Reprehensible to some.... brilliant to many

Rating: 9/10 (18 May 2014)

People may find this film, repellent, disturbing, disgusting. Some scenes, and I use the word more here, are just repellent. But it's not a nice world out there on the cold streets of New York's lower class areas, populated by all types of sleaze, Deniro so flatteringly describes, as well as to it's solution., many will agree with. He's an unforgettable hero icon, who's been a living inspiration to a lot of wannabe tough guys, and movie goers, and we shares Travis's views, all down the line. He's a fictional character who will never be forgotten, in one of Scorsese's most brilliant and daring works, contrary to many unsavory critics. We shares Travis's world, anger, annoyance, aggravation, frustration, denial, all pent up, but when it explodes towards the end, it's deadly, culminating in him being praised a hero, when returning twelve year pro, Iris (Foster) to her family. Travis, on the account of a lack of sleep, takes a job as a hack- taxi driver, cruising all over town to the worst of it, picking up some real dirt, where too from Deniro's perspective, includes a senator running for the coming election, who again, is all talk. The cab ride scene, with him is interesting to watch from Deniro's slightly tipped mind, praising him, where really he's taking the p..s out of him. It took me a few viewings to grasp onto the concept. Harvey Keitel in one of his best performances, is great as a lowlife, scum sucking pimp. It's a performance of detestable brilliance, while Cybill Shepherd holds your attention, as a sexy campaigner, who's becomes Travis's short lived love, and he is a acute observer of people too. Deniro of course is masterful as Travis Bickle, his eyes, penetrating, sometimes gives us cause to think, violence is only seconds away, his whole body form takes on character, like nothing you've seen before, showing many anxious and nervous emotions. He does have a sort of perverted sense of humor too, but we know where this is leading. Taxi Driver only becomes gory towards the end, in two graphic frank scenes, where he really explodes, but this is what the whole movie has been building up. This is what we've been waiting for. Those scenes are truly warranted. Taxi Driver is masterful work in it's almost now, 40 year existence, and will live on many many years yet as a movie classic, steered by one of the greatest actors on earth. Riveting film making, including one including one repulsively disturbing scene, featuring the director himself.