Taxi Driver (1976):

Starring:

Roberto De Niro - Travis Bickle

Cybill Sheperd - Betsy

Peter Boyle - Wizard

Albert Brooks - Tom

Harvey Keitel - Sport

Jodie Foster - Iris

Director:

Martin Scorsese (As I've Said Before. If You Don't Know His Other Films, You Shouldn't Read My Blog)

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%

Flixster: 93%

Synopsis:

A sensationalized paranoia movie that is one long preparation for a massacre. It creates a tight, obsessive, suffocating world that excludes normal outlets for relief, rest, connection, gratification. Robert DeNiro is a lonely, impotent, insomniac ex-marine provoked to orgasmic carnage. it is definitely not suitable for the squeamish, the impressionable or the very young.

Review:

WOW. What? I'm reviewing a film that wasn't made in the 2000's or 1990's? CRAZY. In case you want to know, I personally am not a major fan of movie's made before the 1980's. Not because they aren't as good, or because they aren't as good for production value. But it's mainly because of the old acting style, which was that most films & directors hadn't transitioned from stage acting to film acting. Acting towards a crowd of live people is very different than acting towards a camera that is there as a 3rd person. A lot of films made prior to 1980 are still done in the old school technique. However with this film, I had never seen it before & since I am such a huge Scorsese fan I thought that I needed to at least give it a fair chance since it is considered one of his greatest. I watched the 35th anniversary blu-ray & absolutely loved it. De Niro has an amazing ability to transition from a slightly damaged war vet to a completely crazy psycho path & back again. Truly proving why he is a legend. The supporting cast features some early roles from some of Hollywood's future elite & some of that current times bigger names. Jodie Foster playing an under aged (while she was under aged) prostitute who befriends Travis & Cybill Sheperd (who is a complete & total babe) as a campaigner hand for a man running for governor. Albert Brooks plays Sheperd's co-worker who does not like the presence of Travis around Betsy & Harvey Keitel as the pimp/boyfriend to Foster. Obviously the production value isn't as good considering the year, but it holds up real well on blu-ray. I'm very glad that I decided to put away my prejudice towards pre-80's films & watch this because it was incredible. Finally seeing the famous "You Talkin' To Me?" scene in it's entirety was long overdue.

84%

Lead Acting: 15/15
Supporting Cast: 13/15
Plot: 8/10
Compared To The Genre: 10/10
Cinematography: 16/20
Intrigue: 14/20
Extra: 8/10