Hypothesis

In what way has Robert De Niro helped to modernise the classic gangster character archetype?

Brief Textual Analysis

De Niro's characters often depict a guilty victim of transgressive desires: excessive violence, so self-destructive that they are condemned. His characters are always mentally flawed individuals who are constrained by their past or heritage and desperate to improve the conditions of their existence whether it be financially in Goodfellas or socially in Taxi Driver. In Taxi Driver De Niro plays Travis Bickle a character fusion of the classic western hero and the psychopath/monster of the contemporary horror genre: it could be suggested that the comparison between these two distinct archetypes could be a hypothetical insight into how the western hero would behave if transplanted into the modern urban wilderness of the 70s.

Character Immersion

De Niro's relentless perfectionism towards his work and remarkable ability to immerse himself inside the complex and often horrifying minds of his characters is what makes him one of the most respected and iconic screen actors in history. This transcends onto the big screen, especially in biographical outtakes like Raging Bull where the viewer is made to question where the acting actually begins in this compelling and realistic drama about the life of Jake LaMota.

The Auteur

I have chosen to study Robert De Niro for my auteur project as I enjoy watching his films and like the genre of films that he acts in, which often depict the gangster lifestyle of the Italian-American subculture within inner city New York. In this project i will be analyzing Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets and Raging Bull as I believe there are similar themes that reoccur in each character he portrays. He goes far beyond the common villainous archetype found in many of these "mafia films" and add a sense of humanity to a genre of characters, notoriously known for being ruthless killers. It could be argued that this is because of De Niro's own Italian-American heritage that he is able to associate with these characters allot easier and convey a more realistic and compassionate aspect of their personality.