Paul Schrader wrote the script for Taxi Driver in just under two weeks. He worked on the screenplay during a period of intense turmoil and depression, which inspired the dark and disturbing themes of the film. Schrader has said that Taxi Driver was born out of a desire to "write a script that would alienate every audience in the world," and the final product is a powerful exploration of loneliness, alienation, and violence in modern society. Despite the speed of its creation, Taxi Driver remains one of the most important and influential films in American cinema.