Review of Taxi Driver (1954) by Marco F — 14 Oct 2013

TAXI DRIVER is a terrifying film- and an incredibly effective one at that. Few films, if any- are able to paint a picture so well of a man gradually having less and less control of his sanity. The film's music is terrifying in that it's almost like the music is coming from the main character Travis Bickle (De Niro)'s mind- its as if he wants to lose his mind and to terrible things. Boy, that's scary.

De Niro's performance, Bernard Herrmann's score (his last) and Paul Schrader's script are all of the finest quality; however it is Scorsese's visionary direction that really is of note here. It is because of what Scorsese has done here is why this film is so effective- the film at times seems drawn out, slow as a snail- and at other times it feels lightning quick in an unpredictable, senseless way. All the elements, everything you see in this great masterpiece came together because Scorsese was skilled enough to do that, and more.

TAXI DRIVER is essential viewing for anyone even remotely interested in filmmaking or in Martin Scorsese films. Many, many films about someone losing their mind have been made- and this ranks up there with the very top of the best of those films.