Ep. 40: Coppola v Scorsese: Iconic- The Conversation v. Taxi Driver Part I

This Week on Fabulous Film and Friends, we’re doing spectacularly new and exciting things to shake it all up as we discuss not one but two important films by two legendary grand masters of cinema in a head-to-head film matchup extravaganza. 

Previously I had ironically referred to this series as the“Death Battle” but considering recent events, including the passing of actor Ray Liotta, I think it’s best that we soberly call this Chapter One of the Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese Masterworks series:  Comparing, Contrasting and Awarding Championship Honors to their Iconic films. 

And to kick it off, we’re comparing 1974’s The Conversation directed by Mr. Coppola starring Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Frederic Forrest, Cindy Williams, Terri Garr, Allen Garfield, Elizabeth MacRae, Robet Duvall and Harrison Ford, to 1976’s Taxi Driver, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, Cybil Shepherd, Albert Brooks, Leonard Harris and Peter Boyle. 

I’ve assembled an action-packed assortment of all star guests for this intellectually awe-inspiring undertaking-- including my always reliable cohorts in film analysis, my sister and literary brainiac Roseanne Caputi and actor, voice performer and real estate photographer extraordinaire Alex Robertson and in another first, I’m colluding with Kendrick Wright and Dante Oliviero, great friends, former roommates and hosts of the podcast, The Ken and Dante Show who will take the video portion of this discussion and make visual magic by putting it on their Youtube Channel, while I stick to with what works and give you something to listen to. 

The synopses:

In The Conversation, Harry Caul, an independent wire tapper and sound specialist, celebrated in his field yet with a somewhat controversial past where he may have been responsible for a murder, takes a job recording a young couple who are having an affair. Fearing they may be assassinated, Harry becomes consumed by the case, and though Harry is obsessively private about his personal life, he soon finds out that through this job, he is being watched and manipulated. 

In Taxi Driver, out of towner, ex-marine and loner Travis Bickle takes a job with a New York cab company and is exposed to the depravity and misery of the city’s worst elements on a nightly basis. Becoming obsessed with Betsy, a campaign strategist for Presidential hopeful Senator Charles Pallantine, Travis sees some hope when Betsy agrees to accompany him on a date for coffee. However, the relationship quickly goes south when the socially inept Travis takes Betsy to a porno movie on their second outing.  

Concurrently, one night Iris, a 12 year old prostitute, working for a pimp named Sport, hops into Travis’ cab with the intention of leaving Sport’s clutches, but Sport pulls her out of the cab and throws some money at Travis telling him to forget the whole incident. 

Arming himself with many weapons, Travis’ obsession for Betsy soon transforms and distorts into two purposes: to assassinate Senator Pallantine and to rescue Iris from the hands of her captor. 

Does Travis succeed? Does Harry Caul Succeed? What are films about? We’re going to find out!