The Martin Scorsese movie Edgar Wright said “feels forever seared onto your eyeballs”
Between the iconic Cornetto trilogy, stylish coming-of-age Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and the beloved Baby Driver, Edgar Wright has secured his place in the hearts of film fans worldwide. The British director has an endless ability to entertain, blending unique comedic writing with innovative editing and carefully curated soundtracks to forge movies filled to the brim with fun.
Watching a Wright-directed project always feels like entering one of his worlds. Scott Pilgrim plunges you into a gameworld amidst the snowy streets of Toronto, Hot Fuzz immerses viewers in the cult-ridden town of Sandford, and Shaun of the Dead forces viewers to face a zombie invasion in a characteristically British pub.
Though danger is often at the centre of his plots, Wright rarely ventures into gritty worlds, offsetting violence with comedy, bright settings and stylish editing. While it might seem worlds away from the cobbled streets of Sandford or the Golden Mile pub crawl, one of the director’s favourite films is Martin Scorsese’s iconic, gritty thriller, Taxi Driver.
In a BFI list of the best movies of all time, chosen by some of the greatest directors of all time, Wright picked out the 1976 Scorsese classic, deeming it “a film so vivid, hypnotic and corrosive that it feels forever seared onto your eyeballs”.
Set in the depths of New York City, the movie follows Robert De Niro as the now-iconic Travis Bickle through his struggles with mental health and crime. Dark and dreamy, it’s far colder and more pessimistic than any of Wright’s cinematic endeavours. “Taxi Driver turns a city, a time and a state of mind into a waking nightmare that’s somehow both horribly real and utterly dreamlike,” Wright concluded.
Wright is not alone in his admiration for the film – Taxi Driver has been seared onto the eyeballs of many. Over four decades on from its first release, its legacy remains as strong as ever. From posters on university room walls to Todd Phillips’ Joker, it still remains a cult classic. The director’s long-term collaborator, Leonardo DiCaprio, even named it as his favourite Scorsese movie.
Though Wright’s own filmography is far less nightmarish or corrosive, it still manages to prove unforgettable. While Scorsese’s Taxi Driver finds its impact by confronting the violent and disturbing underbelly of society head-on, Wright’s vivid writing and editing are memorable in their own way. From the nostalgic feeling he creates to endlessly quotable lines to Ramona Flowers references, his own body of work has been etched into the hearts of countless cinephiles.
