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Taxi Driver (1976)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
11/03, 1/08, 4/15
1/08:
Taxi Driver starts off slow, gets rolling when Betsy is introduced to Travis Bickle, takes its time,
goes in a different direction, and is in a free-fall mode with an explosive climax in the last twenty minutes.
Robert De Niro had a great run of films during the second half of the 70's that made him a household name.
His role herein is among the most memorable. The legendary "You talkin' to me?" scene is at once unforgettable
and painful to watch. So is the eerie climax at the end that's beautifully photographed.
Harvey Keitel looks young. Ditto for the 12-year-old Jodie Foster. Martin Scorsese has plenty of fun by
playing a character who's probably crazier than Travis Bickle. More of a looker than an actress, Cybill
Shepherd turns in the second most memorable performance of her career.
It's the last musical score for Bernard Herrmann, who got his start in
Citizen Kane, before his death at age 64.
Paul Schrader, the screenwriter, went on to direct the only masterpiece of his career:
American Gigolo.
Taxi Driver holds up well after thirty-one years and is still relevant as ever, even after the
near assassination of Ronald Reagan which left James Brady paralyzed for life. Of course, the film has been
influenced by The Manchurian Candidate because there
are certain parallelisms that are hard to ignore. What sets it apart from the John Frankenheimer classic is
the twist that goes in a different direction.
So, is Travis Bickle a hero? Or a villain? I'll say he's a nutjob. The best part about him is the simplicity
of his nature. Anyone can be Travis Bickle, but not every Travis Bickle is dangerous. Detached from society
while failing to connect to real life, Travis grinds it out through his boring, mundane job. Occasionally, he
makes general, albeit unsupported by evidence, statements about how the real world works. There's nothing
interesting going on in his life, yet he wants to make a meaningful impact whether it's good or bad. When
the moment comes, not much explains his actions or why he did it.
All in all, Taxi Driver is a Scorsese masterpiece.
4/15:
If you ask me for a top three Scorsese film, Taxi Driver is one of them.
Taxi Driver wouldn't have worked if it had gone down the path of
The Manchurian Candidate. If that's the
case, I'll accuse the film of being a rip-off.
Why it's so compelling to watch is the lack of explanation that made Travis Bickle do what he did. Sure, there's
a need for some direction in his life, but what are the driving forces that shaped it? The film doesn't explain
or answer very much. It's just what it is. The last twenty minutes is unpredictable, being the reason why it
continues to be revisited over the years. How about that top twenty quote of all time in
movie history which is painful to watch: "You talkin' to me?"
All in all, Taxi Driver is a shocking picture in terms of how easy anyone can be like Travis Bickle.