Films of the 1970s, No. 17

 


Throughout 2023 I'm looking at my favorite films from the decade of the 1970s. I'll be counting down from 50 to 1 throughout the year, posting a new installment each Friday. Agree? Disagree? Want to share a story? Post it in the comments below!

Travis Bickle: Loneliness has followed me my whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There's no escape. I'm God's lonely man... June 8th. My life has taken another turn again. The days can go on with regularity over and over, one day indistinguishable from the next. A long continuous chain. Then suddenly, there is a change.

Taxi Driver (1976)
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, and Albert Brooks
Director: Martin Scorsese
About: Some films make the list because I'm moved by their story. Some make the list because of the intensity of craft. This film from Scorsese, one of his best, makes it due to the latter. There's nothing easy or heart-warming about this story. Travis Bickle is a disturbed individual, and this film is really about his decent into madness. But there's power in the craft here. De Niro gives an iconic performance, which is one of his best. He was also one of the stars of the 1970s. This isn't the first Scorsese film to appear on this list, but it is his best from the decade. It's a must watch for film fans despite being a story that will likely make you uneasy. That's OK, the story should make you uneasy. But you can't take your eyes off this lead performance and that's the main reason it ranks so high here.

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