AFI publishes new archive files on Scorsese’s Taxi Driver

The American Film Institute has released a collection of archival materials to mark the 50th anniversary of Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s creation. Collider previewed items from the AFI Archive and AFI Catalog that include audio clips, production notes, letters and a detailed breakdown of the movie’s climactic shootout.

The archived material features seminar recordings and conversations that trace the project’s origins, including producer Julia Phillips’ account of optioning Paul Schrader’s screenplay and how the success of Mean Streets helped move the film forward. Scorsese’s own remarks in the archive recall how the script reached him and how timing and collaborators aligned to make the movie possible.

The files also show Scorsese’s meticulous planning for the final sequence, with scene-by-scene questions about blood, weapon visibility and object movement, alongside suggested edits from an early screening.

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