Captain_Couth
"Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver."
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If your looking for a movie that encompasses the fibrous, gritty, emotionally packed aspects of 1970's cinema; Taxi Driver is one your top candidates. Synopsis: A mentally unstable Vietnam war veteran works as nighttime taxi driver in a city whose perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge to violently lash out, attempting to save a teenage prostitute in the process. I am still very strong in my opinion that the 70's was the greatest decade in American cinema, and this is one of the finest movies not only from that decade but of all time. Scoresese showed us some nice directorial work with Who's that Knocking at my door?, Boxcar Bertha, and of course Mean streets. But Martin exploded onto the scene with Taxi Driver and has never looked back. Growing up in New York, he was able to bring in all the intangibles to set the perfect tone for this taut psychological thriller. Its easily apparent to see Scoresese's genius bleed straight through the screen into the viewers heart and soul. He manages to take a winding path that somehow turns upside down on its own head and back to normal all in a single motion with perfect execution.
+5
Scoresese uses shadows and back-lighting throughout this film to draw upon the cynical nature of his characters as well as display how close to home these people really are. Travis Bickle....one of cinemas all time most interesting characters is played by none other than Robert DeNiro. De Niro first worked with Martin on Mean Streets, but they worked together again to change the industry forever with this film. De Niro walks on the edge of a razor blade the entire film: one side a man in love, out to prove it by becoming a hero in his own right; on the other is a man destitute and looking for some way to lash out against a society that has ostracized him in every way. Its amazing to watch the gorgeous ballet that De Niro dances in his mind. We also get a couple of excellent performances from Cybil Shepherd and a young Jodie Foster, at 12 years old! Paul Schrader's script is masterful to say the least. The cinematography and editing both hold true to what Schrader and Scoresese envisioned from the start. Let me also add that this film offers one of the most unique sequences in film towards the end using an overhead dolly/pan shot coming through the ceiling in semi-slow motion. It is an awe inspiring way to view the disturbing images, and works perfectly. Infamous Monologue by De Niro : "You talking to me?".....you might be asking yourself. I am talking to you, and Im telling you to watch this amazing film. I rate this one 95/100 And the FACE-O-METER says 
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devora
March 09, 2011
Great review, Ryan! And I love that FACE-O-METER of yours, keep it coming! :D
Boatswain_Egregious
March 10, 2011
Thanks devora!
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woopak_the_thrill
November 22, 2010
Yup, this film was pretty awesome. Nice review!
Boatswain_Egregious
November 22, 2010
Thanks woopak :)
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djevoke
November 22, 2010
By far, one of my all-time favorite movies by one of my favorite directors and my favorite actor! Great review- thanks for posting :)
Boatswain_Egregious
November 22, 2010
Same here! Thanks for reading :)
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More Taxi Driver reviews
review by ParkerMott.
November 06, 2010
For being written in 5 days, Taxi Driver exceeds the expectations of a typical character study. Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese had in mind an adaption of Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground. Instead, they produced something the closest to it and its milieu was Scorsese's ubiquitous New York. Taxi drivers have an omniscience; they travel around the entire city, familiar with the energy and behaviour it all carries. After a while, one is bound to get sick of it. Travis Bickel does. … more
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Compliments (60)
**** out of **** Travis Bickle, the character at the center of Martin Scorsese's masterful "Taxi Driver", is often cited as one of the great villains of cinema. Perhaps he is a villain. He shoots people. They die. He plans to cause destruction and treats it as his only cause. He's a broken man, and that is why people see him as villainous. However...Travis leads a problematic existence. He can't solve his problems easy. And I believe that his problems alone make him something … more
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Compliments (12)
Yep, that's right, I think this is Martin Scorcese's best movie. Even better than Goodfellas, Casino, or Raging Bull (all fantastic movies, mind you). I first came across Taxi Driver back in December of 2006 when it was on AMC, and while I only caught about the last 60% of the movie, I was captivated by the gritty cinematography and central character, Travis Bickle. It wasn't long before I requested it as a Christmas gift, and this is one Christmas gift that hasn't … more
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Compliments (36)
Quick Tip by sbooth64.
June 26, 2010
Classic. Example of how "out there" an angry, dis-illuisoned, and lonely guy could get.
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Quick Tip by dianemclark53.
June 23, 2010
a little dark
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review by Captain_Couth.
May 08, 2009
Taxi Driver is a very controversial film from the team of Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader. The movie shows the decay of the inner boroughs of Manhattan and the decline of a disturbed individual's mind. A former Viet-Nam vet turned cab driver (Robert De Niro) is roaming the streets watching the world go to pot. The line between fantasy and reality is ever blurring because of his mental status. Slowly over time he imagines that society needs someone who will clean the streets … more
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About the reviewer
Ryan (Boatswain_Egregious)
Just a regular guy who is crazy about the medium of film and everything it encompasses. I recently started reviewing films as a way to make some new friends and share my thoughts with others as well as … more
About this movie
Martin Scorsese's intense film, a hallmark of 1970s filmmaking, graphically depicts the tragic consequences of urban alienation when a New York City taxi driver goes on a murderous rampage against the pitiable denizens inhabiting the city's underbelly. For psychotic, pistol-packing Vietnam vet Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), New York City seems like a circle of hell. Driving his cab each night through the bleak Manhattan streets, Bickle observes with fanatical loathing the sleazy lowlifes who comprise most of his fares. By day he haunts the porno theaters of 42nd Street, taking his cues from the violent vision of life portrayed in these movies. As badly as Travis wants to connect with the people around him--including Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), a lovely blonde campaign worker, and Iris (Jodie Foster), a prepubescent prostitute he tries to save--his attempts are thwarted and his pent-up rage grows, turning him into a Mohawk-wearing walking time bomb. Scorcese fills Paul Schrader's screenplay with a tragic re...
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Cast:
Robert De Niro,
Jodie Foster,
Harvey Keitel,
Albert Brooks,
Joe Spinell,
Murray Moston,
Victor Argo,
Martin Scorsese,
Vic Magnotta,
Peter Boyle,
Peter Savage,
Harry Cohn,
Harry Northrup,
Leonard Harris,
Norman Matlock,
Bob Maroff,
Steven Prince,
Cybill Shepherd,
Robert Shields,
Frank Adu,
Richard Higgs,
Brenda Dickson,
Carey Poe,
Ralph Singleton,
Copper Cunningham,
Deborah Morgan,
Jason Holt,
Diahnne Abbott,
Gino Ardito,
Bill Minkin
Director:
Martin Scorsese
Genre:
Drama
Release Date:
1976, February 8, 1976
MPAA Rating:
R
Screen Writer:
Paul Schrader
Runtime:
1hr 53min
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