18 Scripts Wannabe Screenwriters Should Read Right Now

11. Taxi Driver (1976)

The Script: "A mentally unstable Vietnam war veteran works as a night-time taxi driver in New York City where the perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge for violent action, attempting to save a preadolescent prostitute in the process." - IMDb What You'll Learn: Martin Scorsese gets most of the credit for the cinematic milestone that is Taxi Driver, but none of it would have been possible without screenwriter Paul Schrader, who arguably crafted the most definitive "screenplay as a character study" when he penned this story about a Vietnam veteran out to cleanse the streets. Travis' internal monologue, the unmistakable backbone here, provides a textbook example of how to write and incorporate narration that feels relevant and adds layers. The ambiguous nature of Travis' morality - is he a good guy or a bad guy? - also marks Schrader's script as totally irresistible, dream-like and dense. A perfect speculative screenplay. You can read Paul Schrader's script for Taxi Driver here.