Taxi Driver (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (1976) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As we all know, a film's critical review is a subjective journey.
Many have universally praised Taxi Driver an American masterpiece.
In my humble opinion, it is Scorsese's crowning achievement.
I won't bother you a with a critical review of the narrative itself, the power of the performances, the lush cinematography not to mention the haunting soundtrack.
Lets get down to brass tacks with the Blu-ray experience:
The new 4K transfer and remastering ( under cinematographer Michael Chapmen and Scorsese's supervision ) looks fantastic. I can only hope for more studios to take their time when transferring vintage masterpieces. The clarity, color and detail even surpasses my last film-screening of this film at the Hollywood Cinerama Dome in the mid-90s. The soundtrack is presented in 5.1 DTS HD with wonderful results.
The special features are chock full of goodies, too numerous for me to list here fully:
I really enjoyed the "screen to script interactive", and also the "storyboard to film comparisons". Multiple documentaries are included in this single BR disc, including "Travis' New York " The changes of New York 1975 to Today" Multiple interviews and commentaries with both Scoreses and writer Paul Schrader + much more supplementary material.
The Picture Quality at 1080P was like peanut butter to jelly on my 52" LCD XBR, and switching the images to a 150" screen ( via Sony VPL-VW50 1080P projector ) was like adding a couple strips of crispy bacon to that peanut butter sandwich. If you are into HT and projection systems, this BR disc is made for you. Seeing New York City in the mid 70s presented in such detail and color was a visually arresting experience. The vibrant night shots really stays with you, vivid colors pop during those long tracking POV shots from Travis's cab. A museum quality documentation on NYC street-life during that period.
The packaging is robust, with a 3 section pullout-type case that holds the bonus lobbycards.
This is the definitive copy. ( at least until The Criterion Collection decides to give it a BR go ).
Yes folks, for a small price, its time to get into Travis's Taxi for a cinematic ride like no other.

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At 26, Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is slipping slowly into isolation and violence on the streets of New York City. Trying to solve his insomnia by driving a yellow cab on the night shift, he grows increasingly disgusted by the people who hang out at night: "Someday a real rain will come and wash all the scum off the streets." His touching attempts to woo Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), a Senator's campaign worker, turn sour when he takes her to a porn movie on their first date. He even fails in his attempt to persuade child prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster) to desert her pimp Sport (Harvey Keitel) and return to her parents and school. Driven to the edge by powerlessness, he buys four handguns and sets out to assassinate the Senator, heading for the infamy of a `lone crazed gunman'.

DVD BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:

"Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver" Featurette

"Producing Taxi Driver" Featurette

"Influence and Appreciation" Documentary

Robert De Niro, Oliver Stone, Roger Corman and others pay tribute to Scorsese and the film

"God's Lonely Man" Documentary

"Travis' New York Locations" Featurette

Storyboard to Film Comparisons with Martin Scorsese Introduction

New Feature-length Commentary by Writer Paul Schrader

New Feature-length Commentary by Professor Robert Kolker

"Taxi Driver Stories" Featurette

"Making Taxi Driver" Documentary

Animated Photo Galleries

"Including Scorsese at Work" Photo Montage

Original Screenplay Read Along

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