Taxi Driver

Dir: Martin Scorsese, 1976 (9.0*)

Palm d'Or (Cannes)

AFI and Time Mag Top 100

An all-American homicidal psycho classic, Robert De Niro paints a portrait none will ever forget, as cabbie over-the-edge Travis Bickle. Travis is attracted to policital campaign worker Cybil Shepherd, who is obviously of another class, as in "someone with". Jodie Foster is a teenage prostitute who catches his eye and friendship, and Harvey Keitel, with super-long hair (!) is her pimp.

We witness Bickle's evolution from bored and lonely cabbie to a dark and sinister instrument of modern rage in a brilliantly spiraling story of an anonymous denizen of the night coming to grips with his own societal impotence in a way that will leave his mark one way or another.

Look for Scorsese in a scene in the cab, spying on his wife. Eventually we see the dark side of America and it’s pretty scary and unforgettable, but this is a crime classic! This is now No. 3 all-time in our compendium of Top Ranked Films in all film polls, see post for the new 2011 update here..

Quote: You talking to me? You talking to me? Well, I don’t see anyone else here. (De Niro, to himself)