8.8 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
A mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Leonard HarrisDrama | 100% |
Crime | 59% |
Psychological thriller | 36% |
Thriller | 18% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Then suddenly, there is a change.
Taxi Driver is one of the most ambiguous pictures of them all, and the ambiguity begins with the title. Who is a "taxi driver?" A "taxi
driver," or at least the title implies and the profession dictates, is a person who knows how to get somewhere, is capable of delivering others to a
destination of their choosing,
but who himself never actually goes anywhere. His is a journey of circles, of a continuous string of coming and going, but never really arriving
anywhere. He never finds a place to settle or stop; the destination is but another leg of the endless circle of seeing others to their homes or places
of business or recreation, but for the cab driver the symbolism of only delivering rather than arriving is impossible to miss. "Taxi driver" is also highly
impersonal; it denotes not only a profession but an invisible, forgettable figure, one that plays an important role but who vanishes without a
thought, for some as soon as the cab ride ends, for others he remains an empty vessel behind a wheel even during the ride. Now, imagine a "taxi
driver" who takes this existence outside of the cab and into every facet of his life. He sees a world around him that's always on the march, always
headed somewhere, and whether he likes the direction or destination or not is irrelevant. It's not his choice; he's only along for the ride, going
where others tell him, powerless to stop it -- unless he chooses to break the rules of the game. Taxi Driver is a masterpiece motion picture
that focuses like a laser on a life and a world both out of focus; it's a picture where nothing works as it should, at least in the mind of the "taxi
driver." He's in search of a place in the world, a role to play, but he comes to understand that his life, like his profession, is an unending circle of
nothingness that passes him by without so much as a blink of an eye. He sees opportunities to better himself and the world around him, both of
which lead to dire, unwanted consequences. Is the world what a man makes of it, or does the world make a man?
We are the Mastered in 4K.
Sony's commitment to releasing the finest Blu-ray products is evident with every spin of a Sony-branded disc. The consistency of product -- from the
latest blockbusters to the most cherished classic titles from years gone by -- is arguably tops in the entire industry, and why shouldn't it be; Sony
was a lead Blu-ray design and advocacy outfit, its PlayStation 3 console offered disc playback and instant wide format adoption, and the first wave of
titles released back in 2006 bore the
Sony label on the spine. Since then, and through a few growing pains and spurts -- a bloody format war, a misstep or two, the transition from Dolby TrueHD to DTS-HD Master Audio -- the
studio has emerged as the most trustworthy in the industry when it comes to its Blu-ray product. When it says Sony, chances are extremely
high that the movie is going to look
(and sound) about as good as the format allows. Now, Sony is recalling the days of its "Superbit" DVD releases with the emergence of "Mastered in
4K"
(*)
Blu-ray discs. The initial wave consists of a handful of films, all of which have enjoyed previous, and largely very high quality, Blu-ray transfers. The
new
transfers are sourced from 4K masters but here's where the giant asterisk comes in: they're then downscaled to standard Blu-ray 1080p resolution.
That
means buyers can enjoy them on their regular old Blu-ray players and their regular old HDTVs -- no fancy new hardware required. The downside is
that
viewers aren't really seeing the material in 4K; even those who shell out the large sum of cash for a new 4K TV will be treated only to an upscaled
presentation, much the same way today's regular old TV/playback 1080p device combos upscale standard definition DVDs.
Watching the "Mastered in 4K" transfer in 1080p does yield some benefits over the standard 1080p Blu-ray releases, even if it's not a true 4K
experience. The discs
take advantage of a significantly higher bitrate than regular old Blu-ray discs, meaning more muscle to produce the finest picture quality, revealing
superior details and showcasing that perfect cinematic, pleasing grain texturing for pictures photographed on film and more accuracy for those
photographed in the wholly digital realm. "Mastered in 4K" discs also promise superior color balance and accuracy, reproducing a more
faithful-to-the-source palette that will reveal the sort of natural shading and subtle nuance even the best of 1080p Blu-ray cannot match. More, Sony
promises
enhanced viewing on its own line of 4K TVs thanks to a proprietary upscaling algorithm that's designed to squeeze the most out of
the "Mastered in 4K" line of Sony discs, above and beyond what any competitor's display can offer. Makes sense considering some branch of Sony is at
work
along every step of the process. Unfortunately, one of Sony's shiny new 4K televisions was not available for review purposes, but suffice it to say that
either of the launch displays -- the 55" and 65" XBR-labeled sets -- will undoubtedly offer the best consumer viewing picture to date, whether joined
with a Sony "Mastered in 4K" disc or a regular old Blu-ray from any studio.
Of all the films to release under the "special" "Mastered in 4K" banner, Taxi Driver may be the most befuddling. It's not that it doesn't look
fantastic -- it most certainly does -- but the film recently enjoyed a "Mastered in 4K" release back in April 2011. The only exterior difference? The old release doesn't
tout
the "4K" transfer all over the front of the box. The only nitty-gritty actual picture quality differences? Not many. Direct comparison of replay on
a standard 1080p monitor reveals, at best, only a very small
difference in color, with this specially branded "Mastered in 4K" release enjoying an ever-so-slightly deeper, more accurate, more vibrant palette. The
transfer also enjoys a higher
bitrate -- the entirety of the disc is devoted to the film, whereas the previous release housed quite a few supplements alongside the film -- which helps
in
revealing the absolute finest little nuanced details and colors and grain elements to look just a tad bit sharper, more pronounced, and more natural
than
the previous release. So this release does offer a marginally improved picture, but not so much that it warrants an upgrade save for the wealthiest
and
most demanding videophiles who must see Taxi Driver in the very finest presentation currently available. All of the comments from the older
transfer apply here; just take the previous five-blue-B score add another .01 to the
tally. Most aren't going to notice the difference, particularly those without Sony's new "Ultra 4K" monitors that upscale the material and are capable
of
revealing a greater color space.
All screenshots have been sourced from the "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray disc. The first nineteen shots have been selected to match those found in
the
review of the old release. New screenshots have also been aded for perusal.
Taxi Driver's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack appears to be the same from the previous release. While the precision of a brand-new track might be absent, Sony's 5.1 mix captures the very essence of Taxi Driver's varied soundtrack with ease. Besides, clarity and definition are top-shelf as they are; Bernard Herrmann's soundtrack has never enjoyed so much accuracy for home listening as it does here. Every Jazz-like note is smooth and every more mangled, heavy element is as it should be. Spacing is terrific; music plays primarily across the front, enjoying a robust presence and some surround sound support. Ambience is exceptional, too; whether the sounds of the city or the bustle of a campaign office, Taxi Driver delivers an accurate and noticeable but not overwhelming atmosphere that gives body and life to the overall presentation. Gunshots and a few heavier effects play as a bit crunchy and mushy, but better to leave such effects as they were meant to be head rather than give them a phony amped-up 2011 feel. Of course, dialogue is problem-free and center-focused. It probably won't get quite the attention that the video transfer will deservedly earn, but Sony's lossless soundtrack is no less impressive.
This "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray release of Taxi Driver contains no supplemental content.
Taxi Driver is an iconic picture that thrives on imbalance, uncertainty, and all sorts of off-kilter elements. A challenging world, uncertain characters, and a general ambiguity that blurs several lines all make Taxi Driver a memorable masterpiece of mood and vagueness. Martin Scorsese's visuals back up the picture's feel, and Robert De Niro delivers the performance of a lifetime by giving shape to a shapeless character without sacrificing the mystery of just who Travis Bickle is and what it is that drives him to act as he does throughout the film. Taxi Driver is one of the all-time great pictures, and Sony has minted a "Mastered in 4K" release that's most certainly the definitive version of the film from a pure videophile's perspective. However, the improvement over the other release is just on the plus side of "negligible," at least when viewed away from Sony's 4K monitors. The absence of supplements keeps this from being the definitive Blu-ray release of Taxi Driver. Recommend only to those who demand the absolute finest picture quality available and who don't mind double-dipping or missing out on some terrific supplements.
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