Classic 1970's masterpiece from Martin Scorsese

Rating: 10/10 (21 August 2014)

Taxi Driver is a film that really shows us what American Cinema was all about. At a time where movies were made for entertainment, some challenged movie-goers with some of the most controversial subject matter ever to be put on film. Many of today well known directors were starting out big with their first feature length movie. But, Martin Scorsese was one of those directors who really captured what the 1970's were all about. He shows us all of it in this film.
Travis Bickle, (Robert De Niro), is an loner who spends most of his time prowling the streets of New York City at night. An Vietnam veteran, he narrates the story with a flat, eerie voice that somehow gives the movie an very dark tone to it. "All of the animals come out at night", he says. "Someday a real rain'll come and wash all this scum off the streets." Suffering from insomnia, he also spends some of his time watching porno movies and living in an apartment building, where welfare seems to cover everything. One day, he spies on a woman, (Cybill Shepard), who is working at a campaign headquarters. At first, Bickle develops an crush on her and even asks her out on a date. But, she rejects him because of his habit of seeing dirty movies. Isolating himself from society, Bickle starts to tense up and decides that the only way to strike back is with violence. In one of the most memorable scenes in the movie, Bickle practices his intimidation by talking to a wall and says, "Are you talking to me? Talking to me? Well, I'm the only one here." By the end of the movie, Bickle's violent behavior and actions reaches a bloody climax when he gets his chance.
The movie is more of a character study between different personalities. Travis and the woman he loves come from different backgrounds. Screenwriter Paul Schrader illustrates these characters by experimenting with each others likes and feelings. But toward a more thought-provoking point, the movie showcases an long-lasting argument between an dream and a reality. The woman that Travis loves is shown to be an angelic figure, one who's blessed. But, when mental deterioration crosses with her presence, nothing is ever forgiving. From there on, Bickle puts himself through intense training to avenge society. His thirst of violence intensifies when he goes to a gun dealer and buys several guns off of him.
The cast of the movie is outstanding. Not only De Niro steals the show, but the movie has a strong supporting cast including Jodie Foster, as a teenage hooker who befriends Travis, Albert Brooks, as the man who's interested in Cybill Shepard, but dislikes Travis and also Harvey Keitel and Peter Boyle stars in this masterpiece as well.
Bernard Herrmann creates a strong and resounding score that has a jazzy sense to it. The score is perhaps the most important piece in the movie because Herrmann is master of scoring movies that makes the film more atmospheric with its grimy look of New York City. The sound of the score illustrates the mind of Travis Bickle. When we first see him, his eyes curiously looks around while exhaust fumes fill the screen. Even the red tint on the neon lit signs makes the setting of the movie looks like a hell. Several times through the entire movie, the color red symbolizes a world where hope is not present, but Travis' inner demons are hovering all over him. Like his score in Vertigo, Herrmann makes an hypnotizing sense of insomnia, alienation and isolation.
Robert De Niro has never given an better performance of his career. His performance in Taxi Driver is an template of what movie acting is all about. When he grins for the first time in the movie, we get the notion that his appearance is rather frightening, but very mysterious. The way he grins by giving that eerie smile makes Travis Bickle believable. We know from the beginning of the movie that he's not a hero even though the people around him praised him for what he did to Iris. As for Jodie Foster, she doesn't glamorizes her role as Iris. She is trying to get out of the city, but she needs Travis to help her. That on-screen performance is something to look for. Her performance is an essential part of the whole movie.
Martin Scorsese does a outstanding job directing this movie. He really knows New York City. He knows how to hook the viewer and take them on a journey through the rough streets of every neighborhood in the city. His way of making characters into sinners is something mesmerizing. The shots of the rain wetting the streets. The way the windshield wipers wipes off the rain on Travis' cab when he travels through the night. The symbolism of what Scorsese shows you is something to study on. You have to pay attention to every speck of detail he gives you. Even when the characters stop to chat for a while, pay attention to how they talk to one another. That's what makes it such a great film. It's movies like Taxi Driver that captures a time not long forgotten, but long gone. Both the cinema world and to the world of the 1970's. ★★★★ 4 stars.