Robert De Niro Says He Never Imagined 'Taxi Driver' Would Become A Cult Classic

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Actor and director Robert De Niro shared that he never expected his 1976 film Taxi Driver to become one of the greatest movies ever made.

"You never can think that you're doing something that's going to have an impact," De Niro told Page Six in a recent interview alongside fellow Tribeca Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal while promoting next month's festival.

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The 82-year-old actor added that he does not approach projects thinking about their long-term legacy.

"I just never look at it that way," De Niro said, noting that success is "out of your control," as per the outlet.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the neo-noir drama starred De Niro as troubled taxi driver Travis Bickle, whose mental state deteriorates throughout the film. The movie also featured performances by Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle and Albert Brooks.

At the time of its release, the film generated controversy for its graphic violence and Foster's casting as a child sex worker at age 12. It was later linked to John Hinckley Jr's attempted assassination of former US President Ronald Reagan.

Despite the controversy, Taxi Driver went on to achieve critical acclaim and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress in 1994 for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant.

The film, which marks its 50th anniversary this year, will be screened at the upcoming Tribeca Festival, where De Niro and Scorsese are set to reunite for a special conversation about the iconic project.

The discussion is among several high-profile events planned for this year's festival. Conversations with Madonna, Sean Penn and Josh Safdie are also scheduled, along with anniversary screenings of The Cable Guy and Bridget Jones's Diary.

The annual Tribeca Festival, running from June 3 to June 14, was founded in 2002 to help revitalise Lower Manhattan following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre.

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