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Taxi Driver Movie Analysis Metehan Yilmaz 20000287

This document provides an analysis of the 1976 film Taxi Driver, directed by Martin Scorsese. It discusses the plot, which follows Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle struggling to fit into society in 1970s New York City. It then analyzes elements of the filmmaking including the cinematography, editing techniques, mise-en-scene, and sound design. The cinematography utilizes techniques like bokeh and camera movements to portray Travis's isolation. The editing shows Travis' deteriorating mental state through repetition. The mise-en-scene captures the darkness and corruption of New York City. And the sound design immerses the viewer in the chaotic sounds of the city streets.

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64 views9 pages

Taxi Driver Movie Analysis Metehan Yilmaz 20000287

This document provides an analysis of the 1976 film Taxi Driver, directed by Martin Scorsese. It discusses the plot, which follows Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle struggling to fit into society in 1970s New York City. It then analyzes elements of the filmmaking including the cinematography, editing techniques, mise-en-scene, and sound design. The cinematography utilizes techniques like bokeh and camera movements to portray Travis's isolation. The editing shows Travis' deteriorating mental state through repetition. The mise-en-scene captures the darkness and corruption of New York City. And the sound design immerses the viewer in the chaotic sounds of the city streets.

Uploaded by

metehangallagher
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TAXI DRIVER

MOVIE
ANALYSIS
AHSS114
Interpretation of
Stories and Films

Metehan Yılmaz
20000287
What style of film is Taxi
Driver?

• Taxi Driver is a 1976 American neo-


noir psychological thriller film directed
by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul
Schrader, and starring Robert De Niro,
Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey
Keitel, Peter Boyle, Leonard Harris,
and Albert Brooks.
STORY
•The movie follows Travis Bickle (Robert
De Niro), a Vietnam veteran who struggles
to fit in with society. Travis's
transformation from an insomniac loser to
an unhinged vigilante who wants to purge
1970s New York's streets of the decadence
and depravity he perceives as engulfing
them is depicted. Because of his insomnia,
he accepts a job as a cab driver and
quickly finds himself engrossed and at
ease in the very locations he pledged to
demolish.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Bokeh
• As many will know bokeh refers to the lighting in an image
which is out of focus. Ideally with the right aperture settings the
light will appear blurred, creating a depth of field. Scorsese has
been doing this since the 70’s as illustrated at the beginning of
‘Taxi Driver’, again with cinematographer Chapman. Scorsese
often play with the color palette, look and mood of a scene to
enrich the storyline and give his characters more depth.
Camera Movement
• Various camera techniques highlight Travis's social isolation
and alienation.The camera work in Taxi Driver is generally
methodical and slow. As Travis exits the dispatcher garage after
submitting his application to become a taxi driver, the camera
moves across the screen from right to left as the cabs are
traveling in the opposite direction. It takes a few moments for
the camera to catch up to Travis because he is walking in the
opposite direction and at a faster pace than the camera. The
picture suggests that there's a problem with Travis. There's
something not quite right about him.
HIGH ANGLE SHOT

TOP ANGLE SHOT

EXTREME CLOSE
UP SHOT
EDITING
• Travis influence repeats himself in
his "You're talking to me" speech,
and here the film takes the same
approach.. The double shot shows
Travis not repeating the practice as
one might do, but each time he
erases what came before.. By
definition, practice involves
improving with each additional
attempt, but Travis acts as if the
previous attempts never happened..
This technique of repetition and
substitution editing gives us
perception into Travis's decay
mental state.
MISE*EN*SCENE

• darkness of the city


• garbage dumps
• dust and smoke
• the inner world of the
character and the
urban corruption of
the period
S O U N D D ES IG N

• The film’s soundtrack captures the chaotic


beat of New York City's streets. The
throbbing throngs of people strolling down
the streets are matched by the shifting
rhythms, and the blaring horns of passing cars
and the droning low and high notes that they
produce provide for a wonderful contrast.
They are made up of people arguing, yelling
on the street, and blowing their horns.
Driving around, he observes an area of
degenerative fluid, which disgusts him. He is
unaware that he is a piece of the mosaic. He's
in the city, and he's in the music. His
voiceovers demonstrate this. The entire film
is structured like a jazz composition. We
observe the city and get acclimated to the
sounds before the rhythm is established.
• ORIGINAL SOUNTRACK BY BERNARD
HERRMANN

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