Taxi Driver

It's back! A new re-issue of TAXI DRIVER for its 35th anniversary ... it would be good to see it properly again - it was probably one of the most viewed of the early video cassettes back in the 80s and 90s.

An essential 1976 movie - how we were gripped and enthralled by it, it is certainly a vividly expressionistic depiction of big city breakdown and one of the true masterpieces of American cinema. One had to read the extensive coverage on it in "Film Comment" as Scorsese, Paul Schrader and De Niro were the heroes of the hour. I had that album too with that pounding Herrmann score - and then those images: the taxi emerging from the steam, the reds and neon colours. Perfect, simply perfect. I also loved NEW YORK NEW YORK and in fact that is one to re-visit too now.

The other movie that excited me as much in 1976 was De Palma's brilliant OBSESSION where one fell totally in love with Genevieve Bujold, and it too had stunning images and another final Bernard Herrmann score. They were the top movies of the year for me, along with Visconti's last L'INNOCENTE (maybe the greatest costume period film ever) and Lester's ROBIN AND MARIAN. Some year ... (like 1975 was the year of Antonioni's THE PASSENGER and Kubrick's BARRY LYNDON