Okay, I don't get Taxi Driver

[Marcdachamp]

I don't. I just watched it and... well, what's all the fuss about? There are a few interesting scenes, but overall, I felt like it dragged on and really didn't go anywhere. I'm confused. :surrend:

[Taxman]

Maybe it is one of those things where the context of when it was made needs to be considered. I could be the subsequent films which it influenced which cause you to find it underwhelming.

[Fake Pat]

Maybe it is one of those things where the context of when it was made needs to be considered. I could be the subsequent films which it influenced which cause you to find it underwhelming.

This is probably a big part of it.

[Marcdachamp]

Maybe it is one of those things where the context of when it was made needs to be considered. I could be the subsequent films which it influenced which cause you to find it underwhelming.

I could certainly see that.

Even still, the real classics are films that should still hold up over time, wouldn't you say?

[Fake Pat]

I could certainly see that.

Even still, the real classics are films that should still hold up over time, wouldn't you say?

Definitely.

And I (along with many other people here, i'm sure) would say that it does. It just didn't do it for you.

[Joe Kalicki]

I could certainly see that.

Even still, the real classics are films that should still hold up over time, wouldn't you say?

Taxi Driver holds up fine.

You just don't like it. No big deal.

[Marcdachamp]

Taxi Driver holds up fine.

You just don't like it. No big deal.

I suppose. I'm kind of disappointed I didn't enjoy it more. I liked some of its ideas, the execution just didn't thrill me.

[Taxman]

I could certainly see that.

Even still, the real classics are films that should still hold up over time, wouldn't you say?Best example of this to me is It's a Wonderful Life. Anyone watching this for the first time in adulthood has likely seen the story redone numerous times. I think that is going to take away a lot of the impact for some people.

When we are talking about something which is very influential, consider that there have been posts on this board claiming that The Ramones are not punk or the Led Zeppelin is not heavy metal.

Also with a film like this you have something which is pretty low budget with somewhat deliberately minimal production value. Most of the films it influenced are much slicker and have an entirely different sort of energy.

[Garth]

One of my absolute favorites.

[Taxman]

I suppose. I'm kind of disappointed I didn't enjoy it more. If it really bugs you, consider studying the film to find out whether you will see it in a different way. If not this film, then some other one where you find yourself in the same situation. I think everyone should try this at least once.

[Joe Kalicki]

If it really bugs you, consider studying the film to find out whether you will see it in a different way. If not this film, then some other one where you find yourself in the same situation. I think everyone should try this at least once.

Worked for me with The Matrix. I hated it in the show, but I read a bit about it and watched it a few more times, and I like it now.

[JamesV]

Best example of this to me is It's a Wonderful Life. Anyone watching this for the first time in adulthood has likely seen the story redone numerous times. I think that is going to take away a lot of the impact for some people.

When we are talking about something which is very influential, consider that there have been posts on this board claiming that The Ramones are not punk or the Led Zeppelin is not heavy metal.

Also with a film like this you have something which is pretty low budget with somewhat deliberately minimal production value. Most of the films it influenced are much slicker and have an entirely different sort of energy.


If it really bugs you, consider studying the film to find out whether you will see it in a different way. If not this film, then some other one where you find yourself in the same situation. I think everyone should try this at least once.

It's a Wonderful Life is the best example of this for me. Growing up I used to hate it -- but didn't mind all the knock offs, especially the cartoons. However, once I got into late high school/college, I really started looking at the film.

Now it's one of my favorite movies of all time, and I have to watch it at least once every Christmas time. Hell, I even upgraded to the blu-ray this year.

[Fake Pat]

I suppose. I'm kind of disappointed I didn't enjoy it more. I liked some of its ideas, the execution just didn't thrill me.

See, that's really not what I would have expected to hear.

If anything I'd say it's the execution that makes it so great. The direction, the performances...absolutely stellar.

[THWIP!]

One of my absolute favorites.

Same for me.

[Garth]

If it really bugs you, consider studying the film to find out whether you will see it in a different way. If not this film, then some other one where you find yourself in the same situation. I think everyone should try this at least once.

This could help
http://www.amazon.com/Taxi-Driver-BFI-Film-Classics/dp/0851703933/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258432203&sr=8-13
I have a couple of these books. They are fun, accessible, and provide great insight.

[WillieLee]

Philosophers say that we can never see our own future.

[Mark Mavro (kryptic6)]

I could certainly see that.

Even still, the real classics are films that should still hold up over time, wouldn't you say?

It holds up. First time I watched I wasn't all that into it, but subsequent viewings have helped. It was also the first time a filmmaker chose to point a camera in a different direction than the main character, not to mention the scene in the hallway where Deniro's on the phone and the camera pans away because it's too unbearable to watch. Or the disturbing twist on "The Searchers" at the end.

Scorsese's my favorite director, so I can go on and on about this movie but I'll stop. I'm sure others have already covered everything.

[Hate_Prime]

I sorta feel the same way about Citizen Kane.

[Donal DeLay]

I don't. I just watched it and... well, what's all the fuss about? There are a few interesting scenes, but overall, I felt like it dragged on and really didn't go anywhere. I'm confused. :surrend:

welcome to the world of Scorcese.

[Garth]

I saw it in the theater about a year ago, and it totally still holds up.

[The Hodag]

I was trying to watch this again on Netflix on-demand recently, but the sound was out of synch. When I checked back again, no sound at all. :mad:

I watched it in my teens and was generally blown away and horrified by it. Really want to see it again.

[Fourthman]

Here's the problem with recognizing genius years later. While a film is being made the people working on it are going, "Why didn't someone think of this before?" And that translates to years later where you're watching it going - "C'mon, someone HAD to have thought of this before."

[cmoney]

It's been one of my favorites since the first time I saw it.

[Taxman]

This could help
http://www.amazon.com/Taxi-Driver-BFI-Film-Classics/dp/0851703933/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258432203&sr=8-13Possibly not as much as this, I think.

http://www.amazon.com/Taxi-Driver-Two-Disc-Collectors-Robert/dp/B000R8YC18/

[PeterSparker]

It absolutely holds up, and I find it hard to believe it doesn't still have a similar impact to a new viewer now as it would've in the 70's. Gotta just be you wouldn't have liked it then either probably.

I honestly can't think of all that many films in the ensuing decades which tackle the kind of a world or subject matter more head on and hardcore than 'Taxi Driver'. (Well, other than 'Hardcore' that is...)

It also captured a NYC that doesn't exist anymore, at all, well for now anyway. Peter Boyle is sublimely great in it, and it also has the late great Joe Spinell (Gazzo from the Rocky movies) .

John Hinckley Jr seemed to like it anyway.

[Fourthman]

It also captured a NYC that doesn't exist anymore, at all, well for now anyway.
When that shouting angry black guy is stridently walking down the street I know that I was seeing one of the most honest depictions of NYC of the last century.

[Kefky]

Get taste, freak.
































:)

[Doug]

Scorsese is my favorite, but I honestly prefer Raging Bull and King Of Comedy to Taxi Driver.

But that is my personal taste. Taxi Drive is a very good movie though. I loved Scorsese's cameo. For some reason as disturbing as it is it just cracks me up. Especially Deniro's reaction.

[danlomb]

"On every street in every city in this country there's a nobody who dreams of being a somebody. He's a lonely forgotten man desperate to prove that he's alive."

Sells me every time.

[thatguyfromsyracuse]

Listen, you fuckers, you screwheads. Here is a man who would not take it anymore. A man who stood up against the scum, the cunts, the dogs, the filth, the shit. Here is a man who stood up.

[Big McLargeHuge]

welcome to the world of Scorcese.

Shut your mouth!

[Fourthman]

Scorsese is my favorite, but I honestly prefer Raging Bull and King Of Comedy to Taxi Driver.

But that is my personal taste. Taxi Drive is a very good movie though. I loved Scorsese's cameo. For some reason as disturbing as it is it just cracks me up. Especially Deniro's reaction.

Scorcese is also an extra in a scene shot in slow motion with Cybill Shepard. I think he's sitting on the steps right by the door of the campaign office.

[Doug]

Scorcese is also an extra in a scene shot in slow motion with Cybill Shepard. I think he's sitting on the steps right by the door of the campaign office.

Hadn't noticed that. I'll have to watch the movie again.

[Rosemary's Baby]

welcome to the world of Scorcese.

Are you saying his films are underwhelming? Or that they are slow?

[Big McLargeHuge]

Are you saying his films are underwhelming? Or that they are slow?

He's saying "Scriblhadisjilkbooshadsburrrry"

[Artie Pink]

I check for this to be released on Blu-Ray every month. Great film, very affecting.

It could be filmed today without changing a single word of dialogue.

[Big McLargeHuge]

I check for this to be released on Blu-Ray every month. Great film, very affecting.

It could be filmed today without changing a single word of dialogue.

Careful, don't give Hollywood any ideas.

[Joe Kalicki]

I check for this to be released on Blu-Ray every month. Great film, very affecting.

It could be filmed today without changing a single word of dialogue.

They'd probably have to tone it down.

[Dan-C]

welcome to the world of Scorcese.

Really? You don't find a single one of his films entertaining, or worthy of at least some sort of praise?

[Dark Sasha]

Muppet Movie is better.

[stevapalooza]

They'd probably have to tone it down.

And since modern movie makers believe that everything must be explained to death, there would probably be some lame flashback scene or psychobabble explanation for why Travis is who he is.

[Rosemary's Baby]

And since modern movie makers believe that everything must be explained to death, there would probably be some lame flashback scene or psychobabble explanation for why Travis is who he is.

Just a pet peeve, but I don't like generalizations like this. There are plenty of filmmakers working today that relish ambiguity.

[PeterSparker]

I like the idea of a remake. Lets get Topher Grace for Travis. Jennifer Aniston can play the Cybil Shepard role. Jessica Simpson can play the Jodi Foster part. Sean William Scott can play Harvey Keitel's pimp. And we'll even bring back Albert Brooks to revise his role (or consider Jack Black for the part if AB looks too old on screen). Since there are no more porno theaters for Travis to bring his date to on 42nd street anymore, they can go to the Pinkberry now instead. Or maybe the Yankee Store. Really, it writes itself.

[Kefky]

"Terrible hollywood remake" talk about this movie is kinda weird since the guy who made it is still such a big a name in the industry.

[Ben]

Do you live in NYC? Are you black? Because I heard a lot of black guys in NYC have trouble getting Taxi Driver.

[Kefky]

Is that a joke y/n

[Garth]

I check for this to be released on Blu-Ray every month. Great film, very affecting.

It could be filmed today without changing a single word of dialogue.

Same here. I can't wait for it on Blu-Ray.

[Ben]

Is that a joke y/n:mistrust:

[Kefky]

Just wanted to be sure.:Oops:

[Deej]

Best example of this to me is It's a Wonderful Life. Anyone watching this for the first time in adulthood has likely seen the story redone numerous times. I think that is going to take away a lot of the impact for some people.

When we are talking about something which is very influential, consider that there have been posts on this board claiming that The Ramones are not punk or the Led Zeppelin is not heavy metal.

Also with a film like this you have something which is pretty low budget with somewhat deliberately minimal production value. Most of the films it influenced are much slicker and have an entirely different sort of energy.

I saw this movie for the first time last year and just did not get why its considered a classic. I was totally bored by it and found a lot of faults with it. Most likely because I've seen the same type of movie before multiple times.

[Mark Mavro (kryptic6)]

I saw this movie for the first time last year and just did not get why its considered a classic. I was totally bored by it and found a lot of faults with it. Most likely because I've seen the same type of movie before multiple times.

I'm pretty sure I've never ever seen a movie quite like Taxi Driver.

[Rosemary's Baby]

I saw this movie for the first time last year and just did not get why its considered a classic. I was totally bored by it and found a lot of faults with it. Most likely because I've seen the same type of movie before multiple times.

Could you list the faults you think it has?

[Ben]

Just wanted to be sure.:Oops:http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i171/thedailynow/pray.gif

[Generic Poster]

And since modern movie makers believe that everything must be explained to death, there would probably be some lame flashback scene or psychobabble explanation for why Travis is who he is.

I'll bet his dad died while he was young, or kept on bringing 12 year-old prostitutes home.

[stevapalooza]

I'll bet his dad died while he was young, or kept on bringing 12 year-old prostitutes home.

or his family was murdered by a gang of pimps in taxis.

[Deej]

Could you list the faults you think it has?

If I recall correctly, the scrooge/villain of the movie gets what he wants in the end, right? There just never seemed to be a resolution there.

The outbursts with his children, the pacing of the movie and how quickly time passes in it, the whole relationship with his eventual wife - maybe I was expecting more of a love story here...

The ending with all the neighbors chipping in seemed very forced to me but I really can't pinpoint why right now.

The movie bored the fuck out of me. I don't see how people watch this every year around the holidays.

[HeroBoy]

I check for this to be released on Blu-Ray every month. Great film, very affecting.

It could be filmed today without changing a single word of dialogue.

Doubt it. When I saw TMNT the original movie, some of my buddies, all 20 somethings, couldn't believe new york was that scummy looking.

Thats a city that used to be the scariest place on earth that got cleaned up right good...


...does that mean there is hope for Detroit?

[Big McLargeHuge]

Doubt it. When I saw TMNT the original movie, some of my buddies, all 20 somethings, couldn't believe new york was that scummy looking.

Thats a city that used to be the scariest place on earth that got cleaned up right good...


...does that mean there is hope for Detroit?

His name is Murphy.

[stevapalooza]

His name is Murphy.

I hear he reaped the whirlwind

[JamesV]

If I recall correctly, the scrooge/villain of the movie gets what he wants in the end, right? There just never seemed to be a resolution there.

The outbursts with his children, the pacing of the movie and how quickly time passes in it, the whole relationship with his eventual wife - maybe I was expecting more of a love story here...

The ending with all the neighbors chipping in seemed very forced to me but I really can't pinpoint why right now.

The movie bored the fuck out of me. I don't see how people watch this every year around the holidays.

He doesn't. It's all those people repaying their debt to George at the end that stops the villain from winning.

[HeroBoy]

His name is Murphy.

I'm down with OCP

[Big McLargeHuge]

I hear he reaped the whirlwind

I was thinking this Murphy

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Politics/Images/robocop-feat.jpg

[Big McLargeHuge]

I'm down with OCP

Yeah boyyyyyyy!

[Big Poot!]

Taxi Driver inspired Pineapple Protein's music video.

"Wretched And Dejected" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SyfOxl3ThA)

[Marcdachamp]

See, that's really not what I would have expected to hear.

If anything I'd say it's the execution that makes it so great. The direction, the performances...absolutely stellar.

It's not the performances, either. I mean, the acting is great, particularly Jodie Foster. I think it's the pacing. Considering how much set-up the film had, I didn't feel like the world seemed half as crazy as De Niro's character, and that hurt it a bit for me. He didn't seem to be a man pushed to the edge, he seemed like a man that always was on the edge looking for someone to take it out on.

[Rosemary's Baby]

It's not the performances, either. I mean, the acting is great, particularly Jodie Foster. I think it's the pacing. Considering how much set-up the film had, I didn't feel like the world seemed half as crazy as De Niro's character, and that hurt it a bit for me. He didn't seem to be a man pushed to the edge, he seemed like a man that always was on the edge looking for someone to take it out on.

You know he was insane, right? A sociopath, even.

[Fake Pat]

You know he was insane, right? A sociopath, even.

Yeah, we're not necessarily supposed to relate to this guy.

[Marcdachamp]

You know he was insane, right? A sociopath, even.

Well, of course I do, but it felt like the movie tried to make you realize his view of the world at the same time as it was making you realize that he's nuts. Unfortunately, I feel like this made the world, filled with pimps and pedophiles, seem tame comparatively.

[Mark Mavro (kryptic6)]

It's not the performances, either. I mean, the acting is great, particularly Jodie Foster. I think it's the pacing. Considering how much set-up the film had, I didn't feel like the world seemed half as crazy as De Niro's character, and that hurt it a bit for me. He didn't seem to be a man pushed to the edge, he seemed like a man that always was on the edge looking for someone to take it out on.

He's not at all pushed to the edge. He's not normal to begin with. He is a man consumed by loneliness and it pushes him to do very self-destructive things.

[stevapalooza]

I was thinking this Murphy

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Politics/Images/robocop-feat.jpg

Another great Murphy for sure!

[Marcdachamp]

Bumped because Ultwar asked so nicely. :)

[dasNdanger]

Wow! Joe Kalicki is back!! :D

:)

:|

DOH!!!

:mad:


das

[ultwar]

I don't even know where to start.