Jodie-Foster Movie Reviews

This is an amazing video and should be shown to any class learning about reproduction, and or womens rights. It is an essential part of American history.

This is just a wonderful series (The Rabbit Ears Videos). In a world of fast moving cartoons, Rabbit Ears stories unfold with grace and elegance. The marriage of great art, beautiful music and the human voice is perfect.

My four year old loves these videos, and we put one on when we think he's had enough Disney. He loves the spookiness of this one--the dark colors and the black cut outs along with the music give it a feeling of magic and mystery without being too intense for his age. I also recommend Jack and the Beanstalk (read by Michael Palin)and The Elephant's Child (read by Jack Nicholson). These are our favorites, but really, you can't go wrong with this series.

The movies in this collection are: The Silence of the Lambs; Little Man Tate; and The Hotel New Hampshire. Each video has it's own pictorial cardboard slipcase, and all three slipcases fit into a larger pictorial cardboard slipcase.

Thomas Harris wrote three novels on which four different films are based: Manhunter (1986) and Red Dragon (2002) based on the same novel as well as Hannibal (2001) and this film. After a decade, it retains its strengths in terms directing, acting, and production values. For obvious reasons, however, it has lost much of its emotional impact for those such as I who have seen it several times since its initial release in 1991. Nonetheless, I find it every bit as entertaining now as I did then but for different reasons.

For example, the compelling personality of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) had such an impact on me the first time around that I paid little attention to information revealed about Clarice Starling's childhood. Jody Foster received an Academy Award for her performance as did Hopkins and director Jonathan Demme. Well-deserved. I now have a much better appreciation of the evolving relationship between Lecter and Starling, and a much better understanding of childhood influences on her values and especially her vulnerabilities. Also, I now have a greater appreciation of the performances of others, notably Ted Levine (Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb). During the final confrontation, he more than holds his own with the highly talented Foster. Finally, I am now more aware of Jack Crawford's importance to Starling. Portraying her supervisor, Scott Glenn appears only briefly but makes a critically important contribution to Starling's development, both personally and professionally. Her judgment proves better than his as they pursue Buffalo Bill and he duly acknowledges that.

As I now think again about this film, I realize that the dominant image previously had been of Lecter in his cell, smiling serenely at the earnest young F.B.I. agent. Whenever I heard a reference to the film or to Lecter, that is what immediately came to mind. Now, the dominant image is of the "cage" in which Lecter is served a lamb chop dinner by two of the guards. I recall it so vividly...and shudder.

The DVD version of a film offers clearer image and sound (which I certainly appreciate) but also, more often than not, a "bonus" of supplementary materials. In this instance, they include 20 minutes of deleted scenes, interviews of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, a "making-of" featurette, and a reel of out-takes.

Enough good things can not be said about this film. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a horror-thriller-drama in one, a masterpiece of modern cinema that swept in five Academy Awards including Best Picture. Loosely adapted from the best-seller by Thomas Harris, the film follows Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), a young FBI trainee who must play an imprisoned cannibal genius' (Anthony Hopkins) mind games while trying to single-handedly track down a psychotic serial killer (Ted Levine). THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is deservedly a legend, which was followed by three sequels (chronologically, the film occurs after it's second sequel, RED DRAGON). Let me try to sum up my good thoughts in words. Jonathan Demme turns this from a masterpiece to a work of art with his outstanding direction and intriguing Point-of-View shots; Ted Tally writes the creepy, intelligent screenplay; then there's a short but very nice score by Howard Shore. Foster is at her best and portrays the character better than anyone else could try; Scott Glenn is good as her section chief, and Anthony Heald is good as the annoying and ignorant Dr. Chilton; Levine is very good as well, and brings out the character just as he should be. But the true highlight of the film is Anthony Hopkins as polite and genius Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter; Hopkins gives his best performance and one of the best performances ever captured on film - there is no doubt in my mind Hannibal Lecter is the ultimate villain. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS must be seen to believed. Make sure you take a bite out of this artful masterpiece!

This psychological thriller descends into the realm of madness as Dr. Hannibal Lecter (encased in an escape-proof cage - but is it REALLY escape-proof?) establishes an unusual connestion with FBI agent Clarice Starling. She comes to him requesting his insight and help figuring out the criminally insane mind of a serial killer she's stalking. Lecter agrees to cooperate, but at a price...
Impecable performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster playing the leads.
Warning: Do Not Watch This Movie alone on a dark and rainy night. And take some Excedrin PM afterward, or you'll never get to sleep. Highest recommendation.

Thomas Harris wrote three novels on which four different films are based: Manhunter (1986) and Red Dragon (2002) based on the same novel as well as Hannibal (2001) and this film. After a decade, it retains its strengths in terms directing, acting, and production values. For obvious reasons, however, it has lost much of its emotional impact for those such as I who have seen it several times since its initial release in 1991. Nonetheless, I find it every bit as entertaining now as I did then but for different reasons.

For example, the compelling personality of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) had such an impact on me the first time around that I paid little attention to information revealed about Clarice Starling's childhood. Jody Foster received an Academy Award for her performance as did Hopkins and director Jonathan Demme. Well-deserved. I now have a much better appreciation of the evolving relationship between Lecter and Starling, and a much better understanding of childhood influences on her values and especially her vulnerabilities. Also, I now have a greater appreciation of the performances of others, notably Ted Levine (Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb). During the final confrontation, he more than holds his own with the highly talented Foster. Finally, I am now more aware of Jack Crawford's importance to Starling. Portraying her supervisor, Scott Glenn appears only briefly but makes a critically important contribution to Starling's development, both personally and professionally. Her judgment proves better than his as they pursue Buffalo Bill and he duly acknowledges that.

As I now think again about this film, I realize that the dominant image previously had been of Lecter in his cell, smiling serenely at the earnest young F.B.I. agent. Whenever I heard a reference to the film or to Lecter, that is what immediately came to mind. Now, the dominant image is of the "cage" in which Lecter is served a lamb chop dinner by two of the guards. I recall it so vividly...and shudder.

The DVD version of a film offers clearer image and sound (which I certainly appreciate) but also, more often than not, a "bonus" of supplementary materials. In this instance, they include 20 minutes of deleted scenes, interviews of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, a "making-of" featurette, and a reel of out-takes.

Enough good things can not be said about this film. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a horror-thriller-drama in one, a masterpiece of modern cinema that swept in five Academy Awards including Best Picture. Loosely adapted from the best-seller by Thomas Harris, the film follows Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), a young FBI trainee who must play an imprisoned cannibal genius' (Anthony Hopkins) mind games while trying to single-handedly track down a psychotic serial killer (Ted Levine). THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is deservedly a legend, which was followed by three sequels (chronologically, the film occurs after it's second sequel, RED DRAGON). Let me try to sum up my good thoughts in words. Jonathan Demme turns this from a masterpiece to a work of art with his outstanding direction and intriguing Point-of-View shots; Ted Tally writes the creepy, intelligent screenplay; then there's a short but very nice score by Howard Shore. Foster is at her best and portrays the character better than anyone else could try; Scott Glenn is good as her section chief, and Anthony Heald is good as the annoying and ignorant Dr. Chilton; Levine is very good as well, and brings out the character just as he should be. But the true highlight of the film is Anthony Hopkins as polite and genius Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter; Hopkins gives his best performance and one of the best performances ever captured on film - there is no doubt in my mind Hannibal Lecter is the ultimate villain. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS must be seen to believed. Make sure you take a bite out of this artful masterpiece!

This psychological thriller descends into the realm of madness as Dr. Hannibal Lecter (encased in an escape-proof cage - but is it REALLY escape-proof?) establishes an unusual connestion with FBI agent Clarice Starling. She comes to him requesting his insight and help figuring out the criminally insane mind of a serial killer she's stalking. Lecter agrees to cooperate, but at a price...
Impecable performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster playing the leads.
Warning: Do Not Watch This Movie alone on a dark and rainy night. And take some Excedrin PM afterward, or you'll never get to sleep. Highest recommendation.

Thomas Harris wrote three novels on which four different films are based: Manhunter (1986) and Red Dragon (2002) based on the same novel as well as Hannibal (2001) and this film. After a decade, it retains its strengths in terms directing, acting, and production values. For obvious reasons, however, it has lost much of its emotional impact for those such as I who have seen it several times since its initial release in 1991. Nonetheless, I find it every bit as entertaining now as I did then but for different reasons.

For example, the compelling personality of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) had such an impact on me the first time around that I paid little attention to information revealed about Clarice Starling's childhood. Jody Foster received an Academy Award for her performance as did Hopkins and director Jonathan Demme. Well-deserved. I now have a much better appreciation of the evolving relationship between Lecter and Starling, and a much better understanding of childhood influences on her values and especially her vulnerabilities. Also, I now have a greater appreciation of the performances of others, notably Ted Levine (Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb). During the final confrontation, he more than holds his own with the highly talented Foster. Finally, I am now more aware of Jack Crawford's importance to Starling. Portraying her supervisor, Scott Glenn appears only briefly but makes a critically important contribution to Starling's development, both personally and professionally. Her judgment proves better than his as they pursue Buffalo Bill and he duly acknowledges that.

As I now think again about this film, I realize that the dominant image previously had been of Lecter in his cell, smiling serenely at the earnest young F.B.I. agent. Whenever I heard a reference to the film or to Lecter, that is what immediately came to mind. Now, the dominant image is of the "cage" in which Lecter is served a lamb chop dinner by two of the guards. I recall it so vividly...and shudder.

The DVD version of a film offers clearer image and sound (which I certainly appreciate) but also, more often than not, a "bonus" of supplementary materials. In this instance, they include 20 minutes of deleted scenes, interviews of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, a "making-of" featurette, and a reel of out-takes.

Enough good things can not be said about this film. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a horror-thriller-drama in one, a masterpiece of modern cinema that swept in five Academy Awards including Best Picture. Loosely adapted from the best-seller by Thomas Harris, the film follows Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), a young FBI trainee who must play an imprisoned cannibal genius' (Anthony Hopkins) mind games while trying to single-handedly track down a psychotic serial killer (Ted Levine). THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is deservedly a legend, which was followed by three sequels (chronologically, the film occurs after it's second sequel, RED DRAGON). Let me try to sum up my good thoughts in words. Jonathan Demme turns this from a masterpiece to a work of art with his outstanding direction and intriguing Point-of-View shots; Ted Tally writes the creepy, intelligent screenplay; then there's a short but very nice score by Howard Shore. Foster is at her best and portrays the character better than anyone else could try; Scott Glenn is good as her section chief, and Anthony Heald is good as the annoying and ignorant Dr. Chilton; Levine is very good as well, and brings out the character just as he should be. But the true highlight of the film is Anthony Hopkins as polite and genius Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter; Hopkins gives his best performance and one of the best performances ever captured on film - there is no doubt in my mind Hannibal Lecter is the ultimate villain. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS must be seen to believed. Make sure you take a bite out of this artful masterpiece!

This psychological thriller descends into the realm of madness as Dr. Hannibal Lecter (encased in an escape-proof cage - but is it REALLY escape-proof?) establishes an unusual connestion with FBI agent Clarice Starling. She comes to him requesting his insight and help figuring out the criminally insane mind of a serial killer she's stalking. Lecter agrees to cooperate, but at a price...
Impecable performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster playing the leads.
Warning: Do Not Watch This Movie alone on a dark and rainy night. And take some Excedrin PM afterward, or you'll never get to sleep. Highest recommendation.

Thomas Harris wrote three novels on which four different films are based: Manhunter (1986) and Red Dragon (2002) based on the same novel as well as Hannibal (2001) and this film. After a decade, it retains its strengths in terms directing, acting, and production values. For obvious reasons, however, it has lost much of its emotional impact for those such as I who have seen it several times since its initial release in 1991. Nonetheless, I find it every bit as entertaining now as I did then but for different reasons.

For example, the compelling personality of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) had such an impact on me the first time around that I paid little attention to information revealed about Clarice Starling's childhood. Jody Foster received an Academy Award for her performance as did Hopkins and director Jonathan Demme. Well-deserved. I now have a much better appreciation of the evolving relationship between Lecter and Starling, and a much better understanding of childhood influences on her values and especially her vulnerabilities. Also, I now have a greater appreciation of the performances of others, notably Ted Levine (Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb). During the final confrontation, he more than holds his own with the highly talented Foster. Finally, I am now more aware of Jack Crawford's importance to Starling. Portraying her supervisor, Scott Glenn appears only briefly but makes a critically important contribution to Starling's development, both personally and professionally. Her judgment proves better than his as they pursue Buffalo Bill and he duly acknowledges that.

As I now think again about this film, I realize that the dominant image previously had been of Lecter in his cell, smiling serenely at the earnest young F.B.I. agent. Whenever I heard a reference to the film or to Lecter, that is what immediately came to mind. Now, the dominant image is of the "cage" in which Lecter is served a lamb chop dinner by two of the guards. I recall it so vividly...and shudder.

The DVD version of a film offers clearer image and sound (which I certainly appreciate) but also, more often than not, a "bonus" of supplementary materials. In this instance, they include 20 minutes of deleted scenes, interviews of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, a "making-of" featurette, and a reel of out-takes.

Enough good things can not be said about this film. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a horror-thriller-drama in one, a masterpiece of modern cinema that swept in five Academy Awards including Best Picture. Loosely adapted from the best-seller by Thomas Harris, the film follows Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), a young FBI trainee who must play an imprisoned cannibal genius' (Anthony Hopkins) mind games while trying to single-handedly track down a psychotic serial killer (Ted Levine). THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is deservedly a legend, which was followed by three sequels (chronologically, the film occurs after it's second sequel, RED DRAGON). Let me try to sum up my good thoughts in words. Jonathan Demme turns this from a masterpiece to a work of art with his outstanding direction and intriguing Point-of-View shots; Ted Tally writes the creepy, intelligent screenplay; then there's a short but very nice score by Howard Shore. Foster is at her best and portrays the character better than anyone else could try; Scott Glenn is good as her section chief, and Anthony Heald is good as the annoying and ignorant Dr. Chilton; Levine is very good as well, and brings out the character just as he should be. But the true highlight of the film is Anthony Hopkins as polite and genius Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter; Hopkins gives his best performance and one of the best performances ever captured on film - there is no doubt in my mind Hannibal Lecter is the ultimate villain. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS must be seen to believed. Make sure you take a bite out of this artful masterpiece!

This psychological thriller descends into the realm of madness as Dr. Hannibal Lecter (encased in an escape-proof cage - but is it REALLY escape-proof?) establishes an unusual connestion with FBI agent Clarice Starling. She comes to him requesting his insight and help figuring out the criminally insane mind of a serial killer she's stalking. Lecter agrees to cooperate, but at a price...
Impecable performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster playing the leads.
Warning: Do Not Watch This Movie alone on a dark and rainy night. And take some Excedrin PM afterward, or you'll never get to sleep. Highest recommendation.

This was a pretty good movie with some strong yet cynical points about the world. Robert De Niro (my hero of actors), in one of his early roles, plays Travis Bickle, the taxi driver who grows depressed with the world around him. He sees violence and evil in people, and when he sets out to save a young prostitute, he uses violence and takes the law into his own hands. The controversy at the end is whether or not he is a hero for saving the prostitue from her pimp, or if he's a bad man for using violence to solve the problem. Now, I liked this film. I was expecting a little more though. Some things really were misleading, kind of confusing, and at times, a little bit boring. The story was dark, and some scenes seemed to have no meaning to them. But, all in all the movie isn't that bad. I don't see why it is deemed a classic though. It's not all that great. I read another review that suggested seeing it more than once in order to understand it. Maybe that's what I need to do, watch the movie again and maybe I'll enjoy it more. I enjoyed the memorable scene in which Robert De Niro utters the ever popular quote "Are you talkin' to me?" and aims a gun at the mirror. I also think it's a cool part when De Niro puts his hand over a flame. I recommend this movie for those who are interested in the early days of De Niro's career, and for those who want to see a cynical portrayal of the world through the eyes of a demented man.

Travis Bickle has a problem - and not just one. He's a seemingly ordinary New York cabbie who's into fetishizing a woman (Cybil Shepard)working a congressional campaign. But ol' Trav' isn't above some slumming with a teen prostitute (Jodie Foster) or turning vigilante and blowing away a drug dealer (Harvey Keitel) and some pimps. Suffice it to say, "Taxi Driver" is not your feel good movie of the summer!
TRANSFER: Columbia gives us a really, REALLY disappointing DVD to watch. It's riddled with excessive grain, digital artifacts, aliasing, tiling, edge enhancement and a muddy color scheme. There's plenty of age related dirt, grit and grain - particularly during the night scenes. WOW! WHAT A MESS! The audio is remastered - but just barely - with low to no bass and a really screechy high end.
EXTRAS: After a visual presentation this bad, nothing helped!
BOTTOM LINE: The film is a classic. The transfer is a cropper!

After watching this movie, John Hinckley went out and tried to kill Ronald Reagan. This would indicate that "Taxi Driver" is a worthwhile movie. In more basic terms, however, the reason this is such a good movie is because it shows how close the categories of "hero" and "psychopath" are, and indeed, how close these categories are to normal life.

Travis(Robert De Niro) is a young, lonely, slightly obsessive taxi driver, who displays in the course of the movie, the two main male passions - sexual love and fatherly love. The first of these is directed towards a young professional, Betsy(Cybil Shepherd), a campaign worker for a Presidential candidate; the second towards a child prostitute, Iris acted by Jodie Foster.

the first of these passions brings him into fleeting contact with the cold aloof world of US politics characterized by empty sloganeering and an absence of policies. By actually meeting the candidate, Palatine in his cab, Travis begins to instinctively realize the connection between the messed up New York streets with their pushers and prostitutes and the opportunism and cynicism of those who defile their responsibility.

After being misunderstood and rejected by Betsy, these vague political misgivings crystallize around his dented male pride and lead him to plot the assassination of Palatine. As he prepares himself for this, however, his paternal feelings are aroused by the plight of Iris, the child prostitute, whom he resolves to rescue. Already living on the edge, he decides that the best way to do this is by killing her pimp.

In his mind these two goals become almost identical. Killing the apathetic. patronizing politician, who is socially or politically responsible, and the pimp, who is individually responsible for the abominations of modern city life, like child prostitution, have little to separate them. Indeed, only the candidate's security guards make the difference.

Foiled in his first attempt, it is only the second of these goals that he manages to accomplish. Ironically, the courage that would have had him damned as a sociopath in the first case, allows him to become a hero in the second.

This film raises the question: Is someone who takes a gun and tries to blow away a President or one of the other fakirs of the frenetic passivity of ungovernment, a hero? The answer is probably yes.

This was a pretty good movie with some strong yet cynical points about the world. Robert De Niro (my hero of actors), in one of his early roles, plays Travis Bickle, the taxi driver who grows depressed with the world around him. He sees violence and evil in people, and when he sets out to save a young prostitute, he uses violence and takes the law into his own hands. The controversy at the end is whether or not he is a hero for saving the prostitue from her pimp, or if he's a bad man for using violence to solve the problem. Now, I liked this film. I was expecting a little more though. Some things really were misleading, kind of confusing, and at times, a little bit boring. The story was dark, and some scenes seemed to have no meaning to them. But, all in all the movie isn't that bad. I don't see why it is deemed a classic though. It's not all that great. I read another review that suggested seeing it more than once in order to understand it. Maybe that's what I need to do, watch the movie again and maybe I'll enjoy it more. I enjoyed the memorable scene in which Robert De Niro utters the ever popular quote "Are you talkin' to me?" and aims a gun at the mirror. I also think it's a cool part when De Niro puts his hand over a flame. I recommend this movie for those who are interested in the early days of De Niro's career, and for those who want to see a cynical portrayal of the world through the eyes of a demented man.

Travis Bickle has a problem - and not just one. He's a seemingly ordinary New York cabbie who's into fetishizing a woman (Cybil Shepard)working a congressional campaign. But ol' Trav' isn't above some slumming with a teen prostitute (Jodie Foster) or turning vigilante and blowing away a drug dealer (Harvey Keitel) and some pimps. Suffice it to say, "Taxi Driver" is not your feel good movie of the summer!
TRANSFER: Columbia gives us a really, REALLY disappointing DVD to watch. It's riddled with excessive grain, digital artifacts, aliasing, tiling, edge enhancement and a muddy color scheme. There's plenty of age related dirt, grit and grain - particularly during the night scenes. WOW! WHAT A MESS! The audio is remastered - but just barely - with low to no bass and a really screechy high end.
EXTRAS: After a visual presentation this bad, nothing helped!
BOTTOM LINE: The film is a classic. The transfer is a cropper!

After watching this movie, John Hinckley went out and tried to kill Ronald Reagan. This would indicate that "Taxi Driver" is a worthwhile movie. In more basic terms, however, the reason this is such a good movie is because it shows how close the categories of "hero" and "psychopath" are, and indeed, how close these categories are to normal life.

Travis(Robert De Niro) is a young, lonely, slightly obsessive taxi driver, who displays in the course of the movie, the two main male passions - sexual love and fatherly love. The first of these is directed towards a young professional, Betsy(Cybil Shepherd), a campaign worker for a Presidential candidate; the second towards a child prostitute, Iris acted by Jodie Foster.

the first of these passions brings him into fleeting contact with the cold aloof world of US politics characterized by empty sloganeering and an absence of policies. By actually meeting the candidate, Palatine in his cab, Travis begins to instinctively realize the connection between the messed up New York streets with their pushers and prostitutes and the opportunism and cynicism of those who defile their responsibility.

After being misunderstood and rejected by Betsy, these vague political misgivings crystallize around his dented male pride and lead him to plot the assassination of Palatine. As he prepares himself for this, however, his paternal feelings are aroused by the plight of Iris, the child prostitute, whom he resolves to rescue. Already living on the edge, he decides that the best way to do this is by killing her pimp.

In his mind these two goals become almost identical. Killing the apathetic. patronizing politician, who is socially or politically responsible, and the pimp, who is individually responsible for the abominations of modern city life, like child prostitution, have little to separate them. Indeed, only the candidate's security guards make the difference.

Foiled in his first attempt, it is only the second of these goals that he manages to accomplish. Ironically, the courage that would have had him damned as a sociopath in the first case, allows him to become a hero in the second.

This film raises the question: Is someone who takes a gun and tries to blow away a President or one of the other fakirs of the frenetic passivity of ungovernment, a hero? The answer is probably yes.

This was a pretty good movie with some strong yet cynical points about the world. Robert De Niro (my hero of actors), in one of his early roles, plays Travis Bickle, the taxi driver who grows depressed with the world around him. He sees violence and evil in people, and when he sets out to save a young prostitute, he uses violence and takes the law into his own hands. The controversy at the end is whether or not he is a hero for saving the prostitue from her pimp, or if he's a bad man for using violence to solve the problem. Now, I liked this film. I was expecting a little more though. Some things really were misleading, kind of confusing, and at times, a little bit boring. The story was dark, and some scenes seemed to have no meaning to them. But, all in all the movie isn't that bad. I don't see why it is deemed a classic though. It's not all that great. I read another review that suggested seeing it more than once in order to understand it. Maybe that's what I need to do, watch the movie again and maybe I'll enjoy it more. I enjoyed the memorable scene in which Robert De Niro utters the ever popular quote "Are you talkin' to me?" and aims a gun at the mirror. I also think it's a cool part when De Niro puts his hand over a flame. I recommend this movie for those who are interested in the early days of De Niro's career, and for those who want to see a cynical portrayal of the world through the eyes of a demented man.

Travis Bickle has a problem - and not just one. He's a seemingly ordinary New York cabbie who's into fetishizing a woman (Cybil Shepard)working a congressional campaign. But ol' Trav' isn't above some slumming with a teen prostitute (Jodie Foster) or turning vigilante and blowing away a drug dealer (Harvey Keitel) and some pimps. Suffice it to say, "Taxi Driver" is not your feel good movie of the summer!
TRANSFER: Columbia gives us a really, REALLY disappointing DVD to watch. It's riddled with excessive grain, digital artifacts, aliasing, tiling, edge enhancement and a muddy color scheme. There's plenty of age related dirt, grit and grain - particularly during the night scenes. WOW! WHAT A MESS! The audio is remastered - but just barely - with low to no bass and a really screechy high end.
EXTRAS: After a visual presentation this bad, nothing helped!
BOTTOM LINE: The film is a classic. The transfer is a cropper!

After watching this movie, John Hinckley went out and tried to kill Ronald Reagan. This would indicate that "Taxi Driver" is a worthwhile movie. In more basic terms, however, the reason this is such a good movie is because it shows how close the categories of "hero" and "psychopath" are, and indeed, how close these categories are to normal life.

Travis(Robert De Niro) is a young, lonely, slightly obsessive taxi driver, who displays in the course of the movie, the two main male passions - sexual love and fatherly love. The first of these is directed towards a young professional, Betsy(Cybil Shepherd), a campaign worker for a Presidential candidate; the second towards a child prostitute, Iris acted by Jodie Foster.

the first of these passions brings him into fleeting contact with the cold aloof world of US politics characterized by empty sloganeering and an absence of policies. By actually meeting the candidate, Palatine in his cab, Travis begins to instinctively realize the connection between the messed up New York streets with their pushers and prostitutes and the opportunism and cynicism of those who defile their responsibility.

After being misunderstood and rejected by Betsy, these vague political misgivings crystallize around his dented male pride and lead him to plot the assassination of Palatine. As he prepares himself for this, however, his paternal feelings are aroused by the plight of Iris, the child prostitute, whom he resolves to rescue. Already living on the edge, he decides that the best way to do this is by killing her pimp.

In his mind these two goals become almost identical. Killing the apathetic. patronizing politician, who is socially or politically responsible, and the pimp, who is individually responsible for the abominations of modern city life, like child prostitution, have little to separate them. Indeed, only the candidate's security guards make the difference.

Foiled in his first attempt, it is only the second of these goals that he manages to accomplish. Ironically, the courage that would have had him damned as a sociopath in the first case, allows him to become a hero in the second.

This film raises the question: Is someone who takes a gun and tries to blow away a President or one of the other fakirs of the frenetic passivity of ungovernment, a hero? The answer is probably yes.