Film noise and grain are beautiful 03

Previously, we introduced "飢餓海峡(Kiga-kaikyo)" as a film that achieved a shocking effect by alternating between 35mm and 16mm. (Unfortunately, it has recently been digitally remastered and alternating to a glossy image quality throughout).
"Taxi Driver" also creates a shocking effect by alternating between 35mm and 16mm.
The first few shots and the final scene where the protagonist shoots people one after another are shot on 16mm film. (Like "飢餓海峡(Kiga-kaikyo)", it is enlarged to 35mm, so the grain also enlarges.)
In the opening taxi company scene, the film suddenly switches from 16mm to 35mm, and the image structure also changes.
The appeal of this film is that it expresses the protagonist's frustration, sweat, humidity, and the dirty city where the protagonist lives in rough grainy images.
Martin Scorsese even roughens the image at the beginning of the film to the Columbia credits.
If the graininess disappeared and it became a clear digital screen, it would be meaningless.

Martin Scorsese has also used 8mm film in other of his films. It is clear that he is particular about the "texture" of the image.

If all films were to be excessively digitally remastered, resulting in a uniform glossy image quality throughout, audiences would not be able to experience changes in the texture of the images, and would only be able to watch the film by following the storyline.

"Taxi Driver" (1975) Credit: Columbia/Bill Phillips Productions