Scorceses First Masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (8 May 2010)

Martin Scorcsese's first popular film was Taxidriver from 1976. Scorsese is a NY based man, so it wasn't a surprise when his movies reflected the classic NY attitude. Robert DeNiro played the part of Travis Bickle, a once marine who served in Vietnam who is now looking to become a NYC taxi driver. Travis is a young man that is searching for a sense of somewhere to go. The life of a taxi driver is not an easy one; You see everything. He was willing to drive anywhere, but the parts of the city he was around the most weren't easy streets. You needed to have courage which Travis did. On route one night, he encounters a prostitute in trouble, but he does nothing. He sees this girl around and always wonders about her and if he can do anything. As Scorsese plays out the plot, you learn that Travis has some psychological issues that caused him to not always be the popular one in a group. He acts on pure reaction or emotion and lacks the interaction skills needed to act as a key part of society. He end up meeting up with the 12 year old prostitute named Iris, and makes a promise that one day he will save her. Travis murders her pimp and anyone in his way, but Iris is saved. Normally, if you were to hear that someone murdered multiple people you wouldn't think of him as a hero. Scrosese twists DeNiros character into a man that you you support for saving Iris. This film shows early on that Scorsese was an insanely talented man that adds a great touch to the Hollywood film world.