Clerks (1994) Director: Kevin Smith Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith
"Whispers In The Wind… To Each His Own… Ass-Worshipping Rim-Jobbers… Cum-Gargling Naked Sluts… and, uh, oh yeah, All Holes Filled With Hard Cock…" That's just edited highlights of videostore owner Randall's (Jeff Anderson) lengthy rental VHS order, all loudly read out in front of a poor mother and her little kid, who just wants a copy of Happy Scrappy Hero Pup. It's wonderfully typical of Kevin Smith's brazen, unrestrained and gut-bustingly lewd humour - which is at its finest in this, his lo-fi debut. Back over to Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randall: Dante: "My ex-girlfriend is catatonic after fucking a dead guy. And my present girlfriend has sucked 36 dicks." Randall: "37"...
Taxi Driver (1976) Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Al Brooks, Cybill Shepard, Harvey Keitel
Born out of the unholy trinity of writer Paul Schrader, director Martin Scorsese and star Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver is a testament to the thrill of adult moviewatching. Travis Bickle/Scorsese's vision of New York as Sodom And Gomorrah thrums with X-rated taboos. In some senses, Scorsese does his job to well. There are only four deaths in the entire film but the atmosphere of violence makes it seem like more. By the time we come to the climactic bloodbath - desaturated by the MPAA which actually makes it more unsettling - Taxi Driver takes on the feel of a fever dream you'll never wake up from.
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