Review of Taxi Driver (1976) by Sorin B — 16 Aug 2012

,,Taxi Driver'' is one of Martin Scorsese's masterpieces, a must-see of cinematography, elevated, popular and highly appreciated movie.

Scorsese presents a thrilling look over mid 70's New York, through the windshield of Travis's cab. The blurred lights, strong contrasts, steaming sewers, wet streets, moving frames creates a powerful image and gives notorious look to this movie. The picture created in ,,Taxi Driver'' become representative and gives a powerful, visual, artistical side to the movie.

Travis Bickle is the main character, a taxi driver, veteran of Vietnam War, who takes any taxiing in New York, night or day, with no discrimination (,,It's the same for me''), an outsider to society (,,Loneliness has followed me my whole life'') and life, with no direction to go on, surely affected by the war, a time bomb and a very psychological complex character. ,,Taxi Driver'' is seen through the eyes of taxi driver, Travis, the vision over the city, the insights, the action, all belonging to him. Being psychological complex, Scorsese analyses Travis in broad and comprehensive areas, using the action at which he takes part, dialogues and also monologues of great intensity and moral attitude. De Niro's performance is outstanding, one of the greatest in his career, he gives life to a complex character with an amazing performance.

The soundtrack by Bernard Herrmann completes the movie, all the other aspects of it being well-supported by this. The deep contrasts, sleazy sounds, music of saxophone, distressing atmosphere, dreaming state, the resonant power of the main theme elevate this soundtrack to an artistic peak and completes the distressing image of New York in Scorsese's vision.

After Travis, the next point as relevance, is the image of New York. Scorsese creates a symbol in representation of New York from multiple points of view, the city is mastery presented through Travis's vision, directing vision and artistic vision (both visual and acoustic). From all the ,,scum'', depraved, vicious social categories to one, complex, lonely, moral character, from a distressing image to the cry of saxophone, from an outstanding direction to art, Scorsese combines all 4 major elements of this movie (the character, the visual, the acoustic, the direction) into an artistic, social and psychological lyric.