As much as that line is quoted, I always find it funny that few people can actually name the movie it comes from, much less having seen it. For those who don't know, it comes from Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver, one of the best films to come out in the 70's - or at least one of its most poignant.
Taxi Driver centers on Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a Vietnam vet living in New York. His time in the service has left Travis in a troubled emotional state; he's a loner, is lacking in social skills and has trouble sleeping, leading him to a job driving a cab at night. Working the night shift puts Travis out into the streets with the "buggers, fairies, dopers, junkies..." and other societal cancers that we like to pretend don't exist. Coming into contact with these pariahs only reinforces Travis' already askew idea of New York.
Things begin to look better for Travis when he meets Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), an aide for Senator and presidential candidate, Charles Palantine. Travis falls for Betsy, though his lack of social skills makes for an uneasy relationship; especially when he takes her to a porno theater for a date. Betsy decides to call off the relationship, further screwing up Travis's twisted mind. It is only after he strikes up an unusual relationship an underaged prostitute, Iris (Jodie Foster), that Travis is pushed over the edge and arms himself with the intent of cleaning up the city.
One of the odd things about Taxi Driver is that it manages to take a twisted, awkward person and make him relatable and somewhat likeable. While a majority of us would probably avoid Travis if we ever crossed paths with him in our daily lives, there's something in his character that makes sense. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to assume that a majority of us have seen something, either on TV or in person, that has made our blood boil to the point that we wanted to lash out violently. Personally, those were my exact feelings after watching the countless looters who decided that breaking into a shoe store and taking hundreds of dollars worth of shoes was vital to their survival after Hurricane Katrina. While a majority of us know how to deal with these feelings in a non-violent, "sane" way, Travis does the exact opposite.
Whether or not we want to admit it, there's a bit of Travis in all of us. It is clear that that Travis is a few eggs short of a dozen (or even a half-dozen); though there are times where you will question just how insane he is and you may even believe that he isn't crazy at all, he's just, "A man who would not take it anymore. A man who stood up against the scum." This is why Taxi Driver works as a film and manages to remain just as powerful now as it did 30 years ago.
Among the many extras contained on the set is a set of commentaries by writer Paul Schrader and Professor Robert Kolker. The two commentaries are completely different, but are worth a look for anyone interested in knowing more about the movie or why directors do certain things. Schrader's commentary gives a little of the film's background, such as changes that were made during filming or why certain decisions were made; I found Schrader's comments about little quirks you normally wouldn't notice one of the best parts of the commentary. For example, in an encounter Travis has with a man who talks about killing his wife, the man is actually doing the right thing by talking out his problems while Travis keeps things bottled up inside.
Professor Kolker's commentary is just as interesting to listen to, though I sort of tuned him out. For me, the commentary reminded me of a film studies teacher I had in college who I never got along with - so there could be a bit of personal transference there. Kolker's commentary brings in aspects of film studies, such as why parts are cut and framed in specific ways, and a few comparisons between Scorsese's work and other directors.
Other special features include Scorsese's own thoughts on the film as well as an interview with one of the film's producers. There's also a feature where other actors and directors share their thoughts on Taxi Driver and Scorsese, as well as features that show off the film's locations, the "Making of..." and a collection of stills.
Two of my favorite features were "God's Lonely Man" and "Taxi Driver Stories." "God's Lonely Man" is something of a continuation of Schrader's commentary. He discusses how he got started, his inspiration behind writing the movie and some of the deeper meanings. Professor Kolker even pops in for a few extra words. "Taxi Driver Stories" is just what it sounds like; a bunch of real-life taxi cab drivers tell stories about the profession. I was actually a bit disappointed that the feature didn't last longer.
Taxi Driver is an excellent film and worth a watch if you haven't already seen it. The subject matter, language and other questionable themes may offend some viewers; if parts of the plot breakdown sounded offensive, Taxi Driver isn't for you. As far as the extras are concerned, there is so much available that there should be something for anyone's interests. Film students will love the commentary; aspiring writers will enjoy Schrader's comments; and reality TV fans will like the "Taxi Driver Stories."
