If a good movie is measured by how subtly it divulges information and the presence of rich interesting characters, then Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver is a good movie. Although Scorsese uses a few short cuts, like the interview in the beggining catching the viewer up on Travis Bickle, information on the back story and character of Bickle is told through clever cinematography and reliance on the performances of the actors to portray the specific mood and intentions of the character. By showing his cluttered apartment, his frantic journal entries, his eyes shifting back and forth during his night shifts, and his mostly unkempt appearance the viewer can see how lost and confused Bickle is. Reactions pull most of the wait in this movie. Without having much said the audience learns just how much Bickle despises the "filth" in the streets, that Tom is attracted to Bettsy, that Bettsy is coutiously attracted to Bickle, and that Bickle becomes continously more uneasy and dillusional. his non-verbal reaction to iris being taken from the cab, his reluctance to give up the bill "Sport" gave him, and his final decision to save Iris through a murder/suicide all show his human need to protect and serve those in need, acting as a juxtaposition to his chaotically pessimistic personality. This complexity just shows that Bickle is a very round character. The other characters in the film are mostly flat characters. They provide enough information to know their motives and values. They help set Bikle off from the rest, further showing his seclusion. This contrast between a rich, interesting, round character and a group of simple, easy to read, flat characters highlight the many neuroses of bickle. I believe this defenition explains Bickles character very well.
According to Dr. George Boeree, effects of neurosis can involve:
"...anxiety, sadness or depression, anger, irritability, mental confusion, low sense of self-worth, etc., behavioral symptoms such as phobic avoidance, vigilance, impulsive and compulsive acts, lethargy, etc., cognitive problems such as unpleasant or disturbing thoughts, repetition of thoughts and obsession, habitual fantasizing, negativity and cynicism, etc. Interpersonally, neurosis involves dependency, aggressiveness, perfectionism, schizoid isolation, socio-culturally inappropriate behaviors, etc."
-im not sure how to do citation on a blog, but i got this off of Wikipedia (Boeree, Dr. C. George (2002). "A Bio-Social Theory of Neurosis". http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/genpsyneurosis.html. Retrieved 2009-04-21.)
By Jonathan Donovan
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Great journal, Jonathan! Citing outside sources is a great way to give your argument credibility, although Wikipedia is user-entered and sometimes can be a terrible source but in this case I think it is very well-used. Good work.
ReplyDeleteYou do a great job of pinpointing Travis' neurosis and his relationship to others. I agree he is very round, complex, but I also think there are other round characters here, such as Iris and Betsey; Betsey seems good but we learn she is a bit snotty, in addition to her being attracted to a weirdo like Travis. Iris seems bad but we end up sympathizing with her as she's just a kid wanting to get away from nowhere'sville, America who has been taken advantage of by a scumbag, Sport. Either way, you're right that all of the characters serve simply to motivate Travis on his journey through post traumatic stress disorder in a world that has gone completely wrong in his eyes. In some ways, I think he was way more comfortable in Vietnam, where at least he knew what to expect from people. Travis is an accidental hero, who almost became a notorious criminal. He got lucky, for now.....