Monday, April 25, 2005

Are you talking to me?



I know the film’s been out ages and it’s something of a cult classic but I’ve only recently got around to watching it - the film in question being ‘Taxi Driver’ with Robert DeNiro. I settled down to watch it on Sunday afternoon and shake off the weekend’s decadent excesses and was rewarded with a journey into the surreal, visceral, broody, twisted, bizarre and schizophrenic world of Travis Bickle. DeNiro really owns the role as the unconventional loner who becomes a taxi driver on the bleak, seedy and often violent streets of New York. As you get drawn into his world and multiple personalities you begin to relate to Mr Bickle even though he shocks you. It’s not a film laden with violence more rather a film that meanders its way to a shocking few final scenes that literally blew me away and a nice little twist at the end. As you immerse yourself in this film DeNiro alienates you, has you empathising with him but the end result confirmed to me just what a great actor he really is. I’ve often had an ongoing argument in my head as to who is the better actor, DeNiro or Pacino? Any comments out there?

1 comment:

pat said...

at last you have started watching real film by real directors and not children playing grown up games.

niether de niro or pacino are my cups of tea. but pacino probably edges de niro out for longevity of quality roles.