The Night Rider

I was very late to the Martin Scorsese party.  I have not seen much of his earlier films, and because of that I was very much looking forward to watching Taxi Driver for the first time.  After viewing this incredible film, I feel as if I just watched one of the greatest films ever made.

Taxi Driver is the story of a Vietnam War veteran who works as a night-time taxi driver in New York City.  Even though it is never actually established that it is New York City, the city is very much a character in the film.  You see what the city is like, particularly at night, and the grim realities that come with it.  This is also a film that is a product of its time.  The way people dress, talk, and even the racial discrimination that is hinted at in the film are all products of the 1970's.  There is one VERY minor detail that I would like to mention.  At one point in the film, a man says that Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) owes him five bucks, and Travis gives it to him.  However, it is never established why Travis owes him this money.  Aside from this throwaway detail, Taxi Driver is definitely one of those "100 Movies To See Before You Die".

Robert De Niro plays Travis Bickle.  I love the way Bickle is fascinated with both New York City and with Betsy (played by Cybill Shepherd), and the way in which De Niro conveys this in his facial expressions.  Throughout the film, he is staring at smiling at the wonder and beauty of both Betsy and New York City.  However, the moment where we see Bickle vent to the presidential candidate is a moment where we see his true colors, and that pays off in the end when we see that he has finally had enough of the people in the city.  When Bickle turns down the dark path, he REALLY turns, and De Niro terrifies and frightens you in ways that you never thought were possible.  I also like how Bickles' relationship with Iris (Jodie Foster) is handled.  It is very clear that Bickle sees Iris as the one good thing within the garbage heap of N.Y.C.  De Niro and Foster have great chemistry together, and you can tell just by watching the two of them together that Foster is learning so much from De Niro.  This is one of the most iconic performances of De Niros' career.

Martin Scorsese is the director of Taxi Driver.  As I mentioned before, New York City is very much a character in this film, and Scorsese brings us into that city with stunning grittiness.  I love the way that you actually feel that you are part of this film because of the way it is shot.  There is one particular shot in the film that I would like to talk about, and that is the shot where the camera pans down the hallway while Travis Bickle is attempting to get another date with Betsy.  The context of this shot, which suggests that their relationship is over, is probably my favorite shot in the whole film.  Also, the shootout at the climax of the film is brutally vicious, and also marks the beginning of what would become one of the many trademarks of a Martin Scorsese film.

Taxi Driver is an American classic.  The way this film touches on the unstable human psyche is incredible.  If you have not seen this film, please do so immediately.  Personally, I cannot wait to watch it again.