Around the same time he announced to the world his intention to make “Nymphomaniac” — following Nazi-comment-gate — rumors began to spread that Lars Von Trier had also challenged Martin Scorsese to remake “Taxi Driver” in the style of Von Trier’s 2003 doc, “The Five Obstructions.” While the project seemed like a wild fantasy, Von Trier’s producer Peter Aalbæk Jensen said the two lauded filmmakers were indeed having a dialogue about the experiment but now cruel reality has dashed our hopes again.
In an interview with The Independent for the infamous disaster “The Canyons,” Paul Schrader shed some light on the cinephile’s wet-dream saying, “Marty and Lars were talking about it in Cannes and somebody in Lars’ camp stupidly talked about it, but in Marty’s mind, it never was something that should be done. We really have fought over the years to keep people’s hands off ‘Taxi Driver,’ to keep it from being a video game and to keep it from having a sequel. It’s a one-off kind of film.” As for the “Taxi Driver” screenwriter’s opinion on the project? “It was a terrible idea.” Ouch.
Perhaps it’s for the best as both directors are busy, Von Trier’s putting the finishing touches on “Nymphomaniac: Volume 2” and Scorsese’s prepping and casting the long-gestating “Silence.” In the meantime you can catch “The Wolf of Wall Street” in theaters now and “Nymphomaniac: Volume 1” on VOD next month on March 6th or in select theaters shortly afterward on March 21st.
Yeah…..get off that taxi driver sequel/remake….
âIt was a terrible idea.â
Yeah, like stunt-casting Lindsey Lohan opposite a porn-star with a sub-par Easton Ellis script (just 'cause he's "controversial" sometimes too) was a great idea. What an ass-hat.
Keep riding on that Taxi Driver train, Schrader! It was only like forty years ago… Acting like it was the only good movie made in the 70's, or some sort of unimpeachable statement for the ages. Overrated dog shit.