Paul Schrader

Usually writes and directs stories about men who fall into desperation as their world crumbles around them.
His films are often set at night.
Frequently casts Willem Dafoe in his films.
Characters who are often times lonely, surrounded by the seedy side of sex. Hardcore, Taxi Driver, American Gigolo.
Has frequently written about characters who are lonely, isolated, surrounded by the seedy side of sex. Hardcore, Taxi Driver, American Gigolo, etc.

Based his screenplay for Taxi Driver (1976) on his own experiences of living in Los Angeles, away from his familiar surroundings, feeling completely isolated and struggling with severe depression and contemplating suicide.
Credits movie critic Pauline Kael with helping start his career by writing him a recommendation letter for film school.
Originally directed L'esorcista - La genesi (2004), but his final version was rejected by the producers for not being enough of a marketable mainstream horror film product. Schrader was replaced by Renny Harlin, who re-shot about 80% of the film. Schrader received no credit for that version. However, Morgan Creek Pictures did a limited release of Schrader's Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005) on May 20, 2005. The DVD was released on October 25, 2005. Now two radically different versions exist, that share some story elements, some footage and some cast members.
Like François Truffaut, Peter Bogdanovich, Jean-Luc Godard, Wim Wenders or Olivier Assayas, Schrader began his film career as a film critic (for the L.A. Free Press and Cinema Magazine).
Being raised on Calvinist principles and severe parentage, he saw his first movie, Un professore fra le nuvole (1961), at age 17.

What fascinates me are people who want to be one thing but who behave in a way contradictory to that. Who might say, "I want to be happy, but I keep doing things that make me unhappy".
We believed in a very real hell and very real evil. My mother took my hand once and stabbed me with a needle. She said, "You know how that felt, when the needle hit your thumb? Well, hell is like that... all the time!".
If you have made a film that has been shelved or discarded, nobody - not your wife or best friend - will ever believe it is any good, because they [Hollywood studios] don't discard $35 mill. investments.
Every time you think the studios have fucked you every way they can, they come up with a new way.
I killed more screen characters in the first four films I wrote than I have since. I realized I had to stop writing violence.