Now, it is already a wee bit paradoxical to declare a love for a film about man essentially losing his mind and going on a bloody rampage. However, love it I do...and for so many reasons. Firstly, it stars the genius that is Robert DeNiro giving the sort of performance that most people only ever dream of. After reading Paul Schrader's script, which is vastly different from the film I might add, DeNiro literally is Travis Bickle. Exactly as he was there on the page. Quite an amazing feat to behold.
Secondly, Martin Scorcese. The greatest director of all time, in my humble opinion. Again, after reading the script and seeing what he did with it, how he didn't win every award under the sun for directing for this masterpiece I will never know. There are too many memorable shots to mention but the final overhead of a quite epic crime scene is one of the greatest you'll ever see.
What I love most about this film is that it is probably the only first-person narrative that is completely unrelenting in it's portrayal of the main character. It's almost like a novel. You actually see the world through the eyes of one man and one man only. There is only one scene in the entire film which is not seen through his eyes. Travis' world is a desperate one, one which sees no hope in humanity, filled only with loneliness, isolation and despair. It is literally hell on earth. You want it to lighten up, you want to look away, get invloved in some of the other characters, but Scorcese does not flinch. Not once. For example, in the scene where Travis is at a coffee shop with his cabbie "friends". The way it's shot, acted, directed etc. shows a man who is there physically but he's obviously not really there at all. Indeed, there is a moment where the others share stories and Travis pops an alka seltzer into his water. Rather than join in the hilarity, we suddenly begin to disappear into that glass, with him. The fizzing sound takes over all conversations. It doesn't matter what they're saying, he can't hear it so nor do we. Brilliant.
Of course you can't mention this film without mentioning the score. Tense, schizophrenic, moody, scary. One minute it is smooth jazz saxophones, the next, the noise swells to uncomfortable levels of rage. Again, the perfect accompaniment to this story. Big up Bernard Hermann.
The only question that has remained about this film over the years is the ending. Is it a dream? Did Travis survive? Did he merely not get caught and is now, yet again, a ticking time-bomb? Who knows? I for one don't really care. Leaving things ambiguous makes it all the more interesting I think.
Yes, it's extremely violent. Yes, it is extremely nihilistic. Yes, it's unpleasant. And no, there is no real moral lesson. However, as a piece of cinematic history, and a commentary about society's underbelly, this film is utterly essential. They just don't make them like this any more. Michael Bay hang your head in shame.
"The clock spring cannot be wound continually tighter. As the earth moves towards the sun, Travis Bickle moves toward violence"
(from page 1 of the screenplay)
Peace,
John.
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