Taxi Driver (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Cybill Shepherd, Jodie Foster, Robert De NiroBrand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Limited Edition, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.85:1
Running Time: 113 minutes
Published: 2007-08-01
DVD Release Date: 2007-08-14
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Taxi Driver (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Movie Review: It's time to find your inner Bickle...
Summary: 5 Stars
`Taxi Driver' is one of the greatest movies I've ever had the privilege to see and it sports the performance I hold on a pedestal as the greatest performance given by a leading actor, ever. Even if one does not understand what has become of Robert De Niro as of late they surely must agree that in his prime he was our finest working actor. His portrayal of Travis Bickle has got to be the finest character study he's ever undertook, and he delivers such a vivid and masterful presentation that I'm forced to label it the foundation or model for anyone seeking out that `masterclass' performance.
What is so brilliant about this performance, so memorable, is that when you walk away from viewing this film you're forced to find those pieces of Travis Bickle in yourself. I've always said this about this performance in particular because I think it's such an alarmingly scary realization, but when you watch De Niro on screen and really analyze his actions you begin to reason and rationalize with him. It takes a special kind of actor to elicit sympathy from a man like Travis Bickle, and it's only been done a handful of times (another performance like this one would be Edward Norton's haunting performance in `American History X'...getting sympathy and understanding out of a character we are trained to loathe). I'm not saying that we condone his actions, but I am saying that we begin to understand where he's coming from even if he's not going about things appropriately.
Travis Bickle is the definition of anti-hero. He's an ex-marine who finds his life has become something he's not particularly proud of yet he's hesitant to really change. He drives a cab at night because he cannot sleep. He pursues a woman who barely knows because he wants to feel something, wants to belong somewhere. He attempts to help a young woman deviate from the life of filth she's been reduced to because in a way it will validate his entire existence. If he can make a difference then he will understand why he wakes up in the morning. The problem falls, not in the `quote-unquote' noble aspirations of Bickle but in the harsh and selfish way he goes about fulfilling them.
Travis Bickle's viewpoint on the world in which he lives is broadcast front and center. His anger towards the scum of the earth, the disgusting place his home has become and all who contribute to its downfall is blunt and enveloping. He has no quarrels expressing his viewpoint to anyone, even if it is offensive and hurtful.
`Taxi Driver' is one of those films that demands your attention. It's so much more than just a movie; it's a revelation, a movement, a statement that cements itself deeply into the viewers psyche. You'll find yourself thinking about Travis long after the credits have rolled, contemplating his actions and the consequences of such actions. There has been much debate over the meaning of the conclusion of the film so I'm not going to go into that here. It's a major spoiler to anyone who has yet to see the film anyways so I feel it's unfair to address that so openly. Just know that it's deeply ambiguous yet resounding and straightforward when you take the time to break it down. Just be prepared to ponder it.
The acting across the board is fantastic here. I know that I've talked up De Niro quite a bit here but everyone else does great as well. Most notable would be Cybill Shepherd and Jodie Foster since their affect on Bickle's life are most obvious. I've never been a fan of Shepherd (although I loved her work with Willis on `Moonlighting') and so I was blown away by her performance that, while not commanding or necessarily strong, very well conveys the point she needed to make. Jodie Foster is a standout in what proves to be her breakout performance. As the young Iris she perfectly captures the frayed innocence of a child in her situation. The rest of the supporting cast, from Albert Brooks to Peter Boyle to Harvey Keitel, all deliver effectively no matter how limited their screen time. The most important and ultimately most effective performances though come from Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese who delivers such a powerful film here, such a moving and emotionally resonant masterpiece. Scorsese has always been a master of the lens and his direction here perfectly capture everything from mood to emotion to action from not only his cast but his audience as well.
*This DVD, chuck full of Documentaries, Featurettes and Commentaries begs to be owned and lauded. These features have been explained and listed by many reviewers already so I'll just say that it's well worth the upgrade, especially if you are a huge fan of the film. It's about time this masterpiece got the respect it deserved.*
`Taxi Driver' is the definition of controversy, and it has been hailed by many, loathed by some and feared by others. But, in the end there is really no denying that a film that can elicit such adamant reactions from its audience is worth the time to see and analyze. I recommend this film without any hesitation for even if you don't admire, respect and adore this film as I do it will certainly become a topic of long discussion and ultimately that's what any film buff wants to be able to do, discuss a film.
Summary of Taxi Driver (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
At 26, Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is slipping slowly into isolation and violence on the streets of New York City. Trying to solve his insomnia by driving a yellow cab on the night shift, he grows increasingly disgusted by the people who hang out at night: "Someday a real rain will come and wash all the scum off the streets." His touching attempts to woo Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), a Senator's campaign worker, turn sour when he takes her to a porn movie on their first date. He even fails in his attempt to persuade child prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster) to desert her pimp Sport (Harvey Keitel) and return to her parents and school. Driven to the edge by powerlessness, he buys four handguns and sets out to assassinate the Senator, heading for the infamy of a `lone crazed gunman'.
DVD BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:
"Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver" Featurette
"Producing Taxi Driver" Featurette
"Influence and Appreciation" Documentary
Robert De Niro, Oliver Stone, Roger Corman and others pay tribute to Scorsese and the film
"God?s Lonely Man" Documentary
"Travis? New York Locations" Featurette
Storyboard to Film Comparisons with Martin Scorsese Introduction
New Feature-length Commentary by Writer Paul Schrader
New Feature-length Commentary by Professor Robert Kolker
"Taxi Driver Stories" Featurette
"Making Taxi Driver" Documentary
Animated Photo Galleries
"Including Scorsese at Work" Photo Montage
Original Screenplay Read Along
Taxi Driver is the definitive cinematic portrait of loneliness and alienation manifested as violence. It is as if director Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader had tapped into precisely the same source of psychological inspiration ("I just knew I had to make this film," Scorsese would later say), combined with a perfectly timed post-Watergate expression of personal, political, and societal anxiety. Robert De Niro, as the tortured, ex-Marine cab driver Travis Bickle, made movie history with his chilling performance as one of the most memorably intense and vividly realized characters ever committed to film. Bickle is a self-appointed vigilante who views his urban beat as an intolerable cesspool of blighted humanity. He plays guardian angel for a young prostitute (Jodie Foster), but not without violently devastating consequences. This masterpiece, which is not for all tastes, is sure to horrify some viewers, but few could deny the film's lasting power and importance. --Jeff Shannon
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