Original Release Date
February 8, 1976
Rotten Tomatoes
89%
Letterboxd Score
4.2/5
Official Synopsis
In a decaying post-Vietnam New York City, Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a lonely and insomniac veteran, takes a job as a night-shift taxi driver. As he witnesses the urban rot and perceived filth of the city streets, his mental state gradually unravels. His obsession with "cleaning up" the city leads him from a failed attempt at political assassination to a violent, vigilante mission to rescue a child prostitute (Jodie Foster). It is a definitive masterpiece of urban alienation and psychological collapse.
The Lost Souls
- Robert De Niro: Travis Bickle
- Jodie Foster: Iris Steensma
- Harvey Keitel: 'Sport' Matthew
- Cybill Shepherd: Betsy
- Albert Brooks: Tom
- Peter Boyle: 'Wizard'
The Architects
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Writer: Paul Schrader
- Cinematography: Michael Chapman
- Music: Bernard Herrmann
- Editing: Tom Rolf & Melvin Shapiro
The Official Trailer
The Accolades
- 🏆 Cannes Film Festival: Winner - Palme d'Or (1976).
- ✨ Academy Award Nominee: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress (Foster), Best Original Score.
- 📽️ National Film Registry: Inducted in 1994 for its massive cultural legacy.
Vault Intelligence
- Robert De Niro actually obtained a commercial hack license and drove a taxi in New York for several weeks to prepare for the role.
- The iconic "You talkin' to me?" monologue was entirely improvised by De Niro; the script simply said "Travis looks in the mirror."
- Bernard Herrmann, the legendary composer, finished the score just hours before his death in December 1975.
Film Specifications
| Financial Backing | $1.3 Million Budget |
| Theatrical Earnings | $28.3 Million (North America) |
| Cinematic Format | 35mm / 1.85:1 Spherical |
Retrospective Pending
"Ray’s full 2026 Northstar analysis for this haunting urban odyssey is currently being restored from the vault."
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A Cinematic Fever Dream
