De Niro gets driven crazy

Rating: 9/10 (6 June 2006)

Now three decades old, 'Taxi Driver' enjoys widespread acclaim that has grown with each passing year. It had its release during what is arguably the greatest year in American film history, 1976, which also saw the premiere of 'Network,' 'Rocky,' and 'All The President's Men,' amongst others. Despite its occasional rawness and open-ended conclusion, 'Taxi Driver' will undoubtedly hold its place as a social document and an example of the art that can be generated when great names are brought together in their creative prime.
Most film enthusiasts have knowledge of Taxi Driver's plot. Robert De Niro stars in an Academy Award-nominated performance as Travis Bickle, a 26-year-old man who has been discharged from military service in Vietnam and is now living in Manhattan. We are introduced to Travis at his interview for a cab-driving job, where he is looking to spend insomnia-ridden hours behind the wheel. The opening sequence gives us a tour of his routine, with Travis offering voice-over passages from his diary. From the film's early stages, it is clear that Travis is a victim of circumstance and unfit to exist in 'normal' society. While desperate for interaction with others, his social abilities are so badly stilted that he has trouble holding a conversation. He seems to have no interests or hobbies outside of attending porn houses, watching a fuzzy television, drinking brandy, and writing in his notebook. To make matters worse, he is ensconced in the driver's seat of his cab through all hours of the night, rolling through some of the most depraved streets in New York City.
Trying to find some ground in his life, Travis begins dating Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), a young woman assisting the presidential campaign of Senator Palantine (Leonard Harris). Travis fails miserably when he takes Betsy to a sex film in Times Square, perhaps assuming that she will reject him in the long run anyway. Things build from there, as Travis becomes more and more alienated from his surroundings until a genuine homicidal maniac who feels ordained to wipe out society's ills. He buys an arsenal of black market handguns from a local runner and spots his first target in none other than Senator Palantine, who is about to make public appearances in Manhattan. Also drawing his wrath is Matthew (Harvey Keitel), a pimp who is holding a 12 ½-year-old prostitute named Iris (Jodie Foster) prisoner in an East Side tenement. 'Taxi Driver' inevitably explodes into a wave of bloodshed that will leave viewers shattered.
What makes 'Taxi Driver' such an effective film is the honesty of Paul Schrader's screen writing. Travis is an average, blue-collar man who acts pleasantly and has good looks, all of which masks his psychotic behavior. Robert De Niro conveys his thoughts and impulses to perfection, allowing us to clearly follow Bickle's downward spiral into madness. While shocking, 'Taxi Driver' is extremely believable in tracking a man's futile attempts to reenter the social loop. In Iris, Jodie Foster brilliantly portrays a girl who looks streetwise but is inwardly suffering. Harvey Keitel pulls no punches as a foul-mouthed slug whose death could actually be welcomed. Interesting conversation also takes place between Travis and Wizard (Peter Boyle), an easy-going cabbie who uses what knowledge he has to advise others. Leonard Harris is effective as Senator Palantine, the political hack who gets his way through doublespeak. Albert Brooks also co-stars in a limited role.
'Taxi Driver' is a vital commentary on mid-1970s America, when the prior decade's upheavals and chaos resulting from the Vietnam War brought urban life to the verge of collapse. In this sense, Travis Bickle is a personification of the era, when an America overrun with crime, poverty, and corrupt politicians found itself standing on the edge of an abyss. During the film's intense buildup, Travis seems to become one with the ticking meter of his cab, grinding out fares in a world that is counting down and ready to explode. The film also has a lot to say about our media-drenched culture that raises violent behavior to messianic levels, as Travis becomes a hero just hours after attempting to kill a political figure.
The film is not successful on strong performances alone. 'Taxi Driver' was a labor of love for then-obscure director Martin Scorsese, who devoted a great deal of time and effort to his conception. All of his direction is finely-tuned and never does the film suggest pretension or overindulgence. The superb cinematography by Michael Chapman offers a self-contradictory New York City, a place that is frightening yet colorful and vibrant. The last film score by Bernard Herrmann (he died on the final night of soundtrack recording) uses the dark compositional technique that made him a powerhouse for most of the twentieth century.
'Taxi Driver' enthusiasts should not be disappointed with Columbia Tri-Star's recent collector's edition DVD, which includes a 70-minute 'making of' documentary, production photo montage, director's storyboard of the murder scene, interactive version of Paul Schrader's screenplay, advertising materials, theatrical trailer, and four-page booklet. The film itself is presented in widescreen with immaculate visuals and two-channel surround audio that gives fullness to Bernard Herrmann's score. Subtitles are also provided in six languages. With the DVD now available, there are no excuses; 'Taxi Driver' is a staggering film experience that is not to be missed.
*** ½ out of 4