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‘Taxi Driver’ With Bill Simmons, Bill Hader, and Sean Fennessey

February 9, 2021 · Taxi Driver (1976) · Crime · Drama · 1:41:19

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 36:37Travis driving around explaining decrepit New York City ('all the animals come out at night'), Travis asking Betsy out, the Palantine cab ride, Scorsese as the crazy cab passenger, and Travis mastering his gun knife routine

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:18John Hinkley posters
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:04:20Started to respond but was cut off

What's Aged the Best

Bill Hader▶ 1:04:40Agreed on Jodie Foster's talent as both actor and director, and discussed how the film's cinematography (particularly the phone call scene camera movement) influenced his understanding of filmmaking
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:04:22Jodie Foster's career - she became one of the most celebrated actors of her generation and an accomplished filmmaker

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Hader▶ 1:13:33Agreed there was 'a lot of that bullshit' regarding sexualized young actress roles
Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:19Jeff Bridges — Paul Schrader wrote Travis for Jeff Bridges; Dustin Hoffman was considered but thought it too crazy; Harvey Keitel wanted to play the pimp instead of campaign worker; Melanie Griffith possibly offered Iris role; Linda Blair possibility; Tatum O'Neill and Jodie Foster may have been offered each other's parts
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:13:29Melanie Griffith — Noted that Melanie Griffith's Night Moves part was similar to Iris - sexualized

Joey Pants Award

Bill Hader▶ 1:16:17Victor Argo — Discussed Vic Argo (bodega beating scene, appears in every Scorsese movie) and Doughboy (cab driver with arrow bathtub scene)
Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:50Leonard Harris — Leonard Harris (who played Palatine) - only had two roles, making him 'that guy from taxi driver'
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:17:06Steven Prince — Mentioned Steven Prince (gun salesman from American Boy documentary) and Diane Abbott (concession girl)

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Hader▶ 1:19:43Albert Brooks — Agrees with Albert Brooks but also suggests Steve Prince deserves recognition for his drug dealer scenes
Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:40Albert Brooks
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:19:30Albert Brooks — Supports Albert Brooks, praising his improvised performance and calling it the beginning of his movie persona

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Hader▶ 1:21:11Dick Smith created the fake mohawk with individually placed hairs on bald cap; explained makeup techniques for gunshot wounds including monofilament fishing line trick for neck wound; discussed movie production challenges with haircuts
Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:17De Niro made only $35,000 and honored his original deal despite rising profile; Jodie Foster's 19-year-old sister Connie was body double; Cybill Shepherd couldn't remember lines in coffee scene; De Niro's mohawk was fake and is displayed at Museum of Moving Image

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:28Clap pushups/plyometric pushups in 1976 (between this movie and Rocky)
Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:52Taxi Driver — Disgusting mid-seventies New York - no movie captured it better

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Hader▶ 1:30:00Believes everything is happening and not a dream - the sound effect represents Travis constantly watching his back and being freaked out, his paranoia didn't go away
Bill Simmons▶ 1:31:01What was the strange sound effect over the rearview mirror at the end - was it the devil, his brain going haywire, or something following him? Also, what would Travis Bickle be like in 2021?
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:29:35How much of the movie is in Travis's head versus reality - is the ending or large parts a dream sequence or fantasy? (Though creators say it's not)

Who Won the Movie

Bill Hader▶ 1:38:58Jodie Foster — Jodie Foster, for her incredible performance at age 12 and how she overcame the John Hinckley situation to have an amazing career
Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:44Martin Scorsese — Martin Scorsese, because after this movie anything seemed possible with him and it became a go-to movie for future generations of filmmakers
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:37:00Robert De Niro — Robert De Niro, because the 'Are you talking to me?' line became the most quoted and remembered thing from the movie in pop culture

Movies Referenced (39)

Rocky (1976)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 30:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raging Bull (1980)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Bill Hader▶ 15:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Death Wish (2018)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Bill Hader, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mean Streets (1973)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Bill Hader▶ 6:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rolling Thunder (1977)

3 mentions · Bill Hader▶ 9:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Irishman (2019)

3 mentions · Bill Hader, Bill Simmons▶ 26:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

All the President's Men (1976)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 30:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Annie Hall (1977)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Bill Hader▶ 6:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Argo (2012)

2 mentions · Bill Hader, Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 35:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

King Kong (2005)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Midnight Run (1988)

2 mentions · Bill Hader, Bill Simmons▶ 15:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (6)

Martin Scorsese

41 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Bill Hader · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 2:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Peter Bogdanovich

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon▶ 23:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Woody Allen

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Bill Hader · Known for Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry▶ 6:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Colorado

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Hancock▶ 1:12:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

1 mentions · Bill Hader · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 32:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Lee

1 mentions · Bill Hader · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 7:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (37)

Robert De Niro

45 mentions · Bill Simmons, Bill Hader, Sean Fennessey · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 2:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jodie Foster

15 mentions · Bill Hader, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver▶ 8:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harvey Keitel

10 mentions · Bill Hader, Bill Simmons · Known for Reservoir Dogs, Bad Lieutenant, The Grand Budapest Hotel▶ 8:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hannah Bickle

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Bill Hader▶ 4:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Albert Brooks

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Drive, Broadcast News▶ 1:12:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dustin Hoffman

4 mentions · Bill Hader, Bill Simmons · Known for Rain Man, Tootsie, Midnight Cowboy▶ 58:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gene Siskel

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Bill Hader▶ 34:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Spinell

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Taxi Driver, Rocky▶ 1:15:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Peter Boyle

3 mentions · Bill Hader, Bill Simmons · Known for Red Heat, Taxi Driver▶ 56:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charles Grodin

2 mentions · Bill Hader, Sean Fennessey · Known for Midnight Run▶ 15:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Haley

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Wizard of Oz▶ 1:18:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Pesci

2 mentions · Bill Hader · Known for Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Irishman▶ 19:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Paul Schrader

13 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Hader, Bill Simmons · Known for First Reformed, The Card Counter▶ 3:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 34:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alec Berg

1 mentions · Bill Hader▶ 14:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Chapman

3 mentions · Bill Hader, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Raging Bull, The Fugitive, The Last Detail▶ 7:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗