The classic film Taxi Driver celebrated its legacy at the Tribeca Film Festival. Robert De Niro reunited the cast along with the director, Martin Scorsese.
While discussing its success, De Niro suggested he wants everyone to stop talking (talkin’) to him about the movie’s most famous line that even today’s generation can recite.
“Every day for 40 f—ing years, at least one of you has come up to me and said — what do you think — ‘You talkin’ to me?'” He then proceeded to make the entire audience say it together.
After the audience enjoyed the film showing, De Niro, Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader joined the cast including Harvey Keitel, Jodie Foster and Cybill Shepherd for questions from the fan-filled audience.
The entire cast went on to continue their career in film and television, all of which were very successful. Scorsese went on to win various awards, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2010.
Scorsese tried to show the true grit of New York’s underworld during the filming of Taxi Driver, prompting its actors to take their roles much more seriously. Keitel became the understudy of a real life pimp, while De Niro worked as a real cab driver for some time to prepare for the role.
Although the film was nominated but didn’t win an Oscar in 1977, it took home a handful of other awards including items from regional and national film critics. Much of the cast were prominently acknowledged for their work, including Jodie Foster, who was only 13 at the time of filming.