There’s nothing I could possibly write about “Taxi Driver” that you haven’t already read before. But I’m willing to bet you’ve never seen this photo.
Indeed, this fascinating picture comes from deep within our “Behind the Scenes” photo archive. It’s truly one of my personal favorite snapshots (it also helps that “Taxi Driver” is also one of my all-time favorite movies, but hey, I never said I wasn’t biased).
On the left-hand side of the photo we have Robert De Niro drinking a strange libation, looking just as stiff as he does in the movie. On the right-hand side we have a pensive-looking Martin Scorsese, dressed like some sort of Chico Bandito. And in the background is Columbus Circle, a lovely little area of Manhattan with ritzy shops and high-priced condos bordering the southwestern corner of Central Park. For New Yorkers, Columbus Circle is the instantly recognizable location they filmed Travis Bickle attempting to shoot presidential candidate Charles Palantine during his campaign rally.
Everything about this featured photo is mesmerizing, capturing the precise mood of that special time and place in cinema history. And if all this “Taxi Driver” talk has gotten you in the mood to see more, be sure to check out our latest YouTube video essay that is entirely devoted to the magnificent era of 1970s films set in New York City:
