Taxi Driver is a Martin Scorsese film from 1976 about a Vietnam veteran named Travis Bickle who works as a taxi driver in New York City while struggling with insomnia and loneliness. The film follows Travis as he starts to lose his grip on reality and spiral towards violence. Through Travis's deteriorating mental state, the film explores themes of urban alienation and the dark side of the American Dream.

1. Genre
The genre is drama/psychological thriller
and isaimedat 18+ due to its graphic
violence andsexual themes.The filmfits
withBuckingham’stheory(1993) as the
filmisn’tpurelydramaorpsychological
thrillerbuta mixture of the two.Aswe see
Travisslowlyloose hismindafterhe
breaksup withBetsy,the filmstartsoff as
more of a drama thenprogressesintoa
psychological thriller.
Target audience
The filmisaimedat adultswhowantto
see a grittymovie thatmakessomeone
think.Onthe 4cs scale the reformer
and the explorerwouldchooseto
watch this filmasthisfilmdoesn’tfit
the stereotypical layoutof a normal
film, andreformersdon’tlike beingtold
whatto do.
FILM: Taxi Driver
PERSONNEL OFFICER
Education?
TRAVIS
Some. Here and there.
PERSONNEL OFFICER
Military record?
TRAVIS
Honourable discharge. May 1971.
PERSONNEL OFFICER
You moonlightin?
TRAVIS
No, I want long shifts.
PERSONNEL OFFICER
(Casually, almost to himself)We hire a lot of moonlighters here.
TRAVIS
So I hear.
PERSONNEL OFFICER
(Looks up at Travis)Hell, we ain't that much fussy anyway. There's always opening
on one fleet or another. (Rummages through his drawer, collecting various pink,
yellow and white forms)Fill out these forms and give them to the girl at the desk,
and leave your phone number. You gotta phone?
TRAVIS
No.
PERSONNEL OFFICER
Well then check back tomorrow.
TRAVIS
Yes, Sir.
CUT TO:
CREDITS
CREDITS appear over scenes from MANHATTAN NIGHTLIFE. The snow has melted, it is
spring. A rainy, slick, wet miserable night in Manhattan's theatre district. Cabs
and umbrellas are congested everywhere; well-dressed pedestrians are pushing,
running, waving down taxis. The high-class theatre patrons crowding out of the
midtown shows are shocked to find that the same rain that falls on the poor and
common is also falling on them. The unremitting SOUNDS of HONKING and SHOUTING play
against the dull pitter-patter of rain. The glare of yellow, red and green lights
reflects off the pavements and autos. When it rains, the boss of the city is the
taxi driver - so goes the cabbie's maxim, proven true by this particular night's
activity. Only the taxis seem to rise above the situation: They glide effortlessly.
Content
Taxi Driveris a martinScorsese filmabouta
war veteranwhoslowlyloseshismind,this
part of the scriptis the firsttime we meet
Travis(the taxi driver).Itsetsthe scene that
Travisisn’tquite normal andmay have
somethingslightlyoff abouthim.The film
was made in1976 and has become acult
classicdue to itsgrittyand dark themes.

2. Content
Lost isa TV show that lasted6 years
from2004 to its final episodein
2010
TV: LOST
JACK with Claire as the engine EXPLODES in the distance behind them
-- camera ROCKED, Claire SCREAMS, Jack COVERS Claire with his body
as debris falls -- LITTERING THE SITE WITH PIECES OF FIERY DEBRIS.
ANGLE 24 At least the HORRIBLE ENGINE NOISE IS GONE now -- and with
Jack's horrified face close to Claire's, he forces himself to appear
calm -- to his focus on her:
JACK
-- Listen to me-- listen to me, you're gonna be okay -- do you
understand? But you need to lie absolutely st—
CLAIRE
(Suddenly, winces, scared)-- There -- God, that's a big one—
JACK
-- Okay -- (looks up, calls out :) YOU!
The random person who turns is a MAN -- a large guy, more or less
frozen in terror -- this is HURLEY.
JACK
(CONT’D) COME HERE!
HURLEY
-- The -- the plane crashed—
JACK
Yeah, I know -- get over here!
And Hurley does -- in this moment he might just follow anyone
anywhere -- Jack rips off his watch, gives it to him:
JACK
-- I need you to get this woman away from these fumes! Take her over
there! -- Then stay with her! Don't let her move! If her
contractions occur closer than three minutes apart, call out for me!
HURLEY
-- Okay -- okay-- -- You gotta be kidding me –

3. Radio:Max Payne
Dispatcher:
Stand by, 10-10, investigate a reported disturbance
At Aesir Plaza.
Cop #1:
10-4 dispatcher, verify address...
Dispatcher:
That's Aesir Plaza, repeat, Aesir Plaza.
NEW YORK CITY.
PRESENT DAY. TWO HOURS AGO.
Cop #2:
Shots fired on the rooftop. An assault in progress at
Aesir Plaza. Repeat, an assault in progress.
Cop #3:
It's a warzone down here. 10-85 dispatcher, need additional
Units, additional units now! Officer in danger, officer in
Danger.
Dispatcher:
10-5, please repeat. 10-5, all units, all units,
Emergency, officer in danger, Aesir Plaza, repeat,
Aesir plaza, all units... [Fades Out]
Max Payne:
They were all dead. The final gunshot was an exclamation
Mark to everything that had led to this point. I released
My finger from the trigger, and then it was over. To make
Any kind of sense of it, I need to go back three years.
Back to the night the pain started. I was still in the
Force back then. NYPD, Manhattan, Midtown North Precinct.
Hell's kitchen.
Alex:
So, when are you coming to work for me, Detective Payne?
Max:

4. You'd make me work undercover in some hellhole. Sorry Alex Michelle and
the baby come first. See? My last smoke. It's bad for the baby.
MARK
There’s an old man sitting at the bottom of a
Garden. He's crying. He thinks he's lost his shoes. He has
No idea he's lost the rest of his clothes. He's not in
Great shape to be naked. He's baggy - his skin is
Baggy on him. He waits a beat and then smiles.
MARK
I walk over to him.
He looks again. He thinks.
MARK
The old man stirs and looks
up. He looks at his
Naked body. It's 7 o'clock. Just past. 7 o'clock PM.
This is important. I am due at work in forty five
Minutes - seven forty-five for an eight o'clock shift.
Dianne comes out and stands beside Mark.
MARK
My Dad looks at me, I look at him. He asks me
Whether I am a police officer. I say I am but that I'm
Not on duty yet. He asks me my name. I tell him. He
looks at me again - more queerly this time - that's
My name he says - yes, I say - and you're a police
Officer? Yes. I say. Then I must apologise he says.
And he stands up to show me the giant turd he's
Just laid on my lawn.
He takes a moment.
Ant comes out and stands beside Mark (on the
Opposite side to Dianne).
MARK
The two of us look at it together. The turd.
'Well...' he says. He looks at me 'I don't know what
To do' he says 'have you got a clue?'.
And I smile and say 'that rhymes Dad'.
And then we both laugh.
Though - I don't think he knows what he's laughing at.
And then before I know it the nurse has called and
Then I am sitting in a van on a way to a riot wearing
The wrong shoes.

5. He looks down at his shoes and back again. Then he bends and
does
Them up.