راننده تاکسی

BFI Film Classics

by Amy Taubin

Paul Schrader was in meltdown in 1972. Drinking heavily, living in his car, he was hospitalized with a gastric ulcer. There he read about Arthur Bremer's attempt to assassinate Alabama Governor George Wallace. This story was the germ of his screenplay for Taxi Driver (1976). Executives at Columbia hated the script but when Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, who were flying high after the triumphs of Mean Streets (1973) and The Godfather Part II (1974), signed up, Taxi Driver became too good a package to refuse.
Scorsese transformed the script into what is now considered one of the two or three definitive American films of the 1970s. De Niro is mesmerising as Travis Bickle--pent up, bigoted, steadily slipping into psychosis, the personification of American post-Vietnam masculinity. Cybill Shepherd and Jodie Foster give fine support and Scorsese brought in Bernard Herrmann, the greatest of film composers, to write what turned out to be his last score. Crucially, Scorsese rooted Taxi Driver in its New York locations, tuning the film's violence into the hard reality of the city. Technically thrilling though it is, Taxi Driver is profoundly disturbing--finding, as Amy Taubin shows, racism, misogyny and gun fetishism at the heart of American culture.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Criticism, Pop Culture, Media Tie In

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2000

Reviews

[Alialiarya · Rating 3 out of 5]

نقد فیلم نبود و بیش‌تر گفتگویی بود با راننده تاکسی. و اطلاعات جالبی را درباره‌ی فیلم اسکورسیزی که بی‌شک از مهم‌ترین فیلم‌های تاریخ سینماست و حاصل ذهن پوچ‌انگار و روان‌پریش شریدر و دیدگاه‌های مذهبی اسکورسیزی و چهره و بدن حیرت‌انگیز دنیرو می‌دهد. راننده تاکسی در زمان اکران و تا مدت‌ها بعد در آمریکا فهمیده نشد و همواره وجه خشن فیلم برای منتقدان مانع درک دقیق فیلم می‌شد. اما راننده تاکسی مانند سرگیجه که آن هم فیلمی‌ست که تا دهه‌ها درک نشد توانست جایگاهش را در سینما پیدا کند. الان راننده تاکسی بی‌شک از مهم‌ترین و تاثیرگذارترین فیلم‌های آمریکایی است و این کتاب به خوبی نشان می‌دهد اهمیت آن کجاست. و چگونه اندیشه و نگرش فیلم به جهان مدرن، سرگردانی انسان و جنون در فیلم‌های دیگر امتداد یافته


تراویس بیکل هم معماست و هم بخشی از دانش عمومی و چنان در خودآگاه فرهنگی جمعی جای گرفته که ارزیابی زیباشناختی راننده تاکسی را تقریبا نامربوط می‌سازد. این فیلم همچوم آینه‌ای چند وجهی است که شگفت‌انگیزترین بازتاب آن قهرمان‌سازی و پرستش تراویس در درون و بیرون فیلم است. پاسخ منتقدانی که می‌گویند پایان باز راننده تاکسی از نظر اخلاقی و منطقی مبهم است، همه‌ی چیزهایی است که در این بیست و چند سالی{۲۰۰۳} که از نمایش آن می‌گذرد رخ داده است
جملات پایانی کتاب

[Paul Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

It starts with Arthur Bremer, a loner loser type who thought he wanted to get a better social life and to do that he should assassinate someone that no one else liked, such as Richard Nixon. This was in 1972 and by then Arthur was 21 years old and was living in his car. He found out that shooting a president had got a lot harder than it used to be so he switched targets to George Wallace and managed to shoot him on 15 May but was caught immediately. He had been keeping a diary and this was published the following year, entitled An Assassin’s Diary.



Meanwhile over in Los Angeles there was another young American living in his car, 26 year old Paul Schrader. His marriage had broken up, he was drinking heavily, he had been in hospital for a gastric ulcer (when he checked himself into the hospital he realized he hadn’t spoken to anyone in weeks), things were not good. Schrader read about Bremer. And he read Nausea by Sartre and Notes from the Underground by Dostoyevsky, and he wrote a screenplay called Taxi Driver, which came out in 1976. (“Travis Bickle was me.”)

A third young American, named John Hinckley Jr, this one rich enough never to have to live in his car, saw Taxi Driver more than once and became obsessed with Jodie Foster, the actress who plays the 12 year old hooker rescued – should I say “rescued” by Travis Bickle in the bloodbath at the end of the movie.

So five years later, in 1981, after all his stalking and creeping around Jodie at Yale had come to nought, he attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan, making Taxi Driver the only movie to directly inspire a presidential assassination attempt. (“The reason I'm going ahead with this attempt now is because I cannot wait any longer to impress you”). He was 25 at the time.

As of today, Arthur Bremer is 68. He was paroled in 2007, aged 57 after 35 years in the slammer; Paul Schrader is now 72 and is the garlanded screenwriter and director of many movies including Raging Bull and First Reformed; Jodie Foster is 56 and has made a ton of interesting movies; John Hinckley is 63 years old – he was found to be not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to a psychiatric institution for 34 years, until 2016 when he was released under supervision.

I enjoyed finding out that when Travis is doing the famous “You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? [turns around to look behind him] Well, then who the Hell else are you talking- You talking to me? Well, I'm the only one here” sequence the screenplay just says Travis talks to himself in the mirror.

[Behzad · Rating 3 out of 5]

تراویس بیکل هم معماست و هم بخشی از دانش عمومی و چنان در خودآگاه فرهنگی جمعی جای گرفته که ارزیابی زیباشناختی راننده تاکسی را تقریباً نامربوط می سازد. این فیلم آیینه ای چند وجهی است که شگفت انگیزترین بازتاب آن قهرمان سازی و پرستش تراویس در درون و بیرون از فیلم است.

[Sophy H · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had this one from the BFI series, having bought it in a batch lot when I was over-enthused about said series! Silly Soph!

This offering from Amy Taubin is crap for want of a better word!!

The book basically just describes the film plot scene by scene (yawn) and tries to give a half-arsed psychological probe into the characters which fails to hit home. There are no real insights or new interesting facts to be learned from the book. I was bored by the entire reading.

Disappointing guff.

[Talie · Rating 3 out of 5]

تهوع سارتر، یادداشت های زیر زمین داستایوسکی، فیلم جیب بر روبر برسون و از همه مهمتر اخبار روزنامه از آرتور بره مر که در سال 1972 قصد ترور جورج والاس را داشت، منابع الهام فیلمنامه ی راننده تاکسی بودند.
کتاب اشاراتی به لایه های پنهان نژادپرستانه و زن ستیزانه ی قهرمان فیلم (تراویس) دارد.
تراویس قهرمانی است که می خواهد قواعد جنسیت مردانه برای زندگی را دوباره بر قرار سازد. هفت تیر جبران دلواپسی از اختگی است. در فیلم بین خشونت با هفت تیر و اوج لذت جنسی رابطه برقرار می شود. ولی تراویس نشسته در صندلی سینمای مستهجن به لذت جنسی نمی رسد همانگونه که پشت فرمان تاکسی اش نیز به چنین اوجی نمی رسد.( شیشه ها و آینه ی تاکسی مانند پرده ای است که فیلم مستهجنی به عظمت خود شهر را نمایش می دهد.) شاید بتوان گفت که تراویس هیچ گاه به اوج لذت نمی رسد و تنها رهایی او در مرگ است ولی فیلم حتی این را از او دریغ می کند و با این کار ما را نیز از امنیت خاطر پایان محروم می سازد.

[Matthew Wilder · Rating 3 out of 5]

The great Amy Taubin writes a shot by shot, slightly perfunctory analysis of this great work, notable mostly for her unforgiving tone regarding what she views as a romanticization of Travis' racism and gynephobia. Still, Taubin clearly recognizes and dissects the landmark nature of the picture. Her final perception--that Travis the icon is bigger than the artistry of Scorsese's movie itself--feels to me questionable.

[Barbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely going to help me with my research paper!

[Jeff Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose the highest compliment I can give this book is that after reading in one sitting, I immediately watched the film (for the first time in a while...)

There is a lot of insight in these short pages - packed with detail and significant analysis and understanding. Where the film came from, writer, director, composer...what it did and what it left behind. The only thing missing is anything from the star - it would be interesting to know more about how De Niro became Bickle, and what it left behind...I will have to track down a good book on him one day.

My only disagreement is that Taubin states that this film falls short of being 'truly great'...written in 2000 the world was a different one from 1976, and different again in 2020. In many ways 2020 is more aligned with the 70's, whereas in 2000 there was a genuine optimism about the new century...which is a pretty sad thought...but one that makes the film all the more relevant in our socially, and artificially, detached world.

[The Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

shall be referenced in my essay

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Utterly straightforward in its structure and its thoughts. Taubin's thoughts are repetitive and only contain the occasional bit of true insight, offset by her nearly as common specious suppositions and niggling inaccuracies; those are pretty much the two positions between which the passages of this book vacillate on a binary spectrum. It's rather unfortunate, because she approaches the film from a distinct critical distance, and touches briefly on some potentially legitimate gripes, but then deigns to delve further into her own thoughts; much as I love the film, I'd have been much more happy to read any substantive comment, positive or negative, than the relatively inoffensive and not-so-relatively well-worn praise and complaints Taubin offers instead. She's willing to remain in the shallow end throughout, not just declining to deeply examine her own criticisms but also refusing to probe further into the obvious ideas she presents; it's frustrating because especially for a film that, despite being broadly adored, seems to nevertheless skew toward a masculine fanbase that could undoubtedly have benefitted from a definitive (or even just any) thoughtful approach from a female perspective. Instead, because her book is so rigidly and boringly structured, even the faintest bits of originality only feel awkwardly shoehorned in, asides that jar the reader, brief speed-bumps in a linear trudge through the film's running time.

[Brian Shevory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taxi Driver is a powerful character study about “God’s Lonely Man”, written by Paul Schrader and directed by Martin Scorsese. There was a period of time when I watched this film frequently, which looking back, probably wasn’t the best use of my time. However, I was so riveted by Travis’s descent into madness, and how his inability to connect with others had him find meaning in other ways, particularly through violence. Amy Taubin’s critical study of this 1970s classic was great to read if you are a fan of this film. She provides some background about Schrader’s influences on the screenplay, and it was fascinating to see how existential works like Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground and Sartre’s Nausea were influential developing Travis Bickle. However, it was also the story of Arthur Bremer, the man who attempted to assassinate George Wallace in 1972, and his diary, which focuses on his loneliness, isolation and failed attempts at connection and intimacy, that further inspired Schrader’s screenplay. Taubin also provides further context for the setting of the film- NYC in the 1970s, that was dealing with recession and economic problems, as well as America’s withdrawal from Vietnam. All of these factors fed Travis’s sense of isolation and loneliness, and prompted him to use his insomnia as a means of making money and finding connections as a taxi driver. I wasn’t previously aware of Bremer’s role in influencing the script, but as Taubin notes and many are aware, the film was also an inspiration for a later assassination attempt. It’s interesting to read some of these factors that went into creating the character of Travis since there continues to be similar loneliness and isolation people experience. These feelings were heightened by COVID and quarantining, but I also wondered how much social media and our lives online are contributing to this sense of isolation. Although Taubin’s book doesn’t address these kinds of questions, she does take a modern lens to looking at the film and examining Travis’s character through race, class, and gender. As Taubin notes, Taxi Driver, following in the footsteps of other vigilante films of the 70s, may have been an attempt to reclaim the urban landscape from Blaxspoitation films. She also notes that racism is one of the problems that Taxi Driver never directly addresses, providing examples of how seems distant from the other drivers at the diner, but sits furthest from Charlie T., the only Black cab driver. From here, Taubin explores the debt Taxi Driver owes to The Searchers, the 50s John Ford western that pits John Wayne’s Ethan, a returning Civil War veteran, against the Comanche chief who has taken one of his relatives. Although I knew this film influenced Star Wars, I hadn’t realized it’s influence on Taxi Driver, and it’s interesting to think about how Taxi Driver is kind of like an urban western, where the hero’s actions and motivations are not always clearly altruistic or good. Although Taubin explains that Travis’s mohawk was influenced by Vietnam special forces soldiers who were out on lethal missions, I wonder if there was some connection to the Searchers and the warrior ethos of the Comanche. Although Travis somewhat identifies with Ethan’s character as someone who is seeking to rescue a woman, it might also speak to Travis’s identity diffusion and his inability to clearly define himself in the modern world.
In addition to issues of race, Taubin’s analysis also focuses on class and gender, specifically how Travis’s loneliness affects his search for love and connection. During his night shift driving, he encounters lovers and prostitutes, while also exploring the rough terrain of 42nd Street’s theaters. Taubin notes that many of these scenes capture Travis alone in the frame, or rather on the street near people, but seemingly isolated and distant from them as the center of the shot. It isn’t until Travis encounters Betsy, a volunteer working on the campaign for Palantine, a presidential candidate. Despite coming from different backgrounds and seeming to share no real interests, Betsy agrees to a date with Travis that goes horribly wrong. Once again, we see Travis’s inability to clearly define himself, as he identifies immediately with Palantine while not really knowing anything about him. It’s merely to appeal to Betsy. As Taubin notes, Travis’s attempts to further connect with Betsy, eventually leading him to consider assassinating Palantine, ostensibly to gain Betsy’s attention, similar to Bremer’s attempt to assassinate Wallace (and later Brinkley’s attempted assassination). When Travis’s half-hearted attempt fails, he finds further purpose in another chance encounter with a girl, Iris, whose pimp Sport Taubin presents as a stand-in for Chief Scar in The Searchers. This was also fascinating to read as Taubin not only notes the similarities between Ethan’s quest for Debbie and Travis’s obsession with saving Iris from Sport, but also in noting that Iris and Sport are kind of like the remnants of the hippies, the failed attempts at love and connection that gradually degenerated and brought things to the mid 70s NYC. It was interesting too to see the parallels in Travis finding meaning and identity through women. His inability to connect with them and find appropriate ways of communicating gradually leads to his further isolation and resorting to violence as a means of gaining attention. Throughout the exploration of the story, Taubin also analyzes various aspects of the film and characters, exploring how they emphasize the themes of loneliness, isolation, and the kind of violence that occurs throughout the film. I absolutely loved reading this analysis as it provided me with a new way to consider this excellent film. It’s made me want to revisit this film, since it’s been some time since I’ve seen it. I also appreciated how thinking about the film in today’s world makes some of the issues and concerns that Taxi Driver raises even more important and resonant. I’m thoroughly enjoying reading these BFI Film analyses, and this one has been particularly enlightening and thoughtful in its consideration of Taxi Driver.

[Karl O' · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not buy into a lot of the authors analysis. The plot following analysis was tedious.

[Dylan Kiewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

an essential text on an essential text.

[Jim Tee · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We see the bill lying on the seat. The camera rises to take in Travis’s face then drops down again. The move looks simple but Scorcese remarked that they had to do about 25 takes to get it right.”

I love shit like this.

[Rêbwar Kurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

«انسان تا کجا می‌تونه سقوط کنه؟»
سؤال محوریِ «راننده تاکسی» همین‌جاست. اسکورسیزی فیلم رو از فیلمنامه‌ای ساخته که بیشتر از آن‌که قصه‌گو باشه، اعتراف‌نامه‌یه. اعتراف‌نامه‌ای از ذهنی گسسته، تک‌افتاده، و عمیقاً بیمار. اما عجیب این‌جاست که بیماری تراویس، از جنس روان‌پریشی صرف نیست؛ او یک نیهیلیست بالقوه‌ست که درگیر فانتزی‌های مسیحایی می‌شه.

تراویس نه قهرمانه، نه ضدقهرمان؛ او «زخم روانی جامعه‌ست» که راه افتاده وسط خیابونا. از اون شخصیت‌هاست که اگه نیچه زنده بود، براش می‌نوشت: «آدمی که در خلأ ارزش‌ها، با میل به نجات، به هیولا بدل می‌شه.» او بیمار نیست، او بازتاب شهر بیمار نیویورکه. همون شهری که بی‌خانمان‌ها رو تف می‌کنه بیرون، تن‌فروشان رو شب‌گرد می‌کنه و مردهاش یا خوابن یا دروغگو یا خنثی.

این فیلمنامه تماشاگر رو در موقعیتی قرارداده که مجبورش می‌کنه نسبت به یک بیمار روانی هم‌ذات‌پنداری کنه، باهاش قدم بزنه، از چشماش ببینه. دیالوگ‌های ذهنی تراویس در یادداشت‌های روزانه‌اش، روانکاوانه‌ترین بخش فیلم‌نامه‌ست. تضاد درونی بین نیاز به نجات جهان و میل به خشونت، درست مثل فروید که می‌گفت: «درون ما دو نیرو در ستیزن: اروس و تاناتوس.» تراویس می‌خواد عشق بورزه، نجات بده، اما زخم عمیق‌تر از این حرف‌هاست. تهش، خشونت تنها زبونی‌ئه که هنوز براش باقی مونده.

از لحاظ اجتماعی، «راننده تاکسی» بیانیه‌ای بی‌رحم در مورد جامعه‌ی آمریکای پس از جنگ ویتنامه. تراویس سربازی برگشته از جهنمِ جنگه؛ جامعه نمی‌خوادش، خودش هم نمی‌دونه چی می‌خواد. یک بدن بی‌استفاده، در شهری که همه‌چیزش مصنوعیه: عشق، سیاست، اخلاق. او گم‌گشته‌ی دنیای مدرنه، کسی که خواب نداره، نه به‌خاطر قهوه، که به‌خاطر پوچی.

و بالاخره فیلم. رابرت دنیرو در یکی از ماندگارترین بازی‌های تاریخ سینما، تراویس رو تبدیل به چهره‌ای فرهنگی کرد؛ با اون موی تیغ‌زده، اسلحه زیر آستین، و زمزمه‌ی معروفش: «داری با من حرف می‌زنی؟» موسیقی برنارد هرمن، نورپردازی کابوس‌وار، و فضای نیمه‌نوآر فیلم، همگی روایت رو به سمت سوررئالیسم می‌برن؛ انگار که توی خواب داریم کابوس یه روان‌پریش رو می‌بینیم. و البته اسکورسیزی، که حتی توی یک نقش فرعی، خودش هم نشونه‌ای از «دیدگاه بیمار جامعه»‌ست.

«راننده تاکسی» دربارهٔ خشونته، اما خشونتی درونی، فلسفی، و ناگزیر. مثل تراژدی، نه به‌خاطر اینکه اتفاقی بد می‌افته، بلکه چون جهان از اساس مختله. و تراویس؟ شاید فقط یک آینه‌ست؛ آینه‌ای که شهر، خودش رو توش نمی‌خواد ببینه.

[Lucynell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This slim volume reads more like an extended critique on Martin Scorsese's urban nightmare than an in-depth study. I consider this a good thing. If you are a fan of Taxi Driver you may find yourself disagreeing with some of what seem to be the author's assumptions. But don't let that put you off. This is authoritative, very well researched, and a very fine supplement to Paul Schrader's bloody monument to urban isolation.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great extended essay on one of my favorite films. Most enlightening was the detail that both Scorcese and Schrader had originally conceived the "Sport" pimp character as a black man (how did I not get this before!). It makes me wonder if America then or now would have been able to handle that much truth about itself in on the screen.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good old-fashioned close reading of the film. A little plodding in structure perhaps and a little glib in its misapplication of some psychoanalytic terminology, but also resists the tendency to deform the evidence to make a point or otherwise test the reader's credulity (except as it relates to Scorsese's Catholicism).

[Pd Balog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice analysis (for the most part) of one of the greatest American films of the 1970's. Chronicles how the film is a portrait of an American nightmare as well as a modern urban "Western" deeply influenced by The Searchers.

[Jeff Cioletti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Taubin's book-length critique of the Scorcese film. Read it for film criticism class. She came to speak in the class and I found her to be kind of full of herself.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm thinking about this movie in a whole new way now!!! Even if you kind of like the movie, pick this up and you'll have a whole new respect for it. Quick read, took less and an hour to finish.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best film criticism I've ever read. It was airtight. I can't say one bad thing about it.

[Ryan Splenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Taubin makes some interesting arguments about the thematic levels of Martin Scorsese's wonderful film. A good book to read about the struggling 70s in America, and the world as well.

[Emma Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting.

[Matt Lohr · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books in this fine series. In the midst of her probing analysis, Taubin's prose actually captures some of the slow-boiling, febrile dread of the film itself.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains some very valid points, but shows an interesting fascination with "rear entries" that I don't see as a relevant part of the movie. And it's Max Schreck, not "Schrenk". ;-)

[Haman · Rating 5 out of 5]

عصیان ضد قهرمان تنها

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, concise, and to the point. Taubin had her work cut out for her and weaves an analysis of Taxi Driver that gets to the point while simultaneously expressing her own thoughts and opinions. Quick read, I think there's only 75 pages, give or take.