Alfred Hitchcock and Martin Scorsese are arguably in the top cadre of directors whose approach to cinematography has been deemed masterful. Although the two directors have adopted divergent approaches in conveying their thematic concerns in films, a myriad of similarities can be identified in their works. In a bid to decipher the cinematic styles adopted by each of the directors, it is imperative that the signature styles of each of the directors are explored, their works are analyzed, presentation of thematic concerns is examined, and character portrayal is explored.
Alfred Hitchcock’s work in movies has become synonymous with masterful cinematography. Hitchcock’s movie directing prowess stem from his usage of suspense and visual storytelling. Hitchcock is regarded as among the best visual storytellers of all time because his approach was underpinned by the notion that silent pictures are the purest form of cinema. Moreover, Hitchcock thrives in the visual storytelling domain because of his background in silent movies. Hitchcock staunchly held the position that the arrival of sound to the movie industry in 1927 allowed directors to convey messages that could not have been otherwise relayed by explicitly depending on the silent picture. However, the introduction of sound resulted in the loss of the art of visual storytelling. As a result, it is conspicuously evident throughout Hitchcock’s work that sound is secondary to visual storytelling. The assertion is particularly true because when one thinks of Hitchcock, images come to mind more often than dialogues; the spectacularly shot shower scene in the movie Psycho (1960) and the handcuffed Madelaine Carroll in the film The 39 Steps produced in (1935). Moreover, Hitchcock is hailed as the master of suspense because of his usage of leading ladies to challenge the gender stereotypes that prevailed at the time.
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Martin Scorsese is also an iconic movie director in his own right, and one of his most memorable works is the Taxi Driver . Although his fills traverse numerous genres, Martin Scorsese’s work tends to possess his characteristic utilization of mise en scenes and montages to create though-provoking scenes. Moreover, Martin Scorsese adopts a nonrealistic approach to film as is denoted by the fact that he prefers to use characters that mirror social issues at the time period that the movie is set. Despite the fact that Martin Scorsese utilized rock music, an uncommon approach at the time, in his movies, his reliance on silence as a tool for bringing scenes to their climax shows a convergence with Hitchcock’s approach.
Even though Martin Scorsese’s approach to cinematography denotes a significant departure from Hitchcock styles, the movie Taxi Driver pays homage to Hitchcock’s work The Wrong Man (1956). At a glance, the story of Manny Balestrero, a father wrongfully accused of robbery demonstrates little similarity to Bickle’s struggles in the film Taxi Driver . However, Scorsese’s shooting approach pays homage to Hitchcock’s movie. Camera movements and angles adopted in the shooting of Taxi Driver aimed to convey paranoia and guilt were drawn from Hitchcock’s work. Camera movements are particularly evident in the scene where Travis talks to himself in front of the mirror. Furthermore, the camerawork in the movie is deliberately executed to demonstrate Travis’ alienation from society. This aspect is evidenced in the scene where Travis walks out of the dispatcher garage. In the scene, the camera pans from the right side to the left as the cab drives right, while all other taxis seem to be moving in the opposite direction. The use of camerawork to relay thematic concerns is also evident in the movie The Wrong Man . In the scene when the accusations leveled against Manny drive his wife to the edge, Hitchcock challenges prevalent stereotypes about women (Bao, 2014). The endeavor is accomplished by setting the camera above the eyes of Rose signifying her insignificance, but her body posture signified strength.
In both Hitchcock’s movie Psycho and Scorsese’s film Taxi Driver , the theme of mental ailment is presented. The character in Hitchcock’s movie, Norman Bates, is a chilling representation of a psychopath. Bates's demeanor as an adult stemmed from the demented mannerism in which he was treated by his manipulative and possessive mother. The extent of the impact that his mother had on him is far-reaching, as denoted by the fact that Bates is still haunted by his mother through episodes of crippling psychosis. Principally, her sinister ways impeded Bates from developing any meaningful relationship with any woman. In the context of the movie Taxi Driver , the main character, Travis Bickle, is also battling mental instability as evidenced by insomnia. Also, both Bickle and Bates are detached from mainstream society and are unable to fit in. Nonetheless, the two characters are different in the sense that Travis, although he previous harbored negative perceptions towards black people, is willing to change or rather receives an incentive to change. Conversely, Bates remains detached and conservative to the notion that one’s best friend is his mother. Also, while Bate's demeanor is largely shaped by his mother’s influence, Travis’ perceptions are entirely informed by his experience in the Vietnam War. Ultimately, both directors portray mentally unstable characters who take wholesomely different directions in life.
Martin Scorsese, in his movie, Taxi Driver , deliberately blurs the line between the commercials and artistry. From the movie, it is evident that Martin tries to appeal to both the traditional cinema audience as well as challenge the intellectual cinema critics. The amalgamation of the old and the new is holistically dependent on impeccable use of allusion, since any wrongly usage of allusion would result in the production of a somewhat incomprehensible piece. The allusion in the context of film is an expression of an idea without explicitly mentioning it. In the movie, Taxi Driver , Martin uses allusion to advance thematic concerns. The usage of allusion in the movie is evidenced by the fact that the movie Taxi Driver is closely related to Hitchcock’s work Psycho . In both films, not only does Travis Bickle share idiosyncratic attributes with Bates, but also specific shots from psycho are integrated in the movie Taxi Driver . One allusion that denotes that the film Taxi Driver draws inspiration from Hitchcock’s work is the shot of Travis’ massacre in a bid to save Iris, which is a direct allusion of the scene where Bate murders a police officer tasked with the mandate to investigate the disappearance of Crane.
The fact that the film mirrors techniques employed in previous publications nudges intellectual movie critics to explore the possibility that Travis’ purported emancipation of Iris is the work of a sadistic killer rather than a savior. In this regard, by alluding to Hitchcock’s work, Martin strives to provoke an in-depth analysis of the movie.
In conclusion, Hitchcock and Scorsese are perceived as legends in the movie industry not only because of their masterful usage of cinematographic techniques but also because their productions are deemed iconic. The two directors employ divergent styles, but there are some similarities in their approaches and works. Scorsese’s work Taxi Driver draws inspiration from Hitchcock’s work, Psycho and The Wrong Man . Although Scorsese does not state explicitly that his work is inspired by Hitchcock’s movie Psycho , the use of allusion prompts scholars to compare and critically evaluate the works of the two directors.
References
“Taxi drivers: five films that influenced Scorserse’s masterpiece.” BFI . Retrieved from https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/taxi-driver-40th-anniversary-five-films-influenced-scorseses .
Bao, M. (2014). Film Surgeon: Dissecting The Wrong Man. Gorilla . Retrieved from http://gorillafilmonline.com/features/film-theory/film-surgeon-dissecting-the-wrong-man/ .
Simpson, L. (2014). Filmic allusion in Taxi Driver. Applaudience. Retrieved from https://medium.com/applaudience/filmic-allusion-in-taxi-driver-50d0ddb94146 .
