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AFI (1998) • AFI-047

Taxi Driver

1976 • Martin Scorsese
Taxi Driver poster
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No related films listed.
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ABOUT THIS FILM
RUNTIME
113 min
FAMOUS QUOTE
“You talkin' to me?”

Martin Scorsese’s gritty character study follows Travis Bickle, a lonely Vietnam War veteran who works nights as a taxi driver in a decaying New York City. Alienated from society, Travis becomes increasingly disturbed by the crime and moral decline he sees around him. His growing obsession with violence leads him toward a desperate attempt to find meaning through vigilante action. Robert De Niro’s intense performance captures Travis’s psychological unraveling, while Scorsese’s direction immerses viewers in the film’s dark urban atmosphere. Both disturbing and compelling, Taxi Driver remains one of the most influential portrayals of isolation and obsession in American cinema.

Why it matters

  • It endures because its core tensions (drug dealer; vietnam veteran; new york city) still feel modern, and the emotional turns land hard.
  • It’s a masterclass in Crime, Drama storytelling—efficient scene work, memorable set-pieces, and choices that keep the tone confident.
  • As a time-capsule and an influence engine, it’s a key snapshot of 1976—and you can feel its DNA in countless films that followed.

Watch for

  • Recurring motifs and touchpoints (drug dealer, vietnam veteran, new york city, taxi, pornography, obsession)—notice how they show up, evolve, or get subverted scene-to-scene.
  • How information is revealed (or withheld): pay attention to what you learn first, and what you only understand in hindsight.
  • Performance details in close-ups—pauses, glances, and timing often do more than the lines.
  • Transitions and visual rhymes: watch how the film connects scenes through matching images, sound bridges, or repeated blocking.

Vibe

Psychological DramaUrban AlienationNocturnal New YorkViolence & ObsessionLonely VigilantePost-Vietnam MalaiseDisturbed MasculinityMoral DecayStreet-Level NightmareModern Noir
AFI RANK
1998: #47
2007: #52
▼Moved down 5 spots