Taxi Driver (1976)

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writer:

Paul Schrader (written by)

Release Date:

8 helmikuu 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

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:

The producers were looking for a "Cybill Shepherd" type to play the female lead in the film. When agent Sue Mengers heard this, she reportedly called them and asked why not hire Cybill Shepherd.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Travis stops in at the Bellmore and sits down with Wizard and Doughboy, he orders a cup of coffee. But seconds later, when he puts the Alka-Seltzer tablets into his water glass, there is a hamburger on his plate.

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 Saw II (2005)

Soundtrack:

LATE FOR THE SKY

Scorsese's dark masterpiece of urban alienation

Despite what some might see as limited by technical flaws and/or as an overly simplistic plot, Taxi Driver deserves its critical reputation as a cinematic masterpiece. Some 23 years later, the existential plight of Travis Bickle, "God's lonely man," continues to pack a hard emotional punch. In fact, it's hard to know where to begin when praising the elements of this film - such elements as the dark location shots of a (now gone) seedy Times Square, the cinema verite settings of the cabbies and campaign workers, the magnificent Bernard Hermann score, Paul Schrader's fine script, the memorable performances of Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, and Peter Boyle all must be mentioned. However, the brilliance of this film is primarily a result of the brilliance of De Niro and Scorsese, one of the greatest actor-director teams in movie history. This is an unforgettable film and rates a 10 out of 10, in my estimation.