Taxi Driver (1976)

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writer:

Paul Schrader (written by)

Release Date:

8 February 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

On every street in every city, there's a nobody who dreams of being a somebody.

Plot:

A mentally unstable Vietnam war veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City where the perceived decadence and sleaze feeds his urge to violently lash out, attempting to save a teenage prostitute in the process.

Plot Keywords:

Taxi | New York City | Taxi Driver | Prostitute | Loner

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 26 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Diahnne Abbott	...	Concession Girl (as Diahnne Abbot)
Frank Adu	...	Angry Black Man
Victor Argo	...	Melio (as Vic Argo)
Gino Ardito	...	Policeman at Rally
Garth Avery	...	Iris' Friend
Peter Boyle	...	Wizard
Albert Brooks	...	Tom
Harry Cohn	...	Cabbie in Bellmore
Copper Cunningham	...	Hooker in Cab
Robert De Niro	...	Travis Bickle (as Robert DeNiro)
Brenda Dickson	...	Soap Opera Woman
Harry Fischler	...	Dispatcher
Jodie Foster	...	Iris
Nat Grant	...	Stick-Up Man
Leonard Harris	...	Charles Palantine
Richard Higgs	...	Tall Secret Service Man
Beau Kayser	...	Soap Opera Man
Harvey Keitel	...	Sport
Victor Magnotta	...	Secret Service Photographer (as Vic Magnotta)
Bob Maroff	...	Mafioso (as Robert Maroff)
Norman Matlock	...	Charlie T
Bill Minkin	...	Tom's Assistant
Murray Moston	...	Iris' Timekeeper (as Murray Mosten)
Harry Northup	...	Doughboy
Gene Palma	...	Street Drummer
Harlan Cary Poe	...	Campaign Worker (as Carey Poe)
Steven Prince	...	Andy - Gun Salesman
Peter Savage	...	The John
Martin Scorsese	...	Passenger Watching Silhouette
Cybill Shepherd	...	Betsy
Nicholas Shields	...	Palantine's Aide (as Robert Shields)
Ralph S. Singleton	...	T.V. Interviewer (as Ralph Singleton)
Joe Spinell	...	Personnel Officer
Maria Turner	...	Angry Hooker on Street
Robin Utt	...	Campaign Worker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tommy Ardolino	...	Boy on Sidewalk (uncredited)
Joseph Bergmann	...	Movie House Patron (uncredited)
William Donovan	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Jean Elliott	...	Clerk at Sam Goody Store (uncredited)
Annie Gagen	...	Campaign Worker (uncredited)
Trent Gough	...	Political Rally Attendee (uncredited)
Mary-Pat Green	...	Campaign Aide (uncredited)
James Mapes	...	CIA Agent (uncredited)
Debbi Morgan	...	Girl at Columbus Circle (uncredited)
Billie Perkins	...	Friend of Iris (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Scorsese

Writing credits
Paul Schrader		(written by)

Produced by
Phillip M. Goldfarb	....	associate producer
Julia Phillips	....	producer
Michael Phillips	....	producer

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
Michael Chapman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom Rolf
Melvin Shapiro

Casting by
Juliet Taylor

Art Direction by
Charles Rosen

Set Decoration by
Herbert F. Mulligan		(as Herbert Mulligan)

Costume Design by
Ruth Morley

Makeup Department
Irving Buchman	....	makeup artist
Mona Orr	....	hairdresser
Dick Smith	....	special makeup

Production Management
Phillip M. Goldfarb	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert P. Cohen	....	dga trainee (as Robert Cohen)
William Eustace	....	second assistant director
Peter R. Scoppa	....	assistant director
Ralph S. Singleton	....	second assistant director (as Ralph Singleton)

Art Department
Leslie Bloom	....	property master (as Les Bloom)
David Goodnoff	....	assistant property master (as Dave Goodnoff)
David Nichols	....	visual consultant
Cosmo Sorice	....	scenic artist
Carter Stevens	....	additional photography (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Gordon Davidson	....	sound effects editor
James Fritch	....	sound effects editor (as Jim Fritch)
Sam Gemette	....	sound effects editor
David M. Horton	....	sound effects editor (as David Hourton)
Les Lazarowitz	....	sound mixer
Roger Pietschmann	....	sound recorder (as Roger Pietschman)
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Rogow	....	boom man
Tex Rudloff	....	sound re-recording supervisor
Frank E. Warner	....	supervising sound effects editor
Mel Zelniker	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tony Parmelee	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Alec Hirschfeld	....	assistant cameraman (as Alec Hirshfeld)
Bill Johnson	....	assistant cameraman
Richard Quinlan	....	gaffer
Ed Quinn	....	grip (as Edward Quinn)
Fred Schuler	....	camera operator
Steve Shapiro	....	special photography
Robert Ward	....	key grip
William Ward	....	best boy (as Billy Ward)
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer
Ron Zarilla	....	assistant cameraman
Michael Zingale	....	camera: second unit
Sandy Brooke	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Kimatian	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	atmosphere casting (as Sylvia Faye)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Al Craine	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Marcia Lucas	....	supervising film editor
George Trirogoff	....	assistant editor
Billy Weber	....	assistant editor (as William Weber)

Music Department
Shinichi Yamazaki	....	music editor
Dave Blume	....	musical director (uncredited)
Jack Hayes	....	conductor (uncredited)
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Bernard Herrmann	....	musical director (uncredited)
Uan Rasey	....	musician: trumpet soloist (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	music engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Raymond Hartwick	....	transportation coordinator (as Ray Hartwick)

Other crew
Keith Addis	....	assistant to producers
Marion Billings	....	special publicity
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Pat Dodos	....	secretary to the producers
Connie Foster	....	double: Jodie Foster
Amy Holden Jones	....	assistant to director (as Amy Jones)
Eugene Iemola	....	production assistant
Howard Newman	....	publicist
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Noni Rock	....	production office coordinator
Renate Rupp	....	secretary to the producers
Chris Soldo	....	production assistant
Gary Springer	....	production assistant
Sandra Weintraub	....	creative consultant
Dan Coplan	....	location security (uncredited)

Thanks
Julia Cameron	....	special thanks
Loretta Cubberley	....	special thanks
Richard B. Goodwin	....	special thanks (as Richard Goodwin)
Jack Hayes	....	special thanks
Bernard Herrmann	....	our gratitude and respect to: June 29, 1911 - December 24, 1975
Linda Kopcyk	....	special thanks
Kris Kristofferson	....	special thanks
Charlie McCarthy	....	special thanks
Jerry Orange	....	special thanks
Hank Phillippi	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents) (as Columbia Pictures)
• Bill/Phillips
• Italo/Judeo Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1976) (France) (theatrical)
• Filmayer (1977) (Spain) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1979) (USA) (TV)
• Criterion Collection, The (1981) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• LK-TEL (1998) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (1998) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (Canada) (DVD) (Collector's Edition)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Park Circus (2006) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Greek Film Archive Foundation (2012) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1976) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Blu Shine (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (Edición de Colección)
• Blu Shine (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray Disc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (????) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (????) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (DVD) (1-disc edition)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1995) (2000) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (1998) (2002) (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• R-Video (1980s) (Finland) (video)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1999) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• TV3 (1989) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (2-disc edition)
• VTC-Video (1980s) (Finland) (video)
• Videosonic Arts (1985) (Greece) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios (optical effects) (as M.G.M.)

Other Companies

• Alhambra  score album released by
• Devon/Persky-Bright  production services by
• Dick Clark Productions  with special thanks to
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min | Spain:110 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (re-release) | Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-18 (1976) | France:-12 (re-rating) | France:-16 (original rating) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Israel:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) (cut) | UK:18 (video re-rating) (1993) (uncut) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:R (Approved No. 24441) | New Zealand:R18 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Brazil:14 | South Africa:16LV | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:18A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Spain:13 (re-rating) | Japan:PG12 (2010) | Finland:K-16 (1987) | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Paul Schrader wrote the part of Travis with Jeff Bridges in mind.

Goofs:

Continuity: The glass into which Travis drops the Alka-Seltzer tablet suddenly appears in front of him. Only a coffee cup was there before.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[a telephone rings loudly]
Personnel Officer:[to the dispatcher] Harry, answer that.
[to Travis]
Personnel Officer:So whaddya want to hack for, Bickle?
Travis Bickle:I can't sleep nights.
Personnel Officer:There's porno theaters for that.
Travis Bickle:Yeah, I know. I tried that.
Personnel Officer:So what do you do now?
Travis Bickle:Well, I ride around nights mostly... subways, buses... I figure, you know, if I'm gonna do that I might as well get paid for it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

Soundtrack:

HOLD ME CLOSE

A wonderfully engaging and convincing slide into a modern madness from a director and actor showing some of their best form

Travis Bickle is a Vietnam veteran who cannot sleep at night and just ends up travelling around. To try and use the time effectively he becomes a taxi driver. Things start to look up for him as he works nights and slowly starts to live a little bit. He meets a girl, Betsy, and arranges to see her a few times despite the fact that he is a little bit out of the ordinary – a quality that seems to interest her. His connection to the night allows him to see young prostitute Iris being bullied by her pimp Matthew and he begins to see his role to perhaps save her – him playing his part in cleaning up the sewer that he feels New York has become. However when his view of normal life puts Betsy off him he starts to retreat more and more into the night, looking for meaning in his life and growing more and more outraged by the world he is part of.

Hardly the most uplifting of films it is engaging and impressive and truly deserves the reputation it has. Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader have produced a film that convincingly portrays a man cut out of society who has the slightest connection to normality before finding it eroded away. The script is brilliant because the detail is engaging but it is this descent into a very modern type of madness that drives the film forward. Travis has just enough about him that is recognisable that it makes it so easy to go along with the rest of his madness. A major part of this is getting the feeling right about living in a cesspit; a city that seems to have forgotten its way morally – New York is the strongest example but elements of it could be parts of any city I suspect. In painting this world in such a real way, Scorsese has made Travis all the more convincing and, to a point, all the easier to follow in his fall. Like I said it is not a film to morally uplift you but one that is depressingly fair. There is no redemption in this modern world and although it appears that the violence at the end somehow redeems Travis in reality by showing "society" accepting his action it drags the rest of us down nearer the world that he hates and has become part of. I love King of Comedy for the same reason albeit in a different world.

Scorsese injects a real understanding of the place and a real sense of foreboding into even the earliest scenes. He inserts clever and meaningful shots into scenes that other directors might just have filmed straight and his choice of scene and shot compliments the script is depicting Travis descending into madness. What makes the film even better is De Niro showing the type of form that makes his recent form such a major disappointment. He is outstanding as he moves Travis from being relatively normal to being eaten up from the inside out. His eventual implosion is impressive but it is only as impressive as the gradual slide he depicts over the course of the film. Although he dominates it, others impress as well. Foster stands out in a small role, while Keitel makes a good impression as the pimp. Shepherd is not quite as good but her character was not as well written as the others so it isn't all down to her. Regardless, the film belongs to De Niro and although the quotable scenes are the ones that are remembered it is in the quieter moments where he excels and shows genuine talent and understanding.

Overall an impressive and morally depressing film that deserves its place in cinematic history. The portrayal of a city and a man slipping into moral insanity is convincing and engaging and it shows how well to "do" modern madness and the effects of the moral void of parts of society. Scorsese directs as a master despite this being at an early stage in his career and De Niro is chillingly effective as he simply dominates the film in quiet moments and quotable moments alike. I rarely use phrases like "modern classic" because I think they are lazy but this is one film that certainly deserves such a label.