Taxi Driver: The origins of Paul Schrader’s 1976 screenplay

The 1976 film ‘Taxi Driver’ was born from screenwriter Paul Schrader’s experiences moving to New York and his fascination with existentialist literature and real-world events, such as Arthur Bremer’s attempted assassination of George Wallace. The script follows Travis Bickle, a Vietnam War veteran suffering from insomnia who becomes a night-shift taxi driver.

Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, the film features a cast including Cybill Shepherd, Jodie Foster, and Harvey Keitel. The production was facilitated by Brian De Palma, who introduced Schrader and De Niro to Scorsese. The film is noted as a defining work for a generation of filmmakers who reshaped Hollywood.