I HAVE THE INFO

R.I.P. The Wizard

Peter Boyle dies.

Now, I don’t know about you, but to me the ‘Are you talking to me?’ seen in Taxi Driver is a little over done. However, the scene where Travis is trying to explain to the Wizard ‘the bad ideas in [his] head’…that scene sticks with me alot more, and maybe even goes to the core of what the film is all about. To wit:

- Yeah? - I know you and I ain’t talked much.
But I figured you’ve been around a lot so you could–
Shoot, that’s why they call me the “Wizard.”
I got– It’s just that I got–
- I got– - Things got you down?
- Yeah. - It happens to the best of us.
Yeah, it got me real down.
I just want to go out and really, really do something.
Taxi life, you mean?
Yeah, well–
No, it’s–
I don’t know.
I just wanna go out…
and really–
I really wanna–
I got some bad ideas in my head. I just–
Look at it this way.
A man takes a job, you know?
And that job– I mean, like that–
That becomes what he is.
You know, like–
You do a thing and that’s what you are.
Like I’ve been a cabbie for years. Ten years at night.
I still don’t own my own cab. You know why?
Because I don’t want to. That must be what I want.
To be on the night shift drivin’ somebody else’s cab.
You understand?
I mean, you become– You get a job, you become the job.
One guy lives in Brooklyn. One guy lives in Sutton Place.
You got a lawyer. Another guy’s a doctor.
Another guy dies. Another guy gets well.
People are born.
I envy you your youth.
Go on, get laid, get drunk. Do anything.
You got no choice, anyway. I mean, we’re all fucked.
More or less, ya know.
I don’t know. That’s about the dumbest thing I ever heard.
It’s not Bertrand Russell. But what do you want? I’m a cabbie.
What do I know? I don’t even know what the fuck you’re talking about.
Maybe I don’t know either.
Don’t worry so much. Relax, Killer. You’re gonna be all right.
I know. I’ve seen a lot of people, and–
- I know. Okay? - Yeah.
Thanks, man.
I guess–
Yeah, you know. You’re all right.