37. Taxi Driver (1976) – Martin Scorsese

Can you believe Taxi Driver is the only Martin Scorsese movie on this Top 100 list?

Goodfellas and Raging Bull are probably his best films but not the ones I like the most and if I was writing the list today then The Departed would no doubt be around somewhere, but when I wrote the list, Taxi Driver was the only one that made the cut.

Taxi Driver explores severe loneliness and alienation in an urban environment, especially for those who experienced the Vietnam War and suffered the consequences of not being able to socially interact.

Essentially, Robert De Niro’s Travis Bickle is not much of a likeable character, however we can feel his pain and are disappointed when his attempts to socially interact with the hot blonde Sam Sheperd and then later with the very young prostitue Jodie Foster fail.

The scene where Travis talks to Betsy over the pay phone is one of the most heartbreaking and emotional rejections ever put on film, even though we don’t hear the woman’s voice. As Travis is losing his ability to connect with humanity, the camera very slowly pans away from Travis to a long, empty corridor. A great touch from Scorsese.

Taxi Driver is far deeper a film than what you see upon first viewing and in my opinion is countless to any number different interpretations, especially the ending. One thing that Scorsese has going for him over many of his peers is that every single frame of his work has his a different trademark touch and visual style, that differs from scene to scene…. but does ultimately sustain his own touch.

That’s why I don’t think you will ever see a remake made of a Scorsese film, because it just can’t be done. All are too deep in theme and his method of film-making makes it impossible. You wouldn’t know where to begin!