What Taxi Driver Teaches Us About Storytelling

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  • čas přidán 12. 06. 2024
  • Ever wonder how they wrote one of the greatest character studies of all time, Taxi Driver? Hear from Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese as they discuss the creation of the anti-hero Travis Bickle, how to create story from the perfect metaphor, and more insight into the writing process!
    Chapters:
    00:00 Preface
    00:29 1. The Inspiration
    01:49 2. Creating Stories Through Metaphor
    04:48 3. Creating Travis Bickle
    09:26 4. You Talkin' To Me?
    10:18 5. Script Format
    10:52 6. Study Yourself
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    Comment below a film or TV show you want me to research next.
    Taxi Driver is a 1976 American neo-noir psychological thriller drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, and starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, Leonard Harris, and Albert Brooks. Set in a decaying and morally bankrupt New York City following the Vietnam War, the film tells the story of Travis Bickle, a lonely taxi driver who descends into insanity as he plots to assassinate both the presidential candidate for whom the woman he is infatuated with works, and the pimp of an underage prostitute he befriends.
    ABOUT BEHIND THE CURTAIN
    Learn from real screenwriters... and then learn how that translates into your own writing process. Behind the Curtain takes the best pieces of advice and insight from professional screenwriters and deliver them to you in an easily watchable format. We're focused on creating a community of passionate screenwriters who are eager to grow together through learning from the best.
    LEARN MORE with this youtube interview playlist
    • How They Wrote Taxi Dr...
    How They Wrote Taxi Driver (Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese)
    • Better Call Saul tells...
    #screenwriting #taxidriver #martinscorsese
  • Krátké a kreslené filmy

Komentáře • 176

  • @BehindtheCurtain
    @BehindtheCurtain  Před 3 lety +9

    Stuck in your head with your story? Become a part of a community of writers and break out of your rut: www.behindthecurtainfilm.com/

    • @spudspuddy
      @spudspuddy Před 10 měsíci

      gay frogs is a real thing, it was a scientific study of the effects on rivers and wildlife after the birth control pill was invented and the town's urine is flushed into rivers filling them with high doses of female hormones...these hormones have been found deliberated injected into today's meat supplies and the rise in homosexuality is most likely the result of this deliberate action

  • @nickpastorino5370
    @nickpastorino5370 Před 3 lety +233

    "Art isn't about movies or what you're seeing; it's about knowing yourself."-Paul Schrader

  • @kmetcalfe
    @kmetcalfe Před rokem +28

    "It's a mistake to think you need a character to be likable. Instead, just make them fascinating." - Paul Schrader

  • @artcamp7
    @artcamp7 Před 3 lety +50

    This short video contains just about everything you every need to know about how to write. pretty remarkable

  • @sifatshams1113
    @sifatshams1113 Před 3 lety +171

    Anyone who loves Taxi Driver should also read Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground. Not only is the protagonist scarily relatable (for misanthropes like myself) but also far less homicidal than Travis.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  Před 3 lety +19

      I recently read it! I'm a fan of Dostoevsky, but hadn't gotten a chance to read Notes From Underground. Then I heard that Taxi Driver was based on it, and that made me even more interested.

    • @ahmedshabbir8345
      @ahmedshabbir8345 Před 3 lety +12

      Actually Travis (or entire Taxi Driver) is based on Notes from Underground. Scorsese has said this himself in many interviews.

    • @richardsantanna5398
      @richardsantanna5398 Před 2 lety +6

      He was also a lot more mad than Travis. The way he talked -it was like he had given up a long time ago.

    • @ryanegger4425
      @ryanegger4425 Před 2 lety

      get out of your crib and get a gf or a friend, nothing cool ab disliking humans, shits corny af

    • @TrueNeutralEvGenius
      @TrueNeutralEvGenius Před rokem

      @@richardsantanna5398 They are not mad, conformist fool.

  • @Justin_Cunningham
    @Justin_Cunningham Před 3 lety +51

    One of my favorite scripts of all time!

  • @ravecrab
    @ravecrab Před 2 lety +67

    Travis Bickle is one of the most psychologically rich characters in cinematic history. If you ever want to understand why kids take guns into schools and shoot their classmates, watch this film.

    • @joea9152
      @joea9152 Před 2 lety +12

      For me it’s more of a how than a why. As much as we can try to pin down a persons reasons to commit random violence, we can never know why because they don’t know either. What we and they do know is that their actions will get them attention, and what else is a lonely and isolated person in need of?

    • @TrueNeutralEvGenius
      @TrueNeutralEvGenius Před rokem

      ​@@joea9152 "random". It's not random. And don't tell they don't know, when it's you who don't know. You are not a psychological virtuoso, fool. Many of those isolated nonconformists know what and why they are doing. Not everyone tho, but you are generalizing and making projections just like another stupid mediocrity and conformisn, which you obviously are.

  • @gabrieldotterweich7388
    @gabrieldotterweich7388 Před 3 lety +25

    Wow, those quotes you chose for the "Study Yourself" chapter were very appropriate and inspiring.

  • @Jesus.the.Christ
    @Jesus.the.Christ Před 3 lety +19

    Not even two minutes in and you can tell that De Niro used Shrader's timing in building Bickle's way of talking.

  • @Nightcrawler77
    @Nightcrawler77 Před 3 lety +121

    The greatest movie of all time

    • @ufcclips15
      @ufcclips15 Před 3 lety +4

      I don't think so. I mean it's really, really good, it's pure cinema but not a movie including things to be the best of all times

    • @lonewalkerproductions
      @lonewalkerproductions Před 3 lety +1

      Yup

    • @punkaintdead4977
      @punkaintdead4977 Před 3 lety +2

      Yes

    • @Micolashcage1
      @Micolashcage1 Před 3 lety +1

      @@ufcclips15 ok. give an alternative, then

    • @cars.796
      @cars.796 Před 3 lety +2

      @@Micolashcage1 APOCALYPSE NOW . THE GODFATHER 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY.......... are you delusional?

  • @klunderjr.1046
    @klunderjr.1046 Před 3 lety +42

    Man... I waited for this one.. 🙏🏾

  • @DaichiS4815162342
    @DaichiS4815162342 Před 3 lety +12

    I love the screenwriting lectures that Schrader did. His writing process is very unique!

  • @Rekon-se6wv
    @Rekon-se6wv Před 22 dny +1

    I m sad to see De Niro grow older. He is such a great actor. I always enjoy his acting in all of the movies he does.

  • @merlinjames5954
    @merlinjames5954 Před 3 lety +58

    11:06 Paul Schrader is a manga fan?????

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  Před 3 lety +12

      I caught that too!

    • @jmalmsten
      @jmalmsten Před 3 lety +10

      I too reacted to that random inclusion. But before we start talking about Shrader the Otaku. It could also just mean that he's come across the term many times from people asking him about how to write films. Maybe even specifically adaptations and influences from japanese comic books. So he included it in this remark to lump it into the point he was making.
      But. It is curious that he did say Manga and did not use the more international term Graphic Novel. So he knows about it. He has opinions about it. Now I am intrigued to hear what he thinks about it. Is he really a fan? Or is he more a grudging old man like Miyazaki who is disappointed in where the promising industry has gone? Or does he just feel the distinctions of mediums of storytelling is fruitless and we should just concentrate on telling insightful stories about interesting people going through their struggles in fascinating ways? :)

    • @JackHC0
      @JackHC0 Před 3 lety +14

      His wife is Japanese. He made Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. Makes sense that he appreciates manga.

    • @jmalmsten
      @jmalmsten Před 3 lety +5

      @@JackHC0
      That is a "tiny" detail I managed to miss in my reasoning...
      Now I want to hear his take on Evangelion. :P

    • @mjolninja9358
      @mjolninja9358 Před 3 lety +2

      @@jmalmsten 9

  • @dylanthrillmour866
    @dylanthrillmour866 Před 3 lety +7

    The group mentioned the possibility doing a sequel in the 2000s. Part of that interests me, what would Travis be like in a post 9/11, social media age world. Would he survive? Is he an outlier of the filthy 70s New York in a cleaned up tourist town? Would more people relate to his isolation and misanthropy & would that make him less isolated by result? It’d ruin the original, considering the endings ambiguity.

  • @shrimboy7492
    @shrimboy7492 Před 3 lety +8

    Just watched this movie for the feel of what it was like in NY in the 70's.

  • @clingclanglarry3327
    @clingclanglarry3327 Před 3 lety +45

    Absolutely amazing essay! You can really feel how personal it was for Schrader. His ultimate remedy is to write it on ink and paper. Please do a essay on Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters. It's so underrated and I'd love to hear more about it!

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  Před 3 lety +5

      Exactly! Writing as self therapy can produce the most meaningful stories

  • @JaydevRaol
    @JaydevRaol Před 3 lety +3

    This really helped me understanding the film even more. Thanks for this. As always Quality Stuff! 👍

  • @film_magician
    @film_magician Před 3 lety +16

    9:57 great editing in this video :)

  • @shriviyasr3848
    @shriviyasr3848 Před 3 lety +4

    5:48 ,the theatre board has the best screenwriting advice

  • @alexh4319
    @alexh4319 Před 3 lety +5

    One of the greatest film scripts of all time.

  • @faresmejdi5216
    @faresmejdi5216 Před 3 lety +1

    great effort and work distilling the interviews! thank you for the video !

  • @OctowaveOfficial
    @OctowaveOfficial Před 3 lety +16

    Taxi driver has one of the best soundtracks ever

    • @mohamedashian604
      @mohamedashian604 Před 3 lety +1

      Gotta love Bernard herrmann

    • @Indieguitarist2007
      @Indieguitarist2007 Před 2 lety +1

      Bernard Herrmann in my opinion along with Morricone, is the greatest film composer of all time.

  • @glassjaw2007
    @glassjaw2007 Před 3 lety

    This was a wonderful compilation of interview with a great master!

  • @TheLazyReviewer
    @TheLazyReviewer Před 3 lety +32

    Unbeliveable that Schrader started writing a diary about his mental state on his day to day, not knowing that he will be writing one of the best scripts to one of the all time greats. Greats stories usually have some of the unexpected beginnings to it

  • @lanolinlight
    @lanolinlight Před rokem +6

    JOKER doesn't measure up because it was designed for a literal-minded generation that greets any metaphor more subtle than, say, the Joker's laugh, with confusion and hostility. They want "darkness" with no shadows. They want all the answers up front--answers to the least important questions. Schrader's work was personal; JOKER was a Hollywood player's shallow, calculated attempt at grafting its psychological intensity to a comic book property.

  • @serenitycinema5809
    @serenitycinema5809 Před 3 lety +1

    Such a good movie and a really insightful commentary on art in this video!

  • @doctorsueno1048
    @doctorsueno1048 Před 2 lety

    This is spectacular, really outstaning selection of clips!!!

  • @henocsilva562
    @henocsilva562 Před 3 lety +4

    After delivering pizza and doing postmates for years i watched this movie and had never related to a movie so much..

    • @lawrence-yx1ew
      @lawrence-yx1ew Před 3 lety

      Theres something very lonely about driving people around. I did lyft for about a year. I hated it but now that I have another job I find myself missing the simplicity of it. Driving around with my mind. I hardly ever talked and no one hardly ever talked to me.

    • @henocsilva562
      @henocsilva562 Před 3 lety

      @@lawrence-yx1ew what got to me was how short all my interactions became. Even if we wanted to sit and talk to each other we couldnt because there was this feeling of "having something to do" that would pull us away.. For me my job, them their food..

  • @mvdsanden
    @mvdsanden Před 3 lety

    Great lessons! Many thanks!

  • @Ryann10SA
    @Ryann10SA Před 3 lety +1

    Just added this video to my favourites list.

  • @oriheller2852
    @oriheller2852 Před 3 lety +8

    He wrote it while holding a gun next to him... That's how.

  • @cine.te.philia3632
    @cine.te.philia3632 Před 3 lety +2

    ONE OF THE BEST SCREENPLAY!

  • @cheesysofa92
    @cheesysofa92 Před 3 lety

    I love this video, super helpful

  • @ytubeanon
    @ytubeanon Před 2 lety +1

    Paul Schrader sounds like the most informative person I've heard about scriptwriting

  • @user-hc1vg5md3z
    @user-hc1vg5md3z Před 2 lety

    wow that's really brilliant. thanks for putting this togethher

  • @navide7522
    @navide7522 Před 8 měsíci

    Full of great points and also great edit

  • @DM-lv7tl
    @DM-lv7tl Před 3 lety +3

    this is incredible

  • @victors.k.p.5282
    @victors.k.p.5282 Před 3 lety +8

    The Scorsese cut at around 06.18 is hysterical. And when he keeps going on and doing the finger wagging killed me. Perfect.
    And amazing essay, as always. Have you thought of doing a full-on Kubrick one? (The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut - though I suppose he might not have had the time to do any interviews for that one). Or Blade Runner, In Bruges, Twin Peaks?

  • @MissInformationAcademy
    @MissInformationAcademy Před 3 lety +1

    insightful

  • @batgurrl
    @batgurrl Před 3 lety +1

    Excellent analysis for a masterpiece of cinema. Thanks.
    You talking to me?

  • @odoacredacalcutta5085
    @odoacredacalcutta5085 Před 3 lety

    how come I found this channell only now. This is exactly what I want to know about the movies I love. How they they spawned from their makers mind

  • @rayancedrichaddad1197

    Taxi Driver (1976) is my Favorite Film from Martin Scorsese. And the Paul Schrader's process to write the Film is really inspiring. One of the Best Film of All time.

  • @TheMegaMammoth
    @TheMegaMammoth Před 3 lety

    This is really good I need to make a vid like this

  • @anibalcesarnishizk2205
    @anibalcesarnishizk2205 Před 8 měsíci

    Who knows whether Henry Hill saw Scorsese's crew shoot the movie without knowing his name was going to be mentioned in the movie Goodfellas directed by Scorsese.

  • @guillermocastello03
    @guillermocastello03 Před 3 lety +2

    I can't believe i'm early for this :''

  • @educatetheleft
    @educatetheleft Před rokem +1

    4:48 is that the taxi driver soundtrack playing in reverse in the background?

  • @Afro1234321
    @Afro1234321 Před 3 lety +1

    Can we get the sources of the interviews?

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  Před 3 lety

      I linked to a playlist of most of the interviews! There was maybe one or two that weren't on CZcams and are from Fresh Air.

  • @3Prayt
    @3Prayt Před 3 lety

    Yesss

  • @brianban110
    @brianban110 Před 3 lety

    One my favorite movies ever

  • @namanshah8354
    @namanshah8354 Před 3 lety +1

    At least they should have given credits to Paul for joker

  • @mondantarigan5579
    @mondantarigan5579 Před 3 lety +1

    Halo man!

  • @emanuelgarcia7542
    @emanuelgarcia7542 Před 2 lety

    Is there anyway I can get in contact with the Director. I want to ask him what gave him the idea to portray this sort of character in his movie. Has he ever came across a man like William in real life or better you ask him and tell him a big fan is highly interested in watching all his movies after watching the movie card counter

  • @phantomfire8228
    @phantomfire8228 Před 2 měsíci +1

    6:46

  • @thesagar2068
    @thesagar2068 Před 3 lety

    Can I get some more explanation on metaphors and problems that paul is talking about.. ??

  • @peterstuckel
    @peterstuckel Před rokem +1

    0:22 I read Palpatine, omg, too much star wars...

  • @charleswinokoor6023
    @charleswinokoor6023 Před 2 lety +1

    The most jarring and powerful scene was when Travis interrupted a young black guy using a gun to rob a Puerto Rican bodega owner.and while doing so shot the robber to death in self defense.
    When Travis tells the store owner he doesn’t have a gun license the guy tells him to just take off.
    Then the bodega owner grabs a metal bar and proceeds to beat the dead guy while cursing him and calling him maricon.
    He’s also pissed off that he keeps getting robbed.
    There was no phony baloney artistic irony about it.
    It had to have been the most realistic scene in the movie.

  • @sleptking1707
    @sleptking1707 Před 3 lety +573

    Really didn’t like this movie, complete rip off of joker.

    • @jacktee4030
      @jacktee4030 Před 3 lety +16

      TRUE

    • @alexh4319
      @alexh4319 Před 3 lety +33

      lol, nice trolling job there.

    • @LuisSierra42
      @LuisSierra42 Před 3 lety +64

      I'm sick of the big studios ripping off honest independent work like Joker

    • @NineInchNailer
      @NineInchNailer Před 3 lety +16

      After reading your comment I started laughing and yelled "Fuck you, dude!" at the same time...just so you know!

    • @bmsSumner
      @bmsSumner Před 3 lety +4

      LMAO big facts

  • @TrueNeutralEvGenius
    @TrueNeutralEvGenius Před rokem

    Well done compilation, mah boy.

  • @travisbickle01
    @travisbickle01 Před rokem

    Greatest movie of all time

  • @Aleezy18
    @Aleezy18 Před 3 lety +1

    You talking to me?.... you talking to ME?

  • @johnnyapples33d0E
    @johnnyapples33d0E Před 3 lety +1

    wot's the background jazz music, anyone?

    • @shrimpflea
      @shrimpflea Před 3 lety +1

      Composed for the film by Bernard Herrmann

    • @patrickflaherty6586
      @patrickflaherty6586 Před 2 lety +1

      The great Bernard Herrmann,,! Who also wrote The Great musical score for the original Cape Fear also used in De Niro's later Cape Fear movie

    • @johnnyapples33d0E
      @johnnyapples33d0E Před 2 lety

      @@shrimpflea thank u

    • @johnnyapples33d0E
      @johnnyapples33d0E Před 2 lety

      @@patrickflaherty6586 thank u

    • @johnnyapples33d0E
      @johnnyapples33d0E Před 2 lety

      @@shrimpflea just had it ij my head that such choomz weren't hermdogg, but yeah i guess makes sense. W ot a legemd

  • @tp8271
    @tp8271 Před rokem +1

    It’s based off of the underground man

  • @jonfee5081
    @jonfee5081 Před 3 lety

    7:00 did Martin Scorsese just describes his character on a comic book character?

    • @DanBharry
      @DanBharry Před 3 lety

      Batman movies are now cinema

    • @jonfee5081
      @jonfee5081 Před 3 lety

      @@DanBharry yeah I know Batman is the reason why I love dc more than marvel.Batman movies are not about the money it is about sending a message

  • @house684
    @house684 Před 3 lety

    'They'?

  • @adityasingh5159
    @adityasingh5159 Před 3 lety

    Oh god imagine scorscese making Batman wow

  • @ransakreject5221
    @ransakreject5221 Před 2 lety

    Did Scorsese just almost compliment Batman?

  • @muffinsdawg
    @muffinsdawg Před 3 lety +2

    That’s it. I’m writing my movie. Remember my name guys

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  Před 3 lety +1

      LET'S GOOOOOO. Check in with our discord if you have any questions or need motivation from other writers!

  • @transporterIII
    @transporterIII Před 3 lety

    problem-metaphor ubiquitous in scripture

  • @Mateoarredondo
    @Mateoarredondo Před 3 lety

    First? Oh fuck I got beat

  • @SP-cp3qu
    @SP-cp3qu Před 2 lety

    n1

  • @TrueNeutralEvGenius
    @TrueNeutralEvGenius Před rokem

    That's ironic and tragicomedic when writer himself don't understand the final product which they created.
    "He goes to a girl which is better than him..." - what a complete bs. She never was better than him. And it was perfectly implied over the film and dialogues and magnificent final. He rejects her in the end, not vise versa.

  • @GingerGamingandStuff
    @GingerGamingandStuff Před 3 lety +32

    Nothing is more pure than Martin Scorsese whispering ”Batman!”

  • @emanuelgarcia7542
    @emanuelgarcia7542 Před 2 lety

    Is there anyway I can get in contact with the Director. I want to ask him what gave him the idea to portray this sort of character in his movie. Has he ever came across a man like William in real life or better you ask him and tell him a big fan is highly interested in watching all his movies after watching the movie card counter

    • @emanuelgarcia7542
      @emanuelgarcia7542 Před 2 lety

      The reason I’m asking is because I am that guy. The loner who hides and a few people have found me mysterious. I’m reaching out because I’ve been lost. I have questions

    • @leeleeman4678
      @leeleeman4678 Před rokem

      @@emanuelgarcia7542 cringe

    • @emanuelgarcia7542
      @emanuelgarcia7542 Před rokem

      @@leeleeman4678 Ik it sounds fake ,but even I couldn’t believe my life when it all started going wrong