In this analysis, the book examines the origins of themes and characters found in Martin Scorsese’s films. The main focus is on the film Taxi Driver. It explores how the young Scorsese’s anger towards the church stemmed from its conflicting views on sex compared to his own experiences. Furthermore, his frustration towards women was clearly depicted in his early works, including Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. The author draws comparisons between Taxi Driver and other Scorsese films, highlighting their resemblances and the parallel characters they feature, such as Travis Bickle and Amsterdam Vallon from Gangs of New York.
According to Miliora, the central themes of Taxi Driver revolve around how a man’s personal identity, psychology, and behavior are influenced by their roots or sense of belonging. The author also explores the contrasting characteristics of the two main female characters in the film, Betsy and Iris. Initially, Travis sees Betsy as pure and innocent, like an angel. However, after being rejected by her, he sees her as tainted and impure, essentially viewing her as a prostitute.
On the contrary, the author states that Iris is portrayed as a prostitute but Travis desires to save her and restore her purity. Another theme explored in Taxi Driver is how the media portrays heroes, as Travis’s actions of committing murder ultimately lead to him being hailed as a hero. Miliora’s analysis of Scorsese’s films, including Taxi Driver, offers fresh and captivating insights into the movie. The book extensively discusses Scorsese’s portrayal of masculinity and his characters’ fixation on phallic symbols.
