God’s Lonely Man: Taxi Driver Revisted
Annette Wernblad & Eric Peeper
12/09/2016, 48 pages, e-book format
Martin Scorsese’s masterful Taxi Driver celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016. The winner of the Palm d’Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival, Taxi Driver caused controversy and heated discussion among American critics and audiences. Authors Annette Wernblad and Eric Peeper have put together a 48 page e-book lauding the importance and relevance of Scorsese’s fascinating film with some terrific analysis of its themes intermixed with quotes, stills, and some striking graphics that make this revisit a wonderful pleasure to read. It is available on iTunes entitled God’s Lonely Man: Taxi Driver Revisited. The title of this e-book derives from some lines spoken by the central protagonist, Travis Bickle (played with astonishing skill by a young Robert DeNiro).
“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.”
I am recommending this to anyone interested in why Taxi Driver is one of the most seminal American films ever produced. The e-book points out many specific elements in the film that I have never noticed before (and this is someone who has viewed Taxi Driver more than a dozen times!). I am also struck by how well produced and attractive this e-book is. Wernblad and Peeper compiled a month’s celebration of material for the film culled from their Facebook page The Passion Of Martin Scorsese (check out this cool site–for it caters to Scorsese and cinema fans alike) into a challenging and fun e-book. I have read the e-book twice already since purchasing it.
My own blog attempts to champion the overlooked and underappreciated films from around the world. Taxi Driver is already considered a masterpiece, but deserves a revisit, as Wernblad and Peeper suggest, for the film has so much to teach and challenge our perceptions as viewers of cinema art. This e-book expertly shows why you need to see Taxi Driver, if you love movies. You may have seen it long ago or have never tried it, Wernblad and Peeper make a very convincing argument for that revisit. Don’t just take my word for it, discover for yourself and check out God’s Lonely Man: Taxi Driver Revisited.
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