Conclusion
Let me address a few things…
I know Todd Phillips has in interviews stated that Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy (both Scorsese/Di Nero films) are direct inspirations for the Joker. I’m not trying to reveal some secret here. What I am trying to do however, is make you dear audience understand that we wouldn’t have Joker if not for Taxi Driver.
Without the success of these movies, we wouldn’t have a movie like Joker be green lit by DC (I’m still suprised they let the director of the hangover do it). And I know there’s definite siilarities between The King of Comedy and Joker, but I haven’t seen it yet so were just gonna leave it. I also know that Joker has plenty of it’s own origional ideas. It’s not a direct copy rather just heavily inspired.
The point I guess I’m trying to make is, if you liked Joker, you’ll love Taxi Driver. I believe that it portrays a more grounded story than Joker, and I find Robert Di Nero’s Travis Bickle a much more likeable protagonist than Arthur Fleck. It has the same messages Joker attempts to speak on, but delivers them with heaps more subtelty and care. It’s gorgeous aand detestible and it’s a damn good time
So before you continue to praise Joker as a modern classic, watch the classic it was based on, m’kay?
If you want to read/watch more on this topic, heres some cool content
Matinee Moviegoer 