Review of Taxi Driver (1954) by Matthew S — 05 Aug 2015

I was way too young when my father took me to see this movie upon what must have been it's second "round" at our then local drive-in. It would be a number of years later at Cambridge's Historic Brattle cinema that I would see it agin in a fading print.

Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader capture a Manhattan long since gone. It is like a "time capsule" piece of it's day. It also might be the first film that truly presented audiences with what full fits the definition of "Anti-Hero.".

This film firmly cemented Robert Di Niro as the actor of his generation. As well as permanently imprinting Jodi Foster into American Pop Culture. Michael Chapman's breathtaking cinematography and Bernard Herrmann's musical score are both essential to this iconic film's success. But for the most part, this is Di Niro's film.

Only within context of NYC's perversity of 42nd Street and surrounding drug/sex culture, along with 1970's confused ideas around "Sexual Liberation" and the political paranoia of this time would we be able to actually view "Travis Bickle" as a "hero.".

We know that he is walking a very thin line between sanity and sociopathic danger, but it is impossible not to feel for him. His insanity often feels like the only sane aspect of the world in which he drives and navigates. Attempts at connections are tainted by his inability to form a clear understanding of anything going on around him.

This is mid-1970's film is an incredibly insightful depiction of dystopia and insanity.

While the once shockingly brutal special effects have aged poorly, there can be no denying the power and importance of this cinematic dark vision. The fact that we have now become far too sophisticated when it comes to "realistic" gore is only a further example of wether we have moved "forward" or interestingly "backward" in the passing of time. The dated special effects have taken on an almost unintended idea of surrealism and allegory.

The final minute of this film remains one of the most surprising and disturbing in cinematic history. You have to watch closely just before the credits begin to roll. If you blink, you might miss it.

But the reality of Travis Bickle remains firmly in place for tragic implications that the people within his world can grasp. He is not just a misfit or loner. Travis Bickle is insane. And most disturbing, this film is even more relevant in the 21st Century than it was 40 years ago.

Essential, a Cinematic Masterpiece and a director's thus far Master Work. If you've not seen it, make the effort. It was re-released to cinemas in 2011 via restored prints. I was a true revelation to see in on the big screen. It works so much better in a cinema than on our huge flat screen home entertainment systems.

By the way, Sony has released this film to Blu-Ray and HD twice. The second release was promoted as a 4K restoration. I could only notice minor improvements. This film is still in need of an appropriate transfer. Sony is a media giant, so this is doubtful --- but we can still hope.