Taxi Driver 2

[Beltmann]

Scorsese Eyes New Fare For Taxi Driver

 

In what is surely the most bizarre rumour to emerge from this year's Berlin film festival, it is whispered that Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro are preparing a remake of Taxi Driver, their 1970s tale of a man who stood up, saw clearly and shaved his hair into a mohawk. Only this time, it transpires, they may have a fresh passenger on board – Lars von Trier could be riding shotgun.

 

Copenhagen film magazine Ekko reports that Scorsese is currently discussing the possibility of a rebooted Taxi Driver with the Danish director in tow. It remains to be seen whether this will be a remake or a sequel, or so much hot air of the kind that has a tendency to swirl around the mischievous Von Trier. Speaking to the magazine, Peter Aalbæk, Von Trier's producing partner at Zentropa studios, would "neither confirm nor deny" the rumour, but said that an announcement would be made shortly.

 

De Niro starred in eight films by Scorsese, beginning with Mean Streets in 1973 and continuing through to 1995's Casino. Speaking at the Berlin film festival this weekend, the director admitted that they had plans to renew their collaboration, hinting at a return to the crime stories that forged their respective reputations. "Bob De Niro and I are talking about something that has to do with that world," Scorsese said. "There's no doubt about that. We're working on something like that. But it's from the vantage point of older men looking back. None of this running around stuff."

 

Shot back in 1976, the original Taxi Driver charted the downward spiral of Travis Bickle, a New York cabbie turned gun-toting vigilante. The film was hailed by critics as a bleak satire on the cult of celebrity and the role of the American loner. The film ends with Bickle being celebrated by the press as a have-a-go-hero after he rescues a child prostitute from the clutches of her pimp.

 

The idea of a Taxi Driver sequel was first floated a few years ago by Paul Schrader, who wrote the original script. "I was talking with Martin Scorsese about doing a sequel to Taxi Driver, where [bickle] is older," Schrader told the New York Post.

 

Scorsese is in Berlin to promote his latest film, Shutter Island, a thriller based on the bestselling book by Dennis Lehane. Von Trier's previous picture, Antichrist, was one of the most controversial releases of last year, sparking a smattering of boos when it debuted at the Cannes film festival. He is currently reported to be in pre-production on the science-fiction drama Melancholia.

 

With von Trier in the mix, I wonder whether The Five Obstructions might be a template, where von Trier demanded a film director remake his own film five times under five different sets of rules.

 

Something tells me this won't actually happen, though. But I'd love to see De Niro back with Scorsese for something.

[Sir Stewart]

DeNiro talked about this a while ago I remember - maybe like 5-10 years ago, during a junket for like Showtime or some shit. Travis is one of my favorite characters ever, and if the story is true to the character, it could be something. If Schrader's involved, then all the better.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I don't think I like the idea, but if they go for, I hope they can pull it off.

 

Either way, I don't think it'll ruin the greatness of Taxi Driver in any way.

[a-me-with-a-you]

I can't imagine this is serious. Can you name one sequel to a movie that came out more than a decade earlier that was memorable? The Two Jakes? I rest my case. Even more to the point, there are hardly any great sequels to begin with.

[Dude]

I can't imagine this is serious. Can you name one sequel to a movie that came out more than a decade earlier that was memorable?

 

The Godfather Pt. III was memorable... memorably bad.

[Beltmann]

The Color of Money was okay.

[Dude]

 

I actually haven't even seen this yet. I don't want it to spoil the dreams of my youth if I'm severely disappointed.

[Sir Stewart]

Sofia Coppola, and the odd presence of George Hamilton, which reminded the viewer of Robert Duvall's refusal to join the cast over contract issues, in The Godfather Pt. III was memorable... memorably bad.

 

Fixed it for you.

 

Also, re: Crystal Skull - don't do it!!!

[Beltmann]

One reason a new edition can't compete with old ones is because old ones have the unfair advantage of being seen by the forgiving, wide eyes of childhood--and then forever benefit from the magical, transformative powers of nostalgia. New ones receive no magic; they only face the more discerning, more jaded eyes of adults hoping, in vain, to feel twelve again.

 

I thought Crystal Skull was okay. It certainly has its howlers, but then so does Temple of Doom, which really, really doesn't hold up. (That said, my adult eyes think Raiders and Last Crusade have aged reasonably well.)

[Dude]

One reason a new edition can't compete with old ones is because old ones have the unfair advantage of being seen by the forgiving, wide eyes of childhood--and then forever benefit from the magical, transformative powers of nostalgia. New ones receive no magic; they only face the more discerning, more jaded eyes of adults hoping, in vain, to feel twelve again.

 

I thought Crystal Skull was okay. It certainly has its howlers, but then so does Temple of Doom, which really, really doesn't hold up. (That said, my adult eyes think Raiders and Last Crusade have aged reasonably well.)

 

True. I think movies after a long gap only work if they have the characters mature a bit in a satisfying way while retaining some of the magic that made the first movie successful. It's not quite a decade, but Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004) is about as good of a pair of movies as you can watch filmed over a long gap. I wonder if Linklater and the actors will be up for another chapter in 2015?

[Guest Speed Racer]

I wonder if Linklater and the actors will be up for another chapter in 2015?

 

Before Twilight, about a brief encounter in a Best Buy, where Celine is picking up a Blu-Ray of Twlight to watch with her daughter, whose plane arrives in just a few short hours.

[MattZ]

I can't imagine this is serious. Can you name one sequel to a movie that came out more than a decade earlier that was memorable? The Two Jakes? I rest my case. Even more to the point, there are hardly any great sequels to begin with.

 

Ok, I will be the jerk that says 7 Up, etc. (Sorry).

[Dude]

Before Twilight, about a brief encounter in a Best Buy, where Celine is picking up a Blu-Ray of Twlight to watch with her daughter, whose plane arrives in just a few short hours.

 

Sounds like a more entertaining premise than Before Retirement Communities.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Before High Noon, their final farewell just before Jesse's gun-slingin' duel with Celine's cowboy loverman.

[Beltmann]

True. I think movies after a long gap only work if they have the characters mature a bit in a satisfying way while retaining some of the magic that made the first movie successful. It's not quite a decade, but Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004) is about as good of a pair of movies as you can watch filmed over a long gap. I wonder if Linklater and the actors will be up for another chapter in 2015?

Yeah, terrific example. Before Sunrise is a good movie, but Before Sunset is a great movie because it expands and deepens and matures the emotional insights in a way that's consistent with how the characters have experienced more life. (Sunset is actually one of my all-time favorite movies.)

[u2roolz]

True. I think movies after a long gap only work if they have the characters mature a bit in a satisfying way while retaining some of the magic that made the first movie successful. It's not quite a decade, but Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004) is about as good of a pair of movies as you can watch filmed over a long gap. I wonder if Linklater and the actors will be up for another chapter in 2015?

 

Yes. It will happen when "the time is right" according to Linklater and Hawke. All 3 of them are up for it and it should happen this decade, considering the past 2 movies' release dates.

 

Off topic: But does anyone know that Linklater is working on a top secret project that he's shooting a little bit of each year with a child actor? It's going to show that child age one year.

It's going to have Ethan Hawke & Patricia Arquette. They have been shooting since 2001 and ending in 2013.

 

P.S. Suburbia needs a DVD release.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I feel compelled at this point to say that I have never seen either Before Sunrise or Before Sunset, as I am completely incapable of taking Ethan Hawke seriously as an actor. Or a person. But mostly as an actor.

[Dude]

I feel compelled at this point to say that I have never seen either Before Sunrise or Before Sunset, as I am completely incapable of taking Ethan Hawke seriously as an actor. Or a person. But mostly as an actor.

 

Hawke doesn't sink them at all. In fact, he's very likeable in both. I probably harbored the same prejudices you have towards him prior to seeing them.

 

Yes. It will happen when "the time is right" according to Linklater and Hawke. All 3 of them are up for it and it should happen this decade, considering the past 2 movies' release dates.

 

Great news, something to look forward to.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Good to know. At 90 minutes, it can't really be too much of a loss of life for me to watch one (though Rachel Getting Married nearly killed me).

 

At this point, more on topic, I'll go ahead and admit I didn't like Taxi Driver. It dragged, didn't really go anywhere, and had a very unsatisfying climax.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I like Ethan Hawke. He's a pretty solid actor and writer.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I'll go ahead and admit I didn't like Taxi Driver.

 

How do I ignore someone on here again?

[u2roolz]

Also, this year we're getting sequels to 2 very different 80s movies.

 

Wall Street: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS (LOL) & Tron: Legacy.

 

I can understand the rush to get Wall Street out there with the economic collapse in 08, but Tron was more of a shock until I saw the preview and crapped my pants.

It's going to be the best 3D movie, I think. They really need to trot out the original Tron to get (younger) people into that specific world.

[Guest Speed Racer]

How do I ignore someone on here again?

 

Dude, you mentioned True Lies yesterday and I immediately added it to my Netflix queue. I love that damned movie.

[Dude]

Wall Street: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS (LOL)

 

The hopelessly cheesy subtitle aside, I'm actually looking forward to this. Stone has Douglas, the Sheens, Josh Brolin, Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon and Shia LeBouf on board. And yeah, I'm a huge sucker for the first film and will watch it if I ever happen to see it on TV while flipping through the channels.

 

I sincerely hope Gekko updates the speech a bit by saying "Greed isn't merely good any more... Greed... (long dramatic pause) is GREAT!!!"

[u2roolz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV5hEBqYfTE

 

It also has Shia The Beef's main squeeze Carey Mulligan.

 

The trailer looks great, I think. I saw it before Edge Of Darkness and it gave me chills, especially the beginning.