Writer-drector Paul Schrader has immortalized materials from some of his most influential films by donating more than 300 boxes of scripts, correspondence, videos, audio tapes and photographs to the Harry Ransom Center, a research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin.
After spending time as a film critic for the Los Angeles Free Press in the early 1970s, Schrader made a name for himself in Hollywood by penning several critically-acclaimed screenplays, including the scripts for Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980) and The Last Temptation of Christ (1988). His donation to the Harry Ransom Center places his work alongside some of the most important artifacts in the history of performing arts.
“We’re excited to have Paul Schrader’s archive come to the Ransom Center,” says Steve Wilson, associate curator of film at the Ransom Center. “His talent as both a screenwriter and director is abundant and well known, and he has been involved with some of the iconic and thought-provoking films of the last 30 years.”
This is Schrader’s second contribution to the Harry Ransom Center—his first coming shortly after Robert De Niro donated his archive in 2006. Schrader followed suit by donating De Niro’s costume from Taxi Driver for the center’s “Making Movies” exhibition, which runs through August 1st.
“I first heard about the Ransom Center through Robert De Niro, when his collection came here,” says Schrader. “He told me that this was the place to be, and I am excited about giving my papers to the Center, where they will be used by students and scholars.”
A small portion of Schrader’s donation will be on display in the Ransom Center lobby through March 21st. The remainder of the materials will be made accessible once the items are properly processed and cataloged. Visit http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/visit for more information.
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