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Taxi Driver
(1976)
In Martin Scorsese's visceral and feverish masterpiece:
- the unforgettable images of the squalid side of
New York City with its hard-core porn houses and Times Square pushers,
pimps, and prostitutes
- the characterization of neurotic, insomniac, troubled
loner and Vietnam vet/cabbie Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro)
- the scene of Travis' abortive date with pretty blonde
campaign worker Betsy (Cybil Shepherd) when he took her to a porno
theatre
- the surrealistic taxi cab rides including the psychotic
passenger (director Martin Scorsese) who planned to kill his adulterous
wife with a .44 Magnum
- the indelible "You talkin' to me?..." scene
belligerently delivered (to the camera and an invisible enemy) in
front of a mirror as Travis practiced quick-drawing with his guns
(as part of his crazed assassination plan), and made various poses
in his squalid walkup apartment (ending with the conclusion: "You're
dead")
- the many scenes of Travis writing in his journal
about his dis-satisfaction with his life
- the breakfast scene with teenaged runaway/prostitute
Iris (Jodie Foster) who dined on toast topped with jelly and sugar
- the scene of Iris' pimp Sport (Harvey Keitel) dancing
with Iris
- the scene of the Palantine political rally with Travis'
Mohawk
- the vigilante bloodbath killing of Sport ("Suck
on this"), and the brothel gunfight's aftermath with Travis
putting his bloody finger to his temple and saying "Pgghew!
Pgghew! Pgghew!" as a mock-suicide - followed by an incredible
crane shot from above viewing the carnage
- the rescue of Iris, and the ironic heroic acclaim
given to Travis
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