Taxi Driver 1976

Ang bata ni Robert De Niro dito. Parang batang Jake Gyllenhaal energy sa Donnie Darko. May parehong unsettling presence, tahimik pero puno ng inner chaos. For a 1976 film, ang ganda at ang linis ng colors nito, lalo na sa gabi. Vibrant neon colored yung city. I think malaking factor na remastered version ito, kaya mas buhay yung reds, greens, and yellows ng New York streets. Ang ganda ng lens choices and framing, especially yung close ups sa mata. Madalas nakaframe si Travis na parang nakakulong sa sarili niyang isip. Maganda rin ang musical score. It has old school vibes because Bernard Herrmann uses a mix of jazz saxophone, brass, and orchestral strings. The sax gives that lonely, late night city feel, parang noir, habang yung orchestral parts feel ominous and disturbing. Parang romantic sadness sa umpisa, pero unti unting nagiging menacing habang lumalala yung mental state ni Travis. Parang nagrebelde lang siya dahil nareject siya? Medyo ganun yung dating sa akin. Parang ang babaw ng trigger. Pero on top of that, meron din siyang sariling twisted sense of justice, remembering Iris and trying to save her. Tulad nga ng sabi ni Iris, “High and Mighty.” He sees himself as someone chosen to clean the streets. Motifs of red in the color grading are very apparent, especially kapag galit sya or spiraling. Red lights, red walls, red blood. It visually reinforces rage, violence, and obsession. The ending is pure gunfight, parang Tarantino pero mas raw. Old school yung sound effects ng gunshots, very loud, sharp, and almost exaggerated. The practical effects of wounds and blood are also old school. Makapal yung dugo, obvious yung prosthetics, pero it adds to the brutality. Hindi siya clean or stylish. It feels messy, uncomfortable, and violent in a very physical way. The visuals and score during the crime scene frames almost turn the film into horror. The slow camera movements, the lingering shots on bodies, the eerie score makes it feel like we’re inside Travis’ broken mind. Hindi na siya action, hindi na siya thriller. Parang psychological horror na.