The break down of a man can be seen in Taxi Driver 10 times over. The story is that of one that can be found in every city in America. (as deemed on the original movie poster) A man Travis Bickle played by Robert De Niro) who is lonely and a nobody trying desperately to be a somebody. Engaging in other people’s social lives to entertain his own boredom and to be “apart of something”. Bickle gets a job as a cab driver close to the beginning of the movie as something to pass time during the night due to his insomnia problems. Bickle eventually finds Betsy on his route staring at her through a glass window as she works campaigning for a presidential candidate. (Palantine)

He tries hard to impress her and get involved in campaigning just to get close to her. However he becomes his own worst enemy when he takes her to a movie theater on a date that plays smut. She runs out embarrased and surprised by his actions (though he is null to it and it doesn’t seem to arrouse him in the least) and leaves him and hopes to never have contact him with again. Ultimately he some what stalks her trying to apologize but she rejects him time and time again.

From here is where he really goes off the deep end and starts to plot to kill Palantine. He buys an arsenal of arms. (numerous handguns) As his plotting basically fails he falls back on a local prostitute who is a 12 year old played by Jodi Foster and her pimp is Tom played by Harvey Keitel. He then gets it in his mind that he is basically God’s instrument and will set forth judgment on those who need it. So he sets out to save Iris (Jodi Foster) and in the conclusion and climax of the movie in his process to save a girl who actually doesnt even want to be saved he gets in a huge shoot out. A shoot out that has been debated for years since. The way the film loses color in this sequence adds to the break down of the scenes. *Spoiler Alert* While he kills all those that are oppressing her he gets shot in the midst of it all and dies. Then it’s as if he has a fantasy dream at the end of his life as Betsy is back in his cab and its as if nothing ever happened and news paper clippings on his wall claim him as a hero who saved Iris. It’s something that has been debated as to what it all really meant and allows the viewer to really make up his own mind about the ending.

Taxi Driver is a classic, and at the time of its release had what was one of the most brutal shoot out scenes ever on film. The blu-ray is fantastic, the film is fantastic and it’s a must own!

Taxi Driver released onto Blu-ray with a 4k restoration and a beautiful 1080p transfer. This is definitely Taxi Driver at its best. I won’t go as far as to say its the best transfer I’ve ever seen. I’ve also seen many digibook editions of older films with better transfers but when it comes to the film Taxi Driver, this is the best version. (And probably the last one you’ll ever need to buy.) You won’t find any reviewer with major complaints on this transfer otherwise they’re full of boo boo!

The audio quality on this release is also the best I’ve ever heard on any Taxi Driver release. The vocals are heard with extreme clarity through your fronts and center and the rears are utlized nicely when need be engulfing you in the experience that is Taxi Driver on blu-ray. A great test of the audio quality can be heard when Martin Scorsese makes his cameo in the back of the can and he is talking in a very low tone voice to De Niro who also is conversating back pretty calmly. When scenes happen like that and I’m fumbling for the receiver remote to amp up the volume then you know it most often hasn’t been given the proper mixing and mastering in the audio track.

Sony made an incredible editon for Taxi Driver that comes in a lovely Blu-ray Digipack. It folds open in to a 3 section digipack that includes a 12 art cards/lobby cards. This release to blu-ray is packed with extensive extras! Audio commentaries galore, photo galleries, a montage from real life taxi cab drivers, interviews, interactive features and more.

Interactive Script to Screen feature

Original 1986 Audio Commentary

Audio Commentary with University of Virginia Professor Robert Kolker

Audio Commentary with Writer Paul Schrader

Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver (1080p)

Producing Taxi Driver (1080p)

God’s Lonely Man (1080p)

Influence and Appreciation:

Taxi Driver Stories (1080p)

Making Taxi Driver (480p)

Travis’ New York (1080p)

Travis’ New York Locations (1080p)

Intro to Storyboards by Martin Scorsese (1080p)

Storyboard to Film Comparison (1080p)

Galleries (1080p)

Taxi Driver Trailer

BD-Live

MovieIQ

Wrap up time! So is this title worth purchasing? Absolutely! It comes in a nice digipack with art cards/lobby cards etc. It’s incredibly priced, and has the greatest video and audio transfer that this film has ever had to date. This is the last Taxi Driver edition you will ever need to buy unless they drop a special edition in the future and you’re a sucker for that. (like myself) The Supplements have a pretty good mix of things and include some new additions exclusive to blu-ray as well. Great movie, great transfers, great price, BUY IT!