nobody knows you”. Travis is particularly frustrated by what he perceives as the deterioration of morals around him. Antiheros are traditionally ordinary characters placed in extraordinary circumstances. Yet, Travis Bickle is far from ordinary. His sociopathic and obsessive tendencies serve to completely isolate him from society even further. For much of the film, particularly as he prepares to assassinate Senator Charles Palentine, the audience very rarely sympathizes with Travis. However, through actual human interaction (with Iris, a child prostitute) as opposed to his voyeuristic observations and fantasies, Travis is eventually transformed into a fearless vigilante who rescues Iris in a spectacular, and bloody battle.
ReplyDeleteLike Miles discussed previously, influences of film noir are extremely prevalent throughout the film. As Travis drives through New York at night his face is often partially or wholly obscured by darkness, a common characteristic of film noir films. Likewise, the structure of “Taxi Driver” shares similarities with film noir films as well. The story line is extremely convoluted and the structural sequence is rather ambiguous, causing the audience to question at times whether scenes are shown in chronological order. Throughout ‘Taxi Driver” it is evident that Scorsese was influenced not only by various other genres of cinema such as film noir but also by Italian filmmakers. Like many Italian neo-realist directors before him, Scorsese often explores the decay of societal morals. The window of Travis’ taxi is a lens to the rotting morals of the 1970’s. Outside of Travis’ taxi the audience views deplorable crimes such as prostitution, the exploitation of children, and drug trafficking.
“Taxi Driver” is a 1976 psychological drama directed by Martin Scorsese, about a young Vietnam War veteran named Travis Bickle who has taken up a job as a taxi driver. Travis Bickle is the epitome of an antihero because, for multiple reasons (including his violent tendencies and alienating thoughts), the audience should not want to root for him or even have sympathy for him and yet they do. The audience is drawn to his dark nature because Travis represents the dark nature, no matter how subdued, in every member of the audience. He is not a flawless hero or an unredeemable villain, but a colorful, if severely flawed, human being. His hatred for the evil in the city and the want for a purer, more innocent life is what make him so relatable to the audience, even if these ideas sprout violence. However, even his violence is for the greater good – even if just his ideal version of the greater good. And this action is what makes him more heroic than the decadent pimp Sport; yet this action is what also makes him more deplorable than the other characters of the film like Betsy and the passive aggressive Tom.
ReplyDeleteMartin Scorsese, who is certainly an auteur in his own right, has admittedly taken great inspiration from films of his younger days and filmmakers who precede his contemporaries. Scorsese clearly has great admiration for Italian filmmakers like Vittorio DeSica and Federico Fellini, and “Taxi Driver” seems to be a mixture of gritty neorealism and more stylistic surrealism. The ending is a perfect example of this. After a shootout to save Iris, a bloodied Bickle is shown lying on a couch as police swarm in, the camera pans down the bloodied stairs filled with dead bodies and leads outside to a crowd of people gather in the commotion. It then immediately transitions to a letter on Bickle’s wall from Iris’s parents as it is read in a voiceover by her father, in the same monotone voice that Bickle narrated the entire film in. Many critics, including Roger Ebert, have pointed out that the ending of the film may be a dream as the dying Bickle slips into unconsciousness. The final shot of Betsy through the rear-view mirror does seem too good to be true, and the dream-like lighting and imagery does seem to support this. But Scorsese absorbs from many different directors and genres, notably westerns and noir. The desolate streets of New York, despite being lively, are emotional detached and empty enough to resemble a ghost town of the western genre. Bickle too, with his single minded search for justice – even if the justice is a bit distorted – is reminiscent of the cowboys and gunslingers of the John Ford era. The lighting of the city, monotone narration, and saxophone-driven score are all taken from the film noir of the 40s and 50s as well. Scorsese has taken multiple different styles and genres and combined them into one to create a unique statement with “Taxi Driver”.
In a disclaimer shown during the closing credits of Martin Scorsese’s 1976 Taxi Driver, the filmmakers stated that “the distinction between hero and villain is sometimes a matter of interpretation.” This holds true as the movie progresses, for it becomes is clear that it is up to the audience to determine whether Bickle is a lonely hero, out to rid the city of it’s filth and corruption, or an immoral, weapon obsessed, killer. The belief that the anti-hero is built from viewer interpretation is further supported in a review by James Berardinelli, which states that “the media builds Bickle into a hero, when, had he been a little quicker drawing his gun against Senator Palantine, he would have been reviled as an assassin.” This speaks on the ambiguous nature of the ‘anti-hero,’ a title the viewer gives to Bickle because he doesn’t quite fit on either side of the moral spectrum. The viewer sympathizes with him because of who he is: an insomniac ridden, veteran, who after finishing the war has no one to turn to, or form a supportive relationship. This sympathy only grows when we see how adamant he is about helping Iris, as it serves as an implication that Bickle is truly a good person, deep down. However, there are those moments in the film, where he is strapping himself with guns or shooting a robber, that the viewer is put off by him. We root for him, but can’t let ourselves truly like him, and thus deem him an “anti-hero,” out to save the world through questionable means.
ReplyDeleteWith an anti-hero at the center of the film, it is clear that Scorsese was influenced by the film noir genre, the films of which frequently revolved around men who were isolated from society, and were driven by noble reasons or love to resort to murder. However, the similarities between Taxi Driver and film noirs go beyond the narrative. The lighting in Taxi Driver clearly takes a cue from its predecessors, using light and dark as a characterization tool. This is exemplified by a scene about halfway through the film. Travis is driving the taxi at night, his face in complete shadow. This is typical of noirs, which were frequently filmed at night to highlight questionable morals. However, Iris runs in front of the taxi, causing Travis to brake and look at her. This is a moment of recognition, as the two had encountered each other before, and Travis’ face is thus now bathed in light. This speaks on his desire to help her, and the city as a whole. Scorsese was also clearly influenced by the Italians, including Fellini. Scorsese once talked about how much of the film arose from his feeling that movies were like dreams, an idea that was also present in Fellini’s Amarcord. Just as the hotel scene in Amarcord could be construed as a dream, without any clear indication if the events really happened, the end of Taxi Driver is also undefinable and dream-like in its almost too perfect conclusion. Both directors also wished to speak on the moral deterioration and corruption that was found in their respective cities, and did so through films that were completely open to audience interpretation, perhaps with the aim of inciting self-reflection.
Martin Scorsese’s 1976 dramatic thriller, “Taxi Driver,” focuses on the protagonist, Travis Bickle, and his struggle to escape isolation. His character is an infamous film antihero, who is simply shown trying to find his place in the world. We see him first, as a misfit trying to fit into society, and blend with the rest of 1970’s New York City. As the film progresses, however, we begin to see Bickle in a different light. The mood changes, as he transforms from a lonely taxi driver (who the audience can readily symapathize with), to a gun obsessed outsider, who appears to want to stay estranged from society (someone the audience now fears). This theme goes full circle, as by the end, he is just as alone as he was in the beginning. Part of what makes this story so tragic is that Bickle never really reaches any form of redemption. He is free of the bloody murders he commits in the end, but he is, and always will be, trapped within himself. I observed that the idea of Bickle as an antihero fluctuated throughout the entire film. In certain instances, such as when we see him and Iris together, Travis appears to be a kind and gentle person, who is truly good, just misunderstood. But scenes such as the one when Bickle kicks his TV, we see him as villianous, with fiery, dangerous rage inside of him.
ReplyDeleteIt is very apparent that Scorsese was influenced by many other film genres and got a lot of inspiration from his predecessors. Most notably, as my classmates have already pointed out, film noir and horror. The central themes of isolation, violence, injustice, and good versus evil, all directly relate to these other two genres. The stylized lighting reminded me of Polanski’s “China Town,” as both have notable contrasts of light versus dark. As Travis drives in his taxi, harsh shadows that cast upon his face strongly juxtapose brightly lit things outside, such as neon signs and street lights. This highlights the theme of “travis vs. society,” as he is isolated alone in the dark from anything bright in the outside world. Suspense, as a cinematic tool, is used by Scorsese throughout the film to heighten any fear and suspicion within the audience. This, of course, is taken from horror films as that is a tactic used by those directors as well. The final scene can be seen as a more modernized, gangster version of a classic western shootout. The lighting is perpetually dim, and the shots are fast paced, which are characteristics relating to that genre of film. As seen in Italian neo-realism, the raw depiction of the corruption present in society is shown very similarly. Both Scorsese and other Italian directors show these issues in an extremely real way, both having the potential to make the audience think about their morals and reflect upon their lifestyles.
Taxi Driver is a film that combines many different genres that influenced the director at the time such as horror, film noir, as well as western. The major theme is the feeling of isolation for the protagonist, Travis. Travis is a war veteran who has returned to the big city and is finding it difficult to “blend in.” He knows that he is having difficulty socially. He takes a job as a taxi driver, which was an interesting job for him since he was constantly thrown into society, and forced to deal with people. In the same aspect though he is also by himself for some of the night trapped in this taxi if he doesn’t have any service. He began to change as the movie progressed and became more comfortable with himself and society, but in the process he also became violent. The best example of this is the very bloody battle scene towards the end of the film. The interesting thing is that he never fully breaks out from his isolation. He only transforms from being lonely and quiet and isolated to becoming connected to the gun, but also the feeling of isolation. This leads to the idea of him being seen as an anti-hero in that it is unexpected for him to come out of his element and become this savage that he turns into during the shootout. I think as the viewer I wanted to feel bad for Travis throughout the film and then be proud of him when he finally takes initiative in protecting Iris, even though he went gun crazy!
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the genre usage in this film I think it was used in a very unique way and blended together to create an interesting storyline. Scorsese used the western ideas especially during the shootout scene with all the gun usage as well as the fast-pace continuous action. There were a lot of instances in the film that took place at night, which gave the film noir feel. The shadows created suspicion, which leads to the influence that Scorsese also had in terms of horror. Lighting(dark) as well as the use of dutch angles created a suspicious feeling and kept me wanting to see what was going to happen. Then you are quickly exposed to the very bloody scene which incorporated all of the genres that influenced Scorsese.
In Scorsese’s 1976 thriller Taxi Driver he uses isolation as the driving theme throughout the film. The protagonist and main character Travis attempts to isolate himself in the big city. His mental and emotional stresses from the war have left a deep scar and prohibit him from being able to function properly in the real world. They also prohibit him from being able to sleep at night, so he takes up a job driving a taxi at night. Travis’ isolation from the world makes him an antihero. His inability to communicate with others in an effective and well-mannered way shocks the expectations of the viewers and creates a feeling of dislike. While his situation and the care that he shows for those who cannot stand up for themselves forces the audiences to feel some amount of sympathy for Travis.
ReplyDeleteThis film portrays an eclectic variety of influencing genres, including noir, horror, and even western. The element of noir in his film is found mostly during the night scenes while he is driving, but may also be found in other areas. The use of angles and impressionable lighting bring out this element. The main female characters also carry characteristics of femme fatales found in noir films. For example Betsy, the woman Travis is madly in love with, has that combination of charisma, sexiness and attitude of which is found in most femme fatale characters. The scene, at the end, when Betsy is found in the back seat of Travis’ taxi incorporates the symbolic camera angles, dim lighting and the “too good to be true” mood found in all noir films. The element of horror is portrayed in the murder scenes when blood drenched bodies are left sprawled on the floor. The scene where Travis goes to save the prostitute from the bad men she works for, the non- diegetic music changes tempo increasingly fast raising the suspense for the viewer and heightening the mood of film. The western element in this film may be found in the same scene, “the shootout,“ that takes place between the thee bad guys and Travis, where Travis is the only one that comes out alive, is a true portrayal of the western genre.
Leah Suleski said...
ReplyDeleteNew York City is home to millions, making it the perfect setting for Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, a film that exhibits a major theme of isolationism and follows a protagonist with questionable morals. A clearly unstable Travis moves the plot forward through unpredictable and irrational actions that could potentially constitute him as the antihero. However, he is redeemed in the conclusion of the film where he is dubbed a hero by society and Iris’ parents. His incredibly awkward demeanor and unsettling disposition initially make Travis out to be a cryptic individual. Although, when the audience is made aware of his past, Travis’ inability to fit into the urban environment becomes more understandable as it is revealed that he is a war veteran.
The theme of isolation is not limited to Travis, but is distinguishable in other characters as well. Betsy, for example, happens to be withdrawn enough from society to accept a date from a complete stranger that approaches her at work. Although she and Tom occasionally exchange flirtatious remarks, she is evidently bored, even within this heavily-populated city. The other cab drivers are lonely as well, spending their nights at a local diner with only each other’s company. They share the dehumanized feeling of Travis because no one seems to treat them as people. Passengers do and say anything inside the cars without censoring like one normally would in public. A fair example is the man who tells Travis of his plans to kill his wife and her Negro lover. This seemingly insignificant (and again, lonely) character may be considered the catalyst for Travis’ attempts to clean up the streets. The fact that no one acknowledges him, including Palantine who claims to respect the opinions of the people, sets off something in Travis that indirectly leads to his bravery in the end.
Instances of film noir lighting techniques are very prevalent within Taxi Driver. Scorsese was thoughtful in including several aspects of all sorts of film genres. The most violent scene in the film where Travis goes on a killing spree references horror films in its composition. This is most notable in the final shot of the scene, a birdseye view shot of the entire crime scene, dead bodies, blood, and all.