The Rise the American Anti-Hero

What historical factors influenced the rise of the American Anti-Hero in cinema and how does this hero contradict the Classic Hollywood Ideology.

"An anti-hero in today's books and films will perform acts generally deemed 'heroic', but will do so with methods, manners, or intentions that may not be heroic" This connects well with Travis Bickle, who is the main character within the movie Taxi Driver. Travis is an unlikey hero which is a character who may not be conspicuously flawed, but simply an ordinary person who thrust into extraordinary circumstances. He helped a young girl, Iris, get out of a horrible life of prostitution but he was not the typical hero. He was a shy guy who simply had nothing but his job as a taxi driver. He tried to commit suicide yet he was considered a hero to his city.

"Anti-heroes became these altruistic characters that were supposed to be representations of real people...or real Americans. Even if they were being played by some of the most chiseled and good looking people in the world, the anti-hero got past that by getting dirty and wearing the clothes of the common man." Scorsese did a good job at making Travis Bickle this type of man. He was not the brave, strong, and good looking man that is the typical hero. Travis was dirty and a low life, which shows that anyone can be a hero. You don't have to be an extrodinary man to be a hero, Travis made a difference in Iris' life as well as her parents life.

"Towards the end of the 60s and into the 70s filmmakers began to tweak the anti-hero, giving the role a darker or even non-heroic quality." Not only did Travis resemble a common american he also was a dark type of character who had no heroic qualities at all. He resembles a bum more than a hero.