Killing Taste Like Chicken

Taxi Driver reminds me of a C.I.A. mind control case study, it's like a the Manchurian Candidate sequel (Manchurian II On The Loose). Either way it is an incredibly focused film. That focus being on the main character Travis Bickle. Being this involved with one character allows you to look so deeply at the character that you almost feel like him during the movie.

The important parts of Travis Bickle's back story are laid out in the beginning of the movie while he is being interviewed for a job as a Taxi Driver. He responds to the interviewer very candidly, in fact he even makes an attempt at humor by telling the interviewer that he rides around the city all night anyway so he might as well get paid for it. Not only does this show that Travis starts of with confidence, but also that he is socially adept. However if you listen to his answers to the interviewer's questions they were so odd that he would not have landed the job if not for his military background. So although Travis seems "okay" he has already developed odd behavior patterns that are associated with mental illness, PTSD (post tramatic shock disorder) to be exact since he is a vietnam war veteren. The confident Travis Bickle walks into an offic and right up to the most beautiful girl there and demands she go with him on a date and of course she does. But before that confidence is built he sat outside that office all stalker like. It is the confident Travis Bickle that demands that same pretty girl go on date two with him to the movies. It is the incompatent and now clearly a little weird Travis that takes her to the porno theater. After that disaster and heartbreak the crazy starts to get a little more clear. But by the time he stops taking his medication (what ever kind it was) and is preparing to assasinate a potential presidential candidate the porno movie seems harmless. He has militirized his clothing, custom cutting it so the can kill swiftly. He's shining his jump boots like a good Marine. Then there is the mohawk...

The move tagline is "On every street in every city, there is a nobody that dreams of being somebody." I don't really think Travis had a need to be sombody as much as he needed to kill. For some people, once they have taste for killing, they crave it. Travis was willing to go on a one way trip to kill a good man. He made sure the secret service would recognize him almost as if he was commiting suicide. Luckily his gun is turned on lowlifes instead, making him a hero. A bullet in the neck and arm, plus a comma seem to cure his manic state, changing his demenor back to normal. His confidence restored so well he sees fit to leave the girl of his dreams in the rearview mirror, but I always wonder what happens to Travis when the attention is gone and he craves blood once again.

Travis Bickle may very well be the best character in movie history. As long as we have soldiers coming home from war, trying to find their ninche in civillian society Bickle will be real and relavent.

Kevin Washington