The best of Paul Schrader

Like his contemporary and frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader explored alienation, religion, redemption, and self-destructive tendencies in a manner no other filmmaker did. A look at his best:

Taxi Driver (1976)

An explosive, Dostoevsky-coded meditation on vigilantism and urban alienation, the Scorsese-directed film saw Schrader drawing from personal experiences to explore male angst, loneliness, and vigilantism in a post-Vietnam landscape

Rolling Thunder (1977)

Based on Schrader's original script, slightly altered later, one of the finest revenge thrillers ever made was originally supposed to feature a cameo by Robert De Niro's Travis Bickle.

Blue Collar (1978)

Two years after 'Taxi Driver', Schrader chose to make his directorial debut about class struggles and desperation revolving around three auto plant workers facing a dilemma after a robbery reveals discrepancies.

Raging Bull (1980)

As much a great boxing drama as a bolstering character drama, along with 'Taxi Driver, ' the film marked another iconic Schrader collaboration with Scorsese to paint a brutal portrait of unchecked aggression.

American Gigolo (1980)

Though a far cry from the grit and grime-filled world of 'Blue Collar', this immensely stylish Richard Gere-starrer came with its own share of raw imagery and discomforting scenarios.

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)

Schrader employed a hitherto never-seen-before storytelling approach, aided by striking and colourful imagery, to the biopic of Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, directed by him with backing from Francis Coppola and George Lucas.

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

The combined efforts of Schrader and Scorsese resulted in a bold, unconventional, and surreal portrait of Jesus Christ, with some actors talking in New York accent, while others in British English.

Light Sleeper (1992)

A spiritual sibling to 'American Gigolo' in that both main characters are in a business involving unsavoury clients in dangerous places, and finding themselves trapped in situations beyond their control.