Joker vs Taxi Driver

Which is better?


  • Total voters
    14
You really think King of Comedy is a better movie than Taxi Driver?
You really think King of Comedy is a better movie than Taxi Driver?

Yeah, I do. I respect that Taxi Driver came first but King of Comedy did it better. First of all, Rupert Pupkin is a more believable protagonist than Travis Bickell.

Taxi Driver only works on a macro level, on a broad societal view but, it makes no sense on a micro level.

Again, unless you’re a literal hostage nobody puts a gun to your head and forces you to make life choices. Everyone, even poor people, have the ability to either invest in themselves with the grand scheme in mind (school, saving a house) or quick ill-gotten gains (criminality). Travis Bickell chose the latter… So as Silk the Shocker sang: It ain’t my fault.

And as far as far as entertainment goes: Sandra Bernhardt’s performance in King of Comedy trumps everything else in Taxi driver besides DeNiro’s performance.
 
Goodfellas invented that formula. There wasn't really a movie like it before it. Because its been copied so many times now when you watch it without that frame of reference in mind you think it's a formulaic movie.

It does feel more like formula entertainment to me though even if quite original for its time, films like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and King of Comedy I'd say have quite a bit more depth to them plus often a good deal more interesting visually.

Its not really a film about Henry Hill being corrupted its a film about cool gangster shit with a cool soundtrack. Not to say it isn't very well made cinema but I wouldn't consider it quite at the same level as his peak years.
 
It does feel more like formula entertainment to me though even if quite original for its time, films like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and King of Comedy I'd say have quite a bit more depth to them plus often a good deal more interesting visually.

Its not really a film about Henry Hill being corrupted its a film about cool gangster shit with a cool soundtrack. Not to say it isn't very well made cinema but I wouldn't consider it quite at the same level as his peak years.

Taxi Driver and Raging Bull are great. I'd put Goodfellas over Mean Streets and King of Comedy though. All good movies.
 
I liked both but Taxi Driver > Joker.
 
Its not really a film about Henry Hill being corrupted its a film about cool gangster shit with a cool soundtrack. Not to say it isn't very well made cinema but I wouldn't consider it quite at the same level as his peak years.
I disagree with this. It's about the allure of the gangster lifestyle contrasted with the reality that comes with it. Every moment of cool gangster shit is undermined by the indefensible actions of the characters. Having Atlantis by Donovan playing during the Billy Batts scene doesn't change the fact that they're beating a man to death or lessen the brutality of that, if anything it creates a grotesque contrast.
 
Love both. I guess Joker for me personally, though. Joaquin's performance deserved all of the praise it received.
 
taxi driver all day. joker was good but not as great as alot made it out to be imo. to me, travis was a more genuine character, while this version of joker wouldn't stand a chance as batmans nemisis. anarchist joker > nihilist joker.
 
I'm in a strange position where I watched Joker before Taxi Driver. After seeing Joker I heard TD was very similar and took inspiration so gave it a watch. God damn Joker was basically a rip of it. Both superb. Think I'd give the edge to Joker.
 
Yeah, I do. I respect that Taxi Driver came first but King of Comedy did it better. First of all, Rupert Pupkin is a more believable protagonist than Travis Bickell.

Taxi Driver only works on a macro level, on a broad societal view but, it makes no sense on a micro level.

Again, unless you’re a literal hostage nobody puts a gun to your head and forces you to make life choices. Everyone, even poor people, have the ability to either invest in themselves with the grand scheme in mind (school, saving a house) or quick ill-gotten gains (criminality). Travis Bickell chose the latter… So as Silk the Shocker sang: It ain’t my fault.

And as far as far as entertainment goes: Sandra Bernhardt’s performance in King of Comedy trumps everything else in Taxi driver besides DeNiro’s performance.


I disagree in that I believe Bickle was a very realistic portrait of a mentally ill vet who returns to a very troubled city. Not sure how him choosing violence instead of saving for college makes him unrealistic to you.
 
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I watched Taxi Driver a long while ago and didn't care for it. I remember that I've seen it, but can't even narrow down when I saw it.

Watched Joker in theaters and it was awesome, and rewatched it last week on BluRay and its not as good on its 2nd viewing. Still an excellent film, but I was hoping I'd notice different things upon multiple viewings.
 
They are both so good I could argue for either. For me personally it was Joker.
 
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