Script To Screen: “Taxi Driver”

From the 1976 movie Taxi Driver written by Paul Schrader.

Setup: Travis Bickle [Robert DeNiro] comes looking for young prostitute Iris [Jodie Foster] only to run into some interference.

SPORT
What's going on?TRAVIS
I'm here to see Iris.SPORT
Iris?TRAVIS pushes SPORT back into the dark recesses of the
corridor.SPORT
Wha -- ?TRAVIS
Yeah, Iris. You know anybody by
that name?SPORT
No.
(beat)
Hillbilly, you'd better get your
wise ass outa here and quick, or
you're gonna be in trouble.TRAVIS is being propelled by an inner force, a force which
takes him past the boundaries of reason and self-control.TRAVIS
(restrained anger)
You carry a gun?SPORT looks into TRAVIS' eyes, saying nothing: he realizes
the seriousness of the situation.TRAVIS pulls his .38 Special and holds it on SPORT, pushing
him even further back against the wall.TRAVIS
Get it.SPORT
(submissive)
Hey, mister, I don't know what's
going on here. This don't make any
sense.TRAVIS
(demanding)
Show it to me.SPORT reluctantly pulls a .32 caliber pistol (a "purse gun")
from his pocket and holds it limply.TRAVIS sticks his .38 into SPORT's gut and discharges it.
There is a muffled blast, followed by a muted scream of pain.TRAVIS
Now suck on that.Agony and shock cross SPORT'S face as he slumps to the floor.
TRAVIS turns and walks away before SPORT even hits.As TRAVIS walks away, SPORT can be seen struggling in the b.g.TRAVIS, he gun slipped into his jacket, walks quickly up the
sidewalk.AROUND THE CORNER, TRAVIS walks into the darkened stairway
leading to IRIS' apartment.As he walks up the stairs, TRAVIS pulls the .44 Magnum from
behind his back and transfers the .38 Special to his left
hand. He walks up the steps, a pistol dangling from each
hand.AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, TRAVIS spots THE OLD MAN sitting
at the far end of the dark corridor. THE OLD MAN starts to
get up when TRAVIS discharges the mighty .44 at him. BLAAM!
The hallway reverberates with shock waves and gun powder.THE OLD MAN staggers at the end of the corridor: his right
hand has been blown off at the forearm.There is the sharp SOUND of a GUNSHOT behind TRAVIS: his
face grimaces in pain. A bullet has ripped through the left
side of his neck. Blood flows over his left shoulder.TRAVIS' .44 flies into the air.TRAVIS looks down the stairway: there SPORT lies choking in
a puddle of his own blood. He has struggled long enough to
fire one shot.Falling, TRAVIS drills another .38 slug into SPORT's back
but SPORT is already dead.TRAVIS slumps to his knees. Down the corridor THE OLD MAN
with a bloody stump is struggling toward him. TRAVIS turns
his .38 toward THE OLD MAN.The door to No. 2 opens: IRIS' scream is heard in the b.g.
The bulky frame of the PRIVATE COP fills the doorway. His
blue shirt is open, in his hand hangs a .38 service revolver.The PRIVATE COP raises his gun and shoots TRAVIS. TRAVIS,
blood gushing from his right shoulder, sinks to the floor.
His .38 clangs down the stairs.THE OLD MAN grows closer. TRAVIS smashes his right arm
against the wall, miraculously, the small Colt .25 glides
down his forearm into his palm.TRAVIS fills the PRIVATE COP's face full of bullet holes.The PRIVATE COP, SCREAMING, crashes back into the room.Here is the scene in the movie:http://static.movieclips.com/embedplayer.swf?shortid=RecbQuestions to ask to analyze the scene:* What elements in the movie scene are the same as the script?* What elements in the movie scene are different than the script?* Regarding the differences, put yourself in the mindset of the filmmakers and speculate: Why did they make the changes they did?* How did the changes improve the scene?* Alternatively are there elements in the script, not present in the movie, that are better than the final version of the scene?* Note each camera shot in the movie version. Which of them does the script suggest via sluglines or scene description?* How does the script convey a sense of the scene’s tone, feel, and pace through scene description and dialogue?* What ‘magic’ exists in the movie that is not indicated in the words of the script? How do you suppose that magic emerged?I’ll see you in comments for a discussion of this scene from Taxi Driver.One of the single best things you can do to learn the craft of screenwriting is to read the script while watching the movie. After all a screenplay is a blueprint to make a movie and it’s that magic of what happens between printed page and final print that can inform how you approach writing scenes. That is the purpose of Script to Screen, a weekly series on GITS where we analyze a memorable movie scene and the script pages that inspired it.