directed by Martin Scorsese
USA 1976
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.
****
What can be said about Taxi Driver that hasn't been said
in its almost 30 years of existence ? Nothing, except that it's probably one
of the best films ever made, a well deserved Palme d'Or at Cannes and a true
modern classic. Paul Schrader, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro tell the
loneliness and drifting of Travis Bickle, a Vietnam veteran with no
purpose, no dreams, nothing except a sleeping anger towards the world and
the people around him. Travis can't sleep at night and chooses to work as a
nocturnal taxi driver.
Travis' state of mind and his work allow Scorsese to show a side of New York
that's progressively darker and darker, with the help of Michael Chapman's
gorgeous photography and Bernard Hermann's haunting last score, from the
classy campaign HQ to the dirty streets where 12-year-old hookers (young
Jodie Foster, incredible) are beaten up by their pimp (Harvey Keitel, amost
unrecognizable). Travis becomes more and more self-centered, destructive and
mad (the famous "You talking to me ?" scene is a powerful example of it) and
finally decides to act and to kill the ones that prevent him from being
happy with the girls of his life.
I won't tell the end for those among you who haven't seen this masterpiece
yet, but I'll say this : it's unconventional, unexpected, with a strange
twisted sense of irony and a false calm that makes us think that nothing has
changed, that Travis is still the same. Nothing is simple, nothing is bright
or dark in Taxi Driver, an extremely powerful film about loneliness and
redemption. Maybe Scorsese's best film and De Niro's best performance, both
next to
Raging Bull.
Posters
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Theatrical Release: February 8th, 1976
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DVD Comparison:
Gaumont Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC vs. Sony Pictures (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1- NTSC vs. Columbia Tri Star (Superbit) - Region 2 - NTSC
Big thanks to Fabe Ashen and Gary Tooze and Mark Wilson for the Screen Caps!
(Gaumont Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP LEFT vs. Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC - TOP RIGHT vs. Sony (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM LEFT Columbia Tri Star (Superbit) - Region 2 - NTSC - BOTTOM RIGHT)
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Gaumont Columbia Tri Star Region 2 - PAL |
Columbia Tri Star Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC |
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Sony Pictures (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Region 1 - NTSC |
Columbia Tri Star Region 2 - NTSC |
| Distribution |
Gaumont Columbia Tri Star Region 2 - PAL |
Columbia Tri Star Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC |
Sony Pictures (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Region 1 - NTSC |
Columbia Tri Star Region 2 - NTSC |
| Runtime | 109mn | 1:53:40 | 1:53:36 | 1:53:49 |
| Video |
1.85 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.85 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.85 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.85 Original Aspect Ratio
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| Audio | English (Dolby Digital Surround 2.0), French, German (Dolby Digital Mono 2.0) |
English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) |
English (Dolby Digital Surround 5.1,), DUB: French (Dolby Digital Surround 5.1,) |
English (Dolby Digital Surround 5.1, DTS), (English 2.0 dual mono) |
| Subtitles | English, French, German, none | English, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Thai, none | English, French, Spanish, none | English and Japanese |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: Gaumont Columbia Tri Star Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 28 |
Release Information: Studio: Columbia Tri Star Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: June 15, 1999 Chapters 28 |
Release Information: Studio: Sony Pictures Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
• Original Screenplay Read Along
• "Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver" Featurette (16:49)
• "Producing Taxi Driver" Featurette
DVD
Release Date:
August 14th, 2007 Chapters 28 |
Release Information: Studio: Columbia Tri Star Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: 22 June 2005 Chapters 28 |
| Comments: |
ADDITION: Sony 2-disc CE August 07': A pleasant surprise has the new
2-disc Collector's Edition from Sony looking very much like the Japanese
SUPERBIT release. Colors are matched up fairly well although they are a
shade cooler in the Sony region 1 edition (minutely darker). Artifacts
are still in existence but we may not see them totally free-up
until the title reaches the new formats (in this case Blu-ray). Still
this looks very good and seems to show the most information in the
frame. So the image is a huge plus - exceeding my expectations - but
perhaps even a bigger selling feature are the extensive supplements.
Audio has a 5.1 track and an optional French 5.1 DUB. This is one area that the SUPERBIT excels - as well as a 5.1 it has a DTS and 2.0 English track. The extra features of the Sony are fabulous. Two excellent new commentaries - the first from screenwriter Paul Schrader details many interesting facts of how Scorsese adapted/translated Paul's his script. I love listening to Schrader who always impresses me with his keen intellect and valuable insights. There is a second commentary by Robert Kolker - Professor, Film Studies & Digital Media at Georgia Institute of Technology. This is a more academic and intensive look at the film as one might find on a Criterion label - themes and symbols are discussed and it is very professional. The bonus about these commentaries are that they have optional English subtitles. BFI have used this in the past and I hope Criterion, Warner and other DVD production companies start to incorporate this feature. Also on disc one we have an organized shooting screenplay (not the continuity screenplay) - some may be keen to check this out as it has scenes that are NOT part of the final film version. The second disc seems endless - a real pleasure to indulge yourself in - I had trouble believing it could fit on a dual layered DVD! It ends up being almost 3 hours of supplemental featurettes, storyboard comparisons and documentaries... and all aside from the Making of... are 16X9 enhanced. Wow - where to start - "Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver" is about 17 minutes long and Scorsese gives a decent production overview crediting Schrader quite a lot for the projects success. There are seven other featurettes (most around 10-20 minutes in length) with a lot of the main cast (De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, Peter Boyle, Albert Brooks etc.) giving sound bites, but the big documentary is the one from the previous Region 1 releases - the Making of... which I actually enjoyed watching a second time. There is also a gallery and two segments on storyboarding the film. NOTE: The 2nd disc has many more optional subtitles (than the main disc) - English, Japanese, Spanish, Korean and Portuguese - and is also coded for region 1,2,3 and 4 preparing for releases of these supplements elsewhere. FINAL THOUGHTS: Great deal folks - one of the best releases of the year considering what you are getting for your dollar value. With the image further corrected from the, often, (too) bright SUPERBIT - the only thing we could have asked further is removal of the artifacts which may happen one day in Blu-ray. My old Criterion laserdisc has some strong extra features but the two new commentaries (both excellent) and additional featurettes are worth the price alone even if the image had not been improved - which it has in my opinion. I really enjoyed the whole disc and feel like viewing it all over again right now. An important film and essential DVD... highly recommended! ****
NOTE: the Region 1, 3, 4 NTSC and Region 2 PAL releases are very similar
in appearance and features ('Stills Gallery' commentary omission on the NTSC) - see
comments below **** This is
another case of image VS extras : if you know which one you prefer,
you'll know right away what version to pick. The Superbit offers a much
better image quality : apparently mastered (hopefully in HD) from
another source than the Collector's Edition (CE), this Japanese edition
sometimes shows some cropping on the left and bottom of the frame (see
set of captures 1 and 2), sometimes gives a bit more on the same sides
of the frame (see set of captures 4 and 5). It also seems to have a
similar sharpness than the CE, but colors and contrast are much more
satisfying and seem more accurate on the Superbit than on the washed out
CE. Soundwise, the remixes make Bernard Hermann's score more enveloping
than the poor surround mix from the CE, and the DTS has the edge with
better low frequencies. But considering the film, it can't be explosive
or reference material. TAXI DRIVER - The
early Columbia/Sony DVD was a catastrophe and the U.S. Collector's
Edition did not update the awful image as seen through the opening steam
with an insane amount of digititis, though Scorsese had a Dolby SR remix
done on the film for theatrical re-issue which was transferred weakly as
Dolby 2.0 Stereo for that successor. Neither could compete with the fine
color on the old 12" Criterion LaserDisc. The SUPERBIT edition is
cleaner, warmer and has DTS. A closer look at it versus the old
Criterion version would better demonstrate how accurate the colors are,
which may or may not have slight yellow/green issues. As the Divimax
HALLOWEEN proved, you can have a clearer transfer and all the wrong
colors. Can we get Scorsese's great Criterion commentary someday on DVD?
-Nicholas
Sheffo from
FulvueDrive-In.com
It is hard to know which colors are
the most accurate representation of the film. To me, the green army
jacket in the CE's seems to be more 'true' to ones I have seen in real
life. The SuperBit is definitely brighter and even beyond that I think
it is marginally sharper as well. I believe the commentary on "Stills
Gallery' of the PAL is
in French so of no use to those who only understands English. This film
needs an NTSC re-release soon! |
2-disc Collector's Edition package
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DVD Menus
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Screen Captures
(Gaumont Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Sony (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC 3rd vs. Columbia Tri Star (Superbit) - Region 2 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Gaumont Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Sony (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC 3rd vs. Columbia Tri Star (Superbit) - Region 2 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Gaumont Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Sony (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC 3rd vs. Columbia Tri Star (Superbit) - Region 2 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Gaumont Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Sony (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC 3rd vs. Columbia Tri Star (Superbit) - Region 2 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Gaumont Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Sony (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC 3rd vs. Columbia Tri Star (Superbit) - Region 2 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Gaumont Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Columbia Tri Star (Collector's Edition) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC - 2nd vs. Sony (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC 3rd vs. Columbia Tri Star (Superbit) - Region 2 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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Sony Pictures (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Region 1 - NTSC |
Columbia Tri Star Region 2 - NTSC |
Report Card:
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Image: |
Superbit / Sony 2-disc |
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Sound: |
Superbit |
| Extras: | Sony 2-disc |
| Menu: | Sony 2-disc |
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