#QuentinTarantino names this movie as one of the greatest ever made and on his top 5 list. According to him “It is the greatest first person character study ever made”. We are talking about a 1970s cult classic made in the Noir tradition with stunning visuals, background score and an almost hypnotic, mesmerising treatment.
ASHOK’s FIVE reviews #MartinScorsese's 1976 American psychological thriller, written by #PaulScharder and starring #RobertDeNiro in a superlative performance. This is an absolute MUST SEE film for all movie lovers and although it did not win any Oscars, it stands supreme as a tribute to the exuberance of film-making.
#RobertDeNiro plays Travis Bickle, a lonely and alienated young man in the New York of the seventies, and the film depicts his mental turmoil and slide down the path to madness. But thats an easy way out. #TaxiDriver has so many facets to it that writing a review in itself is a daunting task!
The seventies was perhaps the toughest decade in American history, emerging scarred from the Vietnam war. The Watergate scandal and the lack of confidence in the Government, compounded by the emerging Japanese hegemony in automobiles and the OPEC oil crisis threatened the very essence of the American dream. And that’s where #Scorsese pitched Bickle as the troubled protagonist. The story itself was inspired by #Dostoyevsky’s #NotesfromtheUnderground. Bickle is an insomniac loser and drives his taxi around the streets all night. “Loneliness has followed me my whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There’s no escape. I’m God’s lonely man.” he says.
#TaxiDriver is based on an existentialism theme, with the protagonist playing a lone ranger who takes it upon himself to redeem the world on the back of his loneliness and delusions ““Some day a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets.” The themes of urban decay and vigilantism also run parallel to the central narrative.
The other memorable quote in the film is “You talking to me”. The social misfit reflects the all-pervasive cynicism, insecurity and confusion prevalent in the society at that time. What stood out for me is the sheer intensity of the film that takes up themes of political upheaval, crime, sexual exploitation and the raw gritty essence of the 70s decade in a matter of fact, non-preachy manner.
#RobertDeNiro is brilliant in his portrayal of societal reject. His eyes have that moist, middle-distance look and his yokel grin and boyish mannerisms have an alluding charm that is so much in contrast with the racist, lunatic mind. The field jacket and his mohawk have become cult imagery over time. I think the character he plays has been fleshed out extremely well. Bickle’s real problem is that he can't understand the source of his turmoil. His world view is shallow and conceited and that tentative manner of his belies that. It is quite ironic that he charms Betsy (#CybillShepherd) with that line where he claims that he knows she is lonely!
Cinematographer #MichaelChapman creates some stunning visuals. The dark shadows, red hues and the scenes of gritty NYC are fascinating. #BernardHerrmann’s composition, especially the theme music is hypnotic, arresting stuff that stays with you long after the movie gets over.
#MartinScorsese throws up some aces in #TaxiDriver. It is no accident that the two women in the movie are so much in contrast to each other. And it is not just two personalities that he has picked; it is a deep reflection of two distinct ideologies. There is the blonde goddess, Betsy (CybillShepeherd) and the young Iris (A 14-year old #JodieFoster, shockingly cast as a child prostitute). Betsy is symbolic of political superficiality of that time, pure , charm and all personality. #Scorsese chooses to show Bickle and Betsy always in long shots to show how unattainable she is. On the other hand, Iris stands for crime and exploitation. The association is with garbage and physical attributes. Here the shots are close and intimate. If you look at the male idols who symbolise the ideologies, there is Senator Palantine on the one side and the pimp Sport (HarveyKeitel) on the other. When it was released, #TaxiDriver came in for some flak owing to the dark storyline, the macabre violence at the end and the child prostitute track. There was also the issue of racism. #Scorsese justifies that by stating that the film is about a racist and not really upholding any philosophy.
Other interpretations of the movie have talked about how the Freudian concept of male sexuality is built into the narrative. For men, women are wither madonas or whores and it is almost impossible for them to be intimate with the opposite sex. Even as Bickle falters in his journey towards finding the sense of purpose in his life, the women come and go almost as if in fantasy sequences.
And the final scene is an example. The jury is still out as to whether the final sequence where Betsy is sitting in the back seat and acknowledging his good work, is reality or a dream. As the film draws to an end, you emerge out of the trance. Next time you sit in a cab,it wouldn't be surprising if you looked at the rear view mirror to check the eyes of the driver! There is a school of thought that says that cinema is actually dreams and it is fine to treat it as a hypnotic reverie provided it is rooted somewhere in reality. #TaxiDriver reminded me of this and I dare say that this was one dream I wish would never get over!
