Taxi Driver
Films that document the frustration of people who live in theperimeters of the society have always evinced much interest in film buffsall over the world. What makes these films attractive to the viewer is thetheme, which brings about the frustration of some people on the generallack of standards in social life. In fact, concern over the generaldecadence of the society, coupled with strong emotional feelings that seekto remedy them is one of the high points that have always attractedattention from the general film viewers. It would be safe to say that suchfilms also reflect the need for the society to change its deviant ways,which often goes unrepresented. Often such films spark off a series ofdebates and discussions, because it induces people to think and debate onthe prominent issues that the society faces. Such films also expose thedecaying underside of the society, which would have been so cleverly maskedby a feeling of euphoria and abundance. The stark reality that unfortunatepeople, who could have contributed much to the nation building process,exist in squalid conditions evokes sympathy and self criticism in theviewers. The movie The Taxi Driver also depicts such a scenario
Travisis presented as a retired soldier turned taxi driver, who takes up thisprofession so that he can find peace in his life: an analogy to themillions of people who wage a daily war with the world. Similarly, their plight innot being able to realign themselves with the rigors of the modern societyis also conspicuously essayed. All through the film, we see atendency of the director to promote the brutal side of the natives ofAmerica and to denounce the undisciplined lives of the cowboys. It seems that his lack of understanding andhis inability to express his ideas to others, prompts him to take the lawinto his own hands; the consequence of which sees him becoming a seasonedand ruthless killer. The fact that hegets a job as a taxi driver brings him into close contact with the nervecenters of the city, which only seems to aggravate his condition and hisdisillusionment. We understand that Travis disliked the warand returns a saner person who wants to eschew violence and embrace themundane elements of life. On Travis' first visit to the brothel he is tauntingly addressed, both by Sport and the old man inside, as "cowboy", because of his boots. The high price of defeat at the hands of the enemy Perhaps the highpoint of the main character, Travis Bickle, in thefilm is that he belongs to the defeated side even though he is an American:an irony because America is considered to be the synonym of success andunlimited opportunities. Travis' blood bathonly proves that punishment in the form of violence will only alienate theaggressor from the mainstream of the society even though his excuses forcommitting violence may be justified. Hundreds of lives were lost in the war and yet,the sacrifices and pains of these soldiers were easily forgotten by agovernment, which wanted to cover up its misplaced initiative in a war inwhich it was humbled by a motley group of peasants- turned-soldiers. Itmust be noted that Travis comes back to the society after enduring a warthat took a heavy toll of lives. Materialism wasthe rule of the day and old time values and moral beliefs were simplyforgotten. Even though America has achieved much, the condition ofthose people who have been compelled to lead an ignominious life is shownrather vividly. The "Taxi Driver" religiouslyhighlights the plight of the war veterans of Vietnam: a section of theunwanted section of society, whose lives had been reduced to a mess becauseof the apathy of the government and the society.
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