Taxi Driver: The Doubtful Urban Hero

with film writer, Nick Parker, PhD

Martin Scorsese’s 1976 movie Taxi Driver has become one of the most celebrated cult films of its generation. The image of a chillingly unstable Robert De Niro, playing troubled Vietnam veteran and now NYC cab driver Travis Bickle, adorns many a student dorm-room. Despite his violent tendencies though, Bickle is far more than just a psychotic villain, and we’ll chat about the heroic aspects of Bickle’s character, and the affect his life in the city has on the play between good-guy and bad-guy.

6:45 - Doors Open

7:00 - Intro to Film by Nick Parker

7:10 - Taxi Driver 113 Minutes

9:30 - Discussion on Film led by Nick Parker

Nick Parker has been teaching and writing about film for over ten years. He has published articles on M Night Shyamalan ‘s Lady in the Water, William Golding’s novel “Pincher Martin” and the horror film “Open Water.” He holds a PhD from Boston College. He lives in downtown Lynn and currently teaches film, literature and writing at Babson College.