Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on Taxi Driver

  GAMES:

  • Fill-in-the-blank
  • Matching
  • Hangman
  • Flash cards
  • Sentence jumble
  • Missing words
  • No letters
  • Crossword puzzle

Taxi Driver is a 1976 American psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. The film is set in New York City, soon after the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro and features Jodie Foster and Harvey Keitel. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Palme d'Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival. The American Film Institute ranked Taxi Driver as the 52nd greatest American film on their AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies list. In 1994, it was preserved in the National Film Registry. It was also a great financial success. Filmed on a budget of $1.3 million, Taxi Driver earned over $28 million in the United States alone.

The film was controversial at the time. Some critics expressed concern over 13-year-old Jodie Foster's presence during the shoot-out at the end. However, rather than being upset or traumatized, Foster said, she was fascinated and entertained by the behind-the-scenes preparation that went into the scene. She had psychological testing to ensure that she would not be emotionally scarred by her role. Movie critic Roger Ebert instantly praised the movie as one of the greatest films he'd ever seen, claiming: "Taxi Driver" is a hell, from the opening shot of a cab emerging from…clouds of steam to the climactic killing scene." The film was chosen by "Time" magazine as one of the 100 best films of all time.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxi_Driver

  TRAILER AND POSTER

TAXI DRIVER POSTER

1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them?

2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is – the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories.

3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer…) and talk about them with your partner(s).

4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie.

5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s).

TAXI DRIVER TRAILER

1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions.

4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s).

5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s).

  MATCHING

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	set	a.	grossed
2	nominated	b.	ordered
3.	ranked	c.	make certain
4.	preserved	d.	located
5.	earned	e.	hot
6.	controversial	f.	distressed
7.	concern	g.	recommended
8.	upset	h.	ending
9.	ensure	i.	conserved
10.	climactic	j.	worry

PHRASE MATCH

1.	psychological	a.	budget of $1.3 million
2	The film is set	b.	killing scene
3.	It was also a great	c.	over $28 million
4.	Filmed on a	d.	scarred
5.	earned	e.	in New York City
6.	The film was controversial	f.	out at the end
7.	during the shoot-	g.	thriller
8.	being upset	h.	at the time
9.	emotionally	i.	financial success
10.	the climactic	j.	or traumatized

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

Taxi Driver is a 1976 American (1) _________________________ directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. The film is set in New York City, soon after the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro and features Jodie Foster and Harvey Keitel. (2) _________________________ Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Palme d'Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival. The (3) _________________________ Taxi Driver as the 52nd greatest American film on their (4) _________________________. In 1994, it was (5) _________________________. It was also a great financial success. Filmed (6) _________________________, Taxi Driver earned over $28 million in the United States alone.

The film was (7) _________________________. Some critics expressed concern over 13-year-old Jodie Foster's presence during the shoot-out at the end. However, rather than (8) _________________________, Foster said, she was fascinated and entertained (9) _________________________ preparation that went into the scene. She had psychological testing to ensure that she would not be (10) _________________________ role. Movie critic Roger Ebert (11) _________________________ one of the greatest films he'd ever seen, claiming: "Taxi Driver" is a hell, from the opening shot of a cab (12) _________________________ to the climactic killing scene." The film was chosen by "Time" magazine as one of the 100 best films of all time.

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	galccpolysohi thriller
2.	… uerseaft Jodie Foster
3.	admtoeinn for four Academy Awards
4.	eesdrpvre in the National Film Registry
5.	It was also a great anfaiinlc success
6.	Filmed on a dubteg of $1.3 million
Paragraph 2
7.	The film was iatnvecolrosr at the time
8.	Some critics psdesxeer concern
9.	being upset or mueiatarztd
10.	behind-the-scenes renptiopraa
11.	yoaelonmitl scarred by her role
12.	a cab imgngree from clouds of steam

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

taxi driver is a 1976 american psychological thriller film directed by martin scorsese and written by paul schrader the film is set in new york city soon after the vietnam war the film stars robert de niro and features jodie foster and harvey keitel it was nominated for four academy awards including best picture and won the palme d'or at the 1976 cannes film festival the american film institute ranked taxi driver as the 52nd greatest american film on their afi's 100 years…100 movies list in 1994 it was preserved in the national film registry it was also a great financial success filmed on a budget of $13 million taxi driver earned over $28 million in the united states alone

the film was controversial at the time some critics expressed concern over 13-year-old jodie foster's presence during the shoot-out at the end however rather than being upset or traumatized foster said she was fascinated and entertained by the behind-the-scenes preparation that went into the scene she had psychological testing to ensure that she would not be emotionally scarred by her role movie critic roger ebert instantly praised the movie as one of the greatest films he'd ever seen claiming "taxi driver" is a hell from the opening shot of a cab emerging from…clouds of steam to the climactic killing scene" the film was chosen by "time" magazine as one of the 100 best films of all time

  INSERT THE VOWELS

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Th_ f_lm w_s c_ntr_v_rs__l _t th_ t_m_. S_m_ cr_t_cs _xpr_ss_d c_nc_rn _v_r 13-y__r-_ld J_d__ F_st_r's pr_s_nc_ d_r_ng th_ sh__t-__t _t th_ _nd. H_w_v_r, r_th_r th_n b__ng _ps_t _r tr__m_t_z_d, F_st_r s__d, sh_ w_s f_sc_n_t_d _nd _nt_rt__n_d by th_ b_h_nd-th_-sc_n_s pr_p_r_t__n th_t w_nt _nt_ th_ sc_n_. Sh_ h_d psych_l_g_c_l t_st_ng t_ _ns_r_ th_t sh_ w__ld n_t b_ _m_t__n_lly sc_rr_d by h_r r_l_. M_v__ cr_t_c R_g_r _b_rt _nst_ntly pr__s_d th_ m_v__ _s _n_ _f th_ gr__t_st f_lms h_'d _v_r s__n, cl__m_ng: "T_x_ Dr_v_r" _s _ h_ll, fr_m th_ _p_n_ng sh_t _f _ c_b _m_rg_ng fr_m…cl__ds _f st__m t_ th_ cl_m_ct_c k_ll_ng sc_n_." Th_ f_lm w_s ch_s_n by "T_m_" m_g_z_n_ _s _n_ _f th_ 100 b_st f_lms _f _ll t_m_.

  MARK THE SPACES

TaxiDriverisa1976AmericanpsychologicalthrillerfilmdirectedbyMart
inScorseseandwrittenbyPaulSchrader.ThefilmissetinNewYorkCity,s
oonaftertheVietnamWar.ThefilmstarsRobertDeNiroandfeaturesJodi
eFosterandHarveyKeitel.ItwasnominatedforfourAcademyAwards,in
cludingBestPicture,andwonthePalmed'Oratthe1976CannesFilmFest
ival.TheAmericanFilmInstituterankedTaxiDriverasthe52ndgreatest
AmericanfilmontheirAFI's100Years…100Movieslist.In1994,itwaspr
eservedintheNationalFilmRegistry.Itwasalsoagreatfinancialsuccess
.Filmedonabudgetof$1.3million,TaxiDriverearnedover$28millionint
heUnitedStatesalone.Thefilmwascontroversialatthetime.Somecritic
sexpressedconcernover13-year-
oldJodieFoster'spresenceduringtheshoot-
outattheend.However,ratherthanbeingupsetortraumatized,Fosters
aid,shewasfascinatedandentertainedbythebehind-the-
scenespreparationthatwentintothescene.Shehadpsychologicaltesti
ngtoensurethatshewouldnotbeemotionallyscarredbyherrole.Moviec
riticRogerEbertinstantlypraisedthemovieasoneofthegreatestfilmsh
e'deverseen,claiming:"TaxiDriver"isahell,fromtheopeningshotofac
abemergingfrom…cloudsofsteamtotheclimactickillingscene."Thefil
mwaschosenby"Time"magazineasoneofthe100bestfilmsofalltime.

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

  TAXI DRIVER SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Taxi Driver in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	Student 1 __________	Student 2 __________	Student 3 __________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other's work.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about "Taxi Driver". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "Taxi Driver". What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors' performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. "TAXI DRIVER" POSTER: Make a poster about "Taxi Driver". Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics' reviews, why people should see it, etc.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for  "Taxi Driver". Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on "Taxi Driver". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	set	a.	located
2	nominated	b.	recommended
3.	ranked	c.	ordered
4.	preserved	d.	conserved
5.	earned	e.	grossed
6.	controversial	f.	hot
7.	concern	g.	worry
8.	upset	h.	distressed
9.	ensure	i.	make certain
10.	climactic	j.	ending

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review article at the top of the page.
(It's good for your English ;-)