As a seasoned cinephile who has spent countless hours immersed in the silver screen, I wholeheartedly concur with Roger Ebert’s assessment of Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece, “Taxi Driver.” The film, with its gritty realism and powerful performances, stands as a testament to the raw talent of Robert De Niro and the unparalleled vision of Scorsese.
Roger Ebert, a renowned movie critic, was not one to shower praise lightly. When he declared Martin Scorsese’s drama, “Taxi Driver,” as a “masterpiece” and a “brilliant nightmare” in his 1976 review, these were not empty words but genuine appreciation. Moreover, Ebert acknowledged Robert De Niro’s exceptional performance from the initial viewing itself. From November 1st, you have an opportunity to revisit this acclaimed film on Paramount+.
Up for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Robert De Niro), and Best Supporting Actress (Jodie Foster), Taxi Driver was both a critical and financial success. It skillfully portrayed the moral complexity that characterized the social unrest of the 1970s, against the rough streets of New York City. To this day, the film remains contentious due to its graphic depiction of violence and plot involving Foster’s character, a young prostitute whom De Niro’s character becomes acquainted with. In his appraisal of the movie, Ebert commended its emotional depth.
The movie is a remarkable example of subtle character portrayal; Scorsese’s technique focuses on choosing details to stir feelings, and that’s the impact he aims for. The actors’ performances are captivating yet unconventional: He prefers dramatic moments from them instead of gradually building characters. It feels like the necessary emotions were penned in the script margins: Deliver me anger, fear, apprehension.
The movie narrates the tale of former Vietnam soldier Travis Bickle (played by De Niro), who faces difficulties in forming meaningful connections with others and slips deeper into solitude and suspicion. Unable to connect with a striking political campaign worker (Cybill Shepherd), Bickle embarks on a dangerous, violent journey that culminates in sorrowful outcomes. Critic Ebert highly appreciated De Niro’s acting, stating that it is “comparable to Brando’s in its ability to convey emotions without fully exposing them.
De Niro and Scorsese Films, and Where to Find Them
Remarkably, it’s not just Taxi Driver that stands out in the collaboration between Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese; their best work is actually found in Raging Bull. However, every single one of their ten feature films are worth a watch. Here’s a list of all ten films, along with where you can stream them (all accurate at the time of writing).
- Mean Streets (1973) – Harvey Keitel plays an ambitious Italian mobster trying to make a name for himself, while De Niro plays his impulsive, angry friend who constantly gets in trouble. It marked the first collaboration of the film icons. Now streaming on Hoopla.
- Taxi Driver (1976) – Streaming on Paramount+ November 1.
- New York, New York (1977) – One of Scorsese’s rare misfires, the film is a World War II-era musical starring Liza Minnelli and De Niro as a jazz musician. Not currently streaming.
- Raging Bull (1980) – De Niro won an Oscar for Best Actor playing real-life boxer Jake LaMotta in Scorsese’s back-and-white masterpiece. It also won the Oscar for Best Film Editing. Currently streaming on Max, Prime Video, and Freevee.
- The King of Comedy (1983) – Jerry Lewis gives a surprisingly dramatic performance as a talk show host kidnapped by a delusional fan (De Niro). Currently streaming on Prime Video and Plex.
- Goodfellas (1990) – Scorsese’s mobster epic is based on the real life story of Henry Hill, played by Ray Liotta, with De Niro playing his partner, James Conway. Joe Pesci won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Streaming on Max on November 1.
- Cape Fear (1991) – A remake of the 1962 classic, De Niro plays Max Cady, a convicted rapist who is paroled and stalks the family of the lawyer who failed to keep hm out of prison. De Niro earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination. Currently streaming on AMC+.
- Casino (1995) – Sharon Stone earned a Best Actress nomination playing the wife of De Niro’s Ace Rothstein, a mobster in the Las Vegas casino scene of the 1970s and 1980s. Currently streaming on Tubi.
- The Irishman (2019) – In his first film for Netflix, Scorsese directs the true story of Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a mob hitman who claimed he killed Jimmy Hoffa. The film earned ten Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Currently streaming on Netflix.
- Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) – Based on true events, De Niro earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination as a businessman at the center of an investigation of the murders of Native Americans who owned valuable oil fields in 1920s Oklahoma. Currently streaming on Apple TV+.
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2024-10-29 19:01