“Are you talking to me?!” Yes Mr DeNiro, this week Robert DeNiro celebrated his birthday, we reflect on one of his greatest roles in Taxi Driver. As Travis Bickle it was one of his defining moments not just for his career and Martin Scorsese’s but also the history of film. 2016 Taxi Driver will celebrate it’s 40th birthday and below we have a fantastic video essay that looks at the themes of the film and a break down of Bickle too.
Running 75 minutes long, analysed every little detail with a fine comb from the self inflicted loneliness of Bickle and his downward spiral into a world of hatred as well as paranoia. His alienating aurora drags you in, seeing him miss every opportunity to connect with someone but when he does realize he wants to connect with ‘wrong people’ scaring them away. We have all be alone sometimes, some of us may still be probably why so many of us connected with Travis.
This is a great supplement piece after you watch Taxi Driver, created by Channel Criswell who created the recent brilliant essay on Colour In Storytelling (posted at our sister site Cinehouse), so your know your in for an informed viewing. I have to admit it took myself a while to embrace Martin Scorsese‘s masterpiece, but thanks to my ‘film education’ era I now appreciate it’s darkest qualities and importance to film history. When you think about what Robert DeNiro has played, Vito Corleone, Jake LaMotta, Rupert Pupkin, the one character that will always stand above the bunch is Travis Bickle, Belated Happy birthday Mr DeNiro!
[source:TheFilmStage]
