Taxi Driver is overrated
04-15-11 | 02:17 PM
#77
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From: Gateway Cities/Harbor Region
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
Pulp Fiction is much better.
04-15-11 | 02:24 PM
#78
04-15-11 | 08:23 PM
#81
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From: Formerly known as "Solid Snake PAC"/Denton, Tx
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
In the audio commentary, Schrader recalls balking at having to write any scenes where Bickle wasn't present because it all had to be inside his head. But Scorsese insisted on the Iris/Sport scene, so they cut in a shot at the beginning of the scene of Bickle in his cab looking up (taken from elsewhere in the shoot) as if to hint that even this scene could be inside Bickle's head.
04-16-11 | 04:19 PM
#82
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
I watched Taxi Driver for the first time last year, and I was a little disappointed.
Yeah, it's a good movie. I would defninitely agree with that. But great? One of the all time best? No way. There just isn't a lot of substance in the movie beyond the acting and the character's descent. Not a lot happens. This isn't about the movie being slow, it's about a lot of time spent on very little happening. There is some very good acting going on, and there are some great moments (Scorsese in the cab is a classic moment), but there are also some moments where there just isn't much going on. The story is so simple it could have been told in 70 minutes. (Hollywood used to routinely churn out good to very good 75-80 minute movies in the 40's that had more plot points than Taxi Driver.)
Again, don't get me wrong - I liked the movie and thought it was good. I just don't think it's a Top 100 all time movie. The movie isn't quite as good (IMO) as it's reputation would lead a viewer to believe it is.
Yeah, it's a good movie. I would defninitely agree with that. But great? One of the all time best? No way. There just isn't a lot of substance in the movie beyond the acting and the character's descent. Not a lot happens. This isn't about the movie being slow, it's about a lot of time spent on very little happening. There is some very good acting going on, and there are some great moments (Scorsese in the cab is a classic moment), but there are also some moments where there just isn't much going on. The story is so simple it could have been told in 70 minutes. (Hollywood used to routinely churn out good to very good 75-80 minute movies in the 40's that had more plot points than Taxi Driver.)
Again, don't get me wrong - I liked the movie and thought it was good. I just don't think it's a Top 100 all time movie. The movie isn't quite as good (IMO) as it's reputation would lead a viewer to believe it is.
04-18-11 | 03:48 AM
#84
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
I think Taxi Driver might be hard to relate to if you've never been a lonely young man or experienced the crowded anonymity of a big city. I was never in the dire straights that Travis was, but I saw in him a potential future arc for me if I didn't get my shit together and get a life. I found it ominous and completely compelling. So yeah, a classic.
05-23-11 | 07:42 AM
#85
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
I went to see the the restored print yesterday and think the film holds up very well. Excellent performances. Grade: 4.5/5
05-23-11 | 12:35 PM
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Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
I don't have a problem when people dispute whether a classic is good or not but it's generally a good idea to back up what you're saying. Plenty of people have brought up valid points as to why Taxi Driver is a classic but I haven't seen any real valid arguments on why it's not. Saying it's boring to you isn't a valid criticism of the movie. I've found a few classics boring but I know that's no criticism that just means the movie wasn't for me.
05-23-11 | 01:08 PM
#87
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
BTW, I love Taxi Driver for many reasons. One thing I love the most is the filming of New York City during the seventies. How it has changed. The visceral capturing of how the city WAS is something I always enjoy.
05-23-11 | 01:13 PM
#88
05-23-11 | 01:59 PM
#89
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
Yeah, some movies are enjoyable just being a virtual time machine. Saturday Night Fever works the same way for me. Less enjoyable in it's narrarative, but a fascinating snapshot of NYC in the 70's.
05-23-11 | 04:13 PM
#90
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
05-23-11 | 07:16 PM
#92
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
^Just imagine....You could walk into a theater that had Make Them Die Slowly playing right next to a theater that was showing Fists of the White Lotus. That's pure cult-movie-viewing-heaven right there....
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kj93ey9Pvtg?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kj93ey9Pvtg?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>
....But whether I could actually go in and watch and enjoy the movie would be another subject (Bill Landis' book, "Sleazoid Express" covers this very well. Exploring the joys and dangers of going into those theaters)
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kj93ey9Pvtg?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kj93ey9Pvtg?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>
....But whether I could actually go in and watch and enjoy the movie would be another subject (Bill Landis' book, "Sleazoid Express" covers this very well. Exploring the joys and dangers of going into those theaters)
05-24-11 | 06:59 AM
#93
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
When I was younger (before internet) and a little naive, I was an avid reader of Leonard Maltin's movie guide, and the rating that bothered me the most was ** for Taxi Driver.
For all you naysayers out there like Maltin, you can go ** yourself
For all you naysayers out there like Maltin, you can go ** yourself
05-24-11 | 07:02 AM
#94
DVD Talk Legend
07-26-11 | 11:10 PM
#96
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
I had never been interested in watching Taxi Driver. I'm not that into 70's films, Scorsese, or DeNiro. Finally watched this movie though, and I was amazed. I didn't expect much watching it, and I hadn't really read up on the hype of it. I see now how much it influenced other works I enjoyed like Alan Moore's Watchmen. Rorschach is very much Travis Bickle.
07-27-11 | 03:10 AM
#97
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
I had never been interested in watching Taxi Driver. I'm not that into 70's films, Scorsese, or DeNiro. Finally watched this movie though, and I was amazed. I didn't expect much watching it, and I hadn't really read up on the hype of it. I see now how much it influenced other works I enjoyed like Alan Moore's Watchmen. Rorschach is very much Travis Bickle.
07-27-11 | 03:20 AM
#98
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
All I've taken away from this thread is that Roger Ebert completly dropped the ball when he reviewed A Clockwork Orange.
07-27-11 | 05:10 AM
#99
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
I don't know if I'd say Ebert "dropped the ball". He explained in good detail what he didn't like about A Clockwork Orange, he didn't just dismiss it.
I remember when Gene Siskel reviewed the reissue of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and he made a crack at Ebert for his bad review of ACO.
Interesting, on his blog, Ebert said that he was planning to revisit A Clockwork Orange. I hope he gets around to it and writes a review of his impression all these years later, that would be quite interesting.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/...981/-1/letters
I remember when Gene Siskel reviewed the reissue of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and he made a crack at Ebert for his bad review of ACO.
Interesting, on his blog, Ebert said that he was planning to revisit A Clockwork Orange. I hope he gets around to it and writes a review of his impression all these years later, that would be quite interesting.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/...981/-1/letters
07-27-11 | 05:36 AM
#100
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Taxi Driver is overrated
That aside, I'm with those who think T.D. is a near-great film. Not quite a masterpiece, but not far off.