WatchmenComicMovie.com Forum

I love this movie. Great movie. But seeing it, I couldn't help but notice all the similarities between Travis and Rorshach/Walter. Their views of the world, their opinions about women and politics, and among other things, the journal in which all this is written on. Do any of you guys know if Alan Moore is a fan of Taxi Driver? I mean, Rorshach's journal can't be that big a coincidence can it? That whole scene where Rorshach gives his "American love" line is straight out of Taxi Driver. Taxi Driver was around before Watchmen.

Any thoughts, opinions, whatever. . .

_________________
"Préstame tu peine y péiname el alma. Purificame, no me abandones. Préstame tu sueño y duérmeme. Embrújame, volvámonos eternos."

Hello, Alfonso....I remembered reading this the other day....

Watching the Detectives website:

http://iat.ubalt.edu/moulthrop/hypertex ... _1100.html


Watchmen and Taxi Driver

Contributed by J.D. LaFrance, April 12, 1996

Among the many influences on the character of Rorschach I think one has to be Martin Scorsese's film, Taxi Driver (1975). For example:

Watchmen I.2.2. Rorschach's diary: "The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood aand when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown." Now this mirrors Travis Bickle's narration/diary at the beginning of the film when he says: "All the animals come out at night. Whores, skunks, pussies, buggers, queens, fairies, dopers, junkies. Sick. Venal. Some day a real rain'll come and wash all this scum off the streets." Both use diaries to document their mission to wipe out the scum of New York City.

There is more of Taxi Driver's influence on Watchmen that supports my Travis Bickle/Rorschach link:

In II.25.1-4: Rorschach's dejected walk down 42nd St. mirrors Travis' own stroll through a similar red light district in Taxi Driver. These panels strongly echo this scene and even the famous movie poster where De Niro's posture and the background scenery eerily resemble these panels

Thanks S.S. I hadn't read that before. It was hard for me watching Taxi Driver and not picture Rorshach saying those lines, writing into his journal, and vice versa. I think of Travis when reading the first two chapters of Watchmen. Especially the scenes in which they're walking down the red light district. If Rorshach's scenes are anything like Taxi Driver, i'll be more enthusiastic towards the film.

_________________
"Préstame tu peine y péiname el alma. Purificame, no me abandones. Préstame tu sueño y duérmeme. Embrújame, volvámonos eternos."

My number 2 favourite film ever!

_________________

What's your number 1?

Travis and Rorschach are also similar in that they are both vigilantes. When preparing to go out on the street, Travis takes the kind of improvising one would imagine Rorschach (although Rorschach doesn't use weapons) to take. Like the knife taped to his leg, or (even cooler), the gun attached to his arm.

_________________


"Heard them Walthers like to jump some" "As will you, with one in your elbow."

I'll give you a hint:
Pitt + Fincher, but not Se7en nor Benjamin Button...
That said, Taxi Driver is always a candidate for number 1
I've never associated myself with any fictional character more than Travis Bickle - is that something I should worry about?

_________________

I think I know your ~second~ favourite movie...but not my place to answere...it's one of my top movies also, up there with Taxi Driver. You don't need to worry...

Hurm....hate typos.

At the moment, Taxi Driver is my favorite movie. I especially loved the scene when he was talking to Becky on the phone. She is disappointed, and he's desperate to keep her friendship. The one man conversation is too painful to watch, so the camera just moves and focuses on the empty hallway. I'm not quite sure why that scene stood out to me more than others, but it gets to me everytime.

_________________
"Préstame tu peine y péiname el alma. Purificame, no me abandones. Préstame tu sueño y duérmeme. Embrújame, volvámonos eternos."

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yh9GEvMzA6I

something that is bringing me a lot of pleasure at the moment

_________________

Nice references!

_________________

I'd have to see it a few more times to confirm it as a favorite, but I adore Taxi Driver. Everything about it is just so perfect. Walter Chaw once said that if Scorsese had only made Taxi Driver he would still be considered one of the best american filmmakers to ever grace cinema and I completely agree.

I also see a lot of parallels between Rorschach and Travis. Also, a part of me wonders if Scorsese exists in the world of Watchmen

_________________
My unofficial and offical work-> http://www.youtube.com/movieboyandco

I'd say, not Scorsese, but Schrader (the writer) perhaps...
The story was essentially about himself and his emotions, and it struck true with Scorsese and De Niro from what I've heard.

Schrader has since put down his former self, saying that when his child was born he realized that the world didn't revolve around him.

Imagine. Rorschach with a child.

_________________

Have any of you seen The King of Comedy? In a way, it could almost be viewed as a companion piece to Taxi Driver. It too is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Robert De Niro as Rupert Pupkin, an isolated and delusional individual with aspirations of becoming a famous comedian, no matter the cost. Much like Taxi Driver, it has a surprisingly happy ending.

_________________


"Heard them Walthers like to jump some" "As will you, with one in your elbow."

I have! Like Taxi Driver, it's also fighting to get into my favorites, but it gets better with each viewing. It's a very funny and yet hard hitting film. It's too bad it wasn't such a big hit when it came out, but I can definitely see why. It's just one of those films that's so easy to relate to and so close to reality that it ends up scaring people away. It's odd how (good) comedies that do that aren't celebrated.

_________________
My unofficial and offical work-> http://www.youtube.com/movieboyandco

[NOTE: Thread merge! --"Curiosity Inc."]

So, this is a thread to discuss Taxi Driver, everything related to the movie, and specially, how much Brooklyn doesn't understand it.



So...BEGIN !!!

_________________

Are you talkin' to me?

_________________
Mexicano Al Grito De Guerra

I don't like you

_________________
@RealSlimCAvery

I'm just gonna leave this here as an attempt to start some discussion on the subject.

_________________
This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

I know there is a faction that think that Travis dies (there's even some people who have said that Kick Ass is all in Dave's head...) but I have never found an origin for this particular theory. Did Scorcese ever say anything to back this up or not? Or did this spring up from people unrelated to the film?

Anyone know?

_________________
@RealSlimCAvery

i read that cracked article, too. apparently scorcese said that the ending was too glamorous or something.

_________________