We ARE the People

Film Details:

• Film Title: Taxi Driver
• Film Year: 1976
• Character Name: Travis Bickle
• Cinematography: colorFilm
• Scorsese Cameo? true

Here is more information about the costume and how it informs the character:

• Clothing Articles: Gun holster, white collared shirt, army surplus jacket
• Hairstyle: Messy hair begets a mohawk
• Props: Many guns, aviator sunglasses, Gov. Palantine campaign button
• Costume Style: Casual Dress
• Facial Hair? false
• Bare Chested? true
• Tattoos? false
• Headwear? false

• IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075314/?ref_=nv_sr_1
• Other Source: "You Talkin' to Me?" (via YouTube)

One of the most iconic movie costumes of all time (referenced most recently by Zac Efron’s character in Neighbors), Travis pledges to save 12-year-old prostitute Iris (Jody Foster) by taking down her john, Sport, played by Harvey Keitel (who starred alongside Bob in Mean Streets). To accomplish this, Travis stockpiles a veritable horde of firearms, muscles up, shaves his hair into a mohawk, dons aviator shades, and adorns his army fatigues with a Gov. Palatine button. To paraphrase Jay Pritchett (played by Ed O’Neill) on Modern Family, this is his Vietnam- and he was in Vietnam. This transformation into a street justice vigilante would be impossible without an external physical change, sartorially, physically and follicularly.

Did you know? Now an unforgettable movie line, Bob completely improvised the “You talkin’ to me?” monologue.

See Also:

• Rakish grin, terrible hair