CONTEMPORARY NOIR: TAXI DRIVER

Taxi Driver is a 1976 American film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is set in New York, soon after the Vietnam War and stars Robert De Niro as ex-Marine and War veteran, Travis Bickle. He is a lonely insomniac who works as a cab driver at night. He becomes obsessed with Betsy, a worker on a presidential campaign played by Cybill Shepherd, but fails at achieving her affections by accidently taking her to a porn movie on their first date. He also attempts to help twelve-year-old runaway turned prostitute Iris, played by Jodie Foster, by trying to persuade her to leave the profession. Eventually, so disgusted by humanity he buys four guns and plans to assassinate a Senator.

Taxi Driver has a lot of Film Noir characteristics. The visuals are very reminiscent of classic Noir with rainy streets and reflections of neon signs. There is also a voice over, a very common characteristic in Noir. The character of Travis is a classic character, a beat down hero who slips further into misery. At some point in the film, after being shot, Travis attempts suicide but has no ammunition in any of his weapons so sits on a sofa and waits for the police instead. This is heavily reminiscent of the Noir ideology of fate getting in everyone’s way, and making things difficult for him or her. There is a heavy sense of social issues, although they are different to those originally documented in the Noirs of the 40s and 50s. The effect of the Vietnam war is the main element in this film, much like the effect of WWII was in classic Film Noirs.

Travis: Loneliness has followed me my whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There's no escape.