Taxi Driver celebrates its 50th anniversary
And Robert de Niro had no idea that Martin Scorsese’s film would become a classic.
Happy birthday Travis Bickle.
Half a century ago, Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece was presented at the Cannes Film Festival (three months after its American release). A few days later, Taxi Driver parked in our theaters (it was June 2, 1976).
The cult film is celebrating its 50th anniversary today. And in a recent interview with Page Six, Robert De Niro returned to the totally unpredictable impact of the feature film which has become symbolic, explaining that he had never imagined seeing Taxi Driver become a monument of American cinema.
The neo-noir psychological drama follows Travis Bickle, a taxi driver whose mental health deteriorates during his nights in a sticky and violent New York. The film also stars Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle and Albert Brooks. Considered one of the most significant films in the history of cinema, Taxi Driver won the Palme d’Or at Cannes before landing four nominations at the 1977 Oscars, including Best Film, Best Actor for Robert De Niro and Best Supporting Actress for Jodie Foster.
“We can never think that we are doing something that will have such an impact.”explains De Niro. According to him, he never discussed Taxi Driver with the idea of making a classic, believing that the success of a film remains whatever happens “out of your control“.
Now considered one of the greatest films in history, Taxi Driver had however sparked numerous controversies upon its release. The film was notably criticized for its ultra-violence, its controversial ending and the casting of Jodie Foster, only 12 years old at the time of filming, in the role of a young prostitute.
The actor also returned to one of the most legendary scenes of the film: the famous mirror sequence and its legendary: “You talkin’ to me?“.
During a appearance on the show Live with Kelly and MarkRobert De Niro revealed that the scene had been partially improvised:
“Some of the best things often come from improvisation.”he explains. Contrary to a persistent rumor claiming that the entire scene was invented at the time, the actor specifies that a basis already existed in the script: “We had something written. I forgot exactly what, but Marty remembers it much better than me…“
De Niro says above all that the scene seemed to him “natural” and that it was constructed spontaneously on set. For him, it is precisely this freedom that makes working with Martin Scorsese so unique.
“That’s what’s fun about working, especially with someone like Marty Scorsese. We can follow the scene, follow the story, but also go in other directions. You never know when something will become usable.”
Filmed on a budget of $1.3 million, Taxi Driver had grossed almost $30 million in theatrical revenue at the time. The film was seen by 2.7 million spectators in France (including its releases).
