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Martin Scorsese’sTaxi Drivertells the story of a loner in New York City and the streets of the city from the 1970s. This movie is a reflection of urban alienation and violence where people grappled with their own identities, following the Vietnam War. Robert De Niro gave a masterful performance as Travis Bickle, a depressed young war veteran.
Scorsese was brilliant in showing the real picture of New York City. Along with the urban decay in the 1970s, he kept the city as the backdrop to mirror the societal decay as well. Apart from Scorsese, another person who was so vital in the film’s success was screenwriter Paul Schrader, who went beyond giving just some typical dialogues. In an interview, Schrader shared how he got the metaphors.
Also Read:“I was sniffing back tears”: Martin Scorsese’s 1 Choice for Taxi Driver Drove Jodie Foster to Tears Before Her Own Mother Convinced Her to Push Through
How a Health Scare toTaxi Driver‘s Writer Gave Birth to the Movie?
The iconic filmTaxi Drivermight not have been made. The storyline was not crafted from a beautiful story arc, but the depths of writerPaul Schrader‘s personal turmoil acted as the catalyst.
Schrader was going through a crumbling marriage, a professional fallout with the American Film Institute, and the loss of his reviewing job that left him adrift, financially and emotionally. He found solace in the neon-lit shadows of Los Angeles, drifting in his car, drinking a lot, and sleeping in the Pussycat Theater which was kept open all night.
In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Schrader stated:
“Between the drinking and the morbid thinking and the pornography, I went to the emergency room with a bleeding ulcer. I was about 27, and when I was in the hospital, I realized I hadn’t spoken to anyone in almost a month. So that’s when the metaphor of the taxi cab occurred to me.”
After he returned from the hospital, he went to his ex-girlfriend’s home and there he started writing.
“So after I got out of the hospital, I crashed at an ex-girlfriend’s place, and I just wrote continuously. The first draft was maybe 60 pages, and I started the next draft immediately, and it took less than two weeks. I sent it to a couple of friends in L.A., but basically there was no one to show it to [until a few years later]. I was interviewing Brian De Palma, and we sort of hit it off, and I said, “You know, I wrote a script,” and he said, “OK, I’ll read it.”
Also Read:“Spending 3 and a 1/2 hours in the company of an idiot…”: Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver Writer Unexpectedly Slams Leonardo DiCaprio’s Choice in Killers of the Flower Moon
And that’s how the script grabbed the attention of Martin Scorsese and a classic was born.
The 1958 movieMurder by ContractInspired Martin Scorsese’sTaxi Driver
Martin Scorsese, the legendary filmmaker cemented his place with the greats in Hollywood following his masterpieceTaxi Driver. Talking about the inspiration he derived to make this psychological noir drama, Scorsese mentioned one 1958 movie-Murder By Contract.
Earlier, Scorsese revealed thatThe Wrong ManandA Bigger Splashare two films that hugely influenced him to makeTaxi Driverstarring Robert De Niro. However, after joiningLetterboxd, he addedMurder By Contract.
Talking about theMurder By Contract, Scorsese mentioned:
“I saw this low-budget independent picture about a hired killer on a double bill with The Journey by Anatole Litvak…The spareness, the single-mindedness of the killer (played by Vince Edwards), the ritualized quality of his preparation and his actions… it haunted me and came directly to mind when I made Taxi Driver.”
Directed by Irving Lerner, this crime film explores the story of another existentialist, a hitman contracted with killing a woman.
Also Read:Robert De Niro’s Taxi Driver Inspired Shooter To Assassinate 40th President of the United States To Impress Jodie Foster After Stalking Her
You can watchTaxi Driveron Prime Video.
Prantik Prabal Roy
Articles Published :778
Prantik Prabal Roy is a content writer at FandomWire. With over three years of experience in content writing for various media houses, he takes great interest in telling stories about Hollywood celebrities and the world revolving around them. He has done his Master’s in English literature and diploma course in journalism. Being a literature student, he has the ability to delve into the matter and analyse it thoroughly to give the readers a clear view on the specific topics.
