Taxi Driver (1976)

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writer:

Paul Schrader (written by)

Release Date:

8 February 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

On every street in every city, there's a nobody who dreams of being a somebody.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

New York City | Prostitute | Taxi Driver | Taxi | Vietnam Vet

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Travis Bickle (as Robert DeNiro)
Jodie Foster	...	Iris
Albert Brooks	...	Tom
Harvey Keitel	...	Sport
Leonard Harris	...	Charles Palantine
Peter Boyle	...	Wizard
Cybill Shepherd	...	Betsy
Diahnne Abbott	...	Concession Girl
Frank Adu	...	Angry Black Man
Gino Ardito	...	Policeman at Rally
Victor Argo	...	Melio (as Vic Argo)
Garth Avery	...	Iris' Friend
Harry Cohn	...	Cabbie in Bellmore
Copper Cunningham	...	Hooker in Cab
Brenda Dickson	...	Soap Opera Woman

Also Known As:

Taxi Driver (Argentina) (Peru) (Spain) (Uruguay) [es]
Taxi Driver (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Taxi Driver (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
A taxi soför (Hungary) [hu]
Chauffeur de taxi (Canada: French title) [fr]
Taksówkarz (Poland) [pl]
Taksi soförü (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Taksikuski (Finland) [fi]
Taksista (Serbia) [sr]
Taxi Driver (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Taxi Driver (Italy) [it]
Taxi Driver (France) [fr]
Taxikár (Czechoslovakia: Czech title) [cs]
Taxisjåføren (Norway) [no]

Runtime:

113 min | Spain:110 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (re-release) | Stereo

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Brazil:14 | South Africa:16LV | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:18A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Spain:13 (re-rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 (re-rating) | France:-16 (original rating) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Israel:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) (cut) | UK:18 (video re-rating) (1993) (uncut) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:R (Approved No. 24441)

Filming Locations:

13 St between 2nd & 3rd Avenues, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Before Jodie Foster was eventually cast as Iris, there were more than 250 applicants for the role, including newcomers Carrie Fisher, Mariel Hemingway, Bo Derek, Kim Cattrall, Rosanna Arquette, Kristy McNichol and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Goofs:

Continuity: When meeting with Betsy for the first time at the Palantine-supporters office, an overhead shot of Travis shows him beginning to sweep his arm through the air above the desk, but when we immediately cut back to a frontal shot of Travis we see his arms are clearly in the same position as before.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[phone rings loudly]
Personnel Officer: Harry, answer that.
Personnel Officer: So whaddya want to hack for, Bickle?
Travis Bickle: I can't sleep nights.
Personnel Officer: There's porno theaters for that.
Travis Bickle: Yeah, I know, I tried that.
Personnel Officer: So now what do you do?
Travis Bickle: I ride around most nights - subways, buses - but you know, if I'm gonna do that I might as well get paid for it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Michael Blanco (2004)

Soundtrack:

HOLD ME CLOSE

Excellent

A lonely Vietnam veteran who has insomnia spends his nights as a taxi driver in the dirty streets of New York, where he encounters a young prostitute who he tries to help make a difference.

This is a very good film and one of Martin Scorsese best (Goodfellas being my fave). An excellent portrayal from Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle the cabbie and good performances from Jodie Foster as the child prostitute Iris Steensman, Cybill Shepherd, Peter Boyle and Harvey Keitel as a pimp called Sport.

You actually get drawn into the isolation and anger that Travis is feeling towards these lowlifes and because of that you really feel sympathy for him. Though after a while the loneliness and the city really starts to haunt Travis's mind, causing violent instincts and paranoia.

This film is filled with such memorable lines e.g.Travis Bickle 'You talking to me? Well I'm the only one here.' and the many powerful scenes that stay in your head after it's finished. The hypnotic cinematography is a standout, as if your seeing the harsh & gritty New York streets and twisted people through the eyes of Travis when he is driving his cab. A great screenplay, a stunning score by Bernard Herrmann and a superb atmosphere created.

This is a brutally compelling and bleak look at a decaying and corrupt society of the 70's. An unsettling gem of a film.

5/5