With RAGING BULL, Martin Scorsese's personal approach to filmmaking is taken to a whole new level. Shooting in a crisp black and white, Scorsese tells the story of middleweight... more
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widely reckoned one of the finest films of the 1980s, Raging Bull still looks like a contender. Based on the ghosted autobiography of 1940s boxing champion Jake ...
widely reckoned one of the finest films of the 1980s, Raging Bull still looks like a contender. Based on the ghosted autobiography of 1940s boxing champion Jake ...
widely reckoned one of the finest films of the 1980s, Raging Bull still looks like a contender. Based on the ghosted autobiography of 1940s boxing champion Jake La Motta, it's the most searing, intense and often painful to watch of Scorsese's explorations into the nature of masculinity and macho values. The rise of La Motta, the taut, cocky young fighting machine from the Bronx, is bookended by the scenes in which, as a paunchy, bloated has-been 20 years later, he's reduced to acting out self-pitying monologues in a tawdry Manhattan nightclub. The film is shot in crystalline black-and-white, masterfully framed and lit by Michael Chapman, partly as passionate movie-buff Scorsese's response to the way in which classic colour films were at this time being allowed to deteriorate into pinky-mauve travesties of their original rich tones. Making their starring debuts, Joe Pesci as La Motta's long-suffering brother and manager, and Cathy Moriarty as his delicate-featured, abused child-wife, both grab their opportunities with both hands. But the film's dominated from the outset by De Niro's tour de force performance as the brutal, hair-triggered La Motta, viciously lashing out at the world in self-destructive fury. De Niro, who had first suggested the project to Scorsese back in 1973, threw himself into the role with near-demented dedication, submitting to a full year's punishing training programme to gain a boxer's physique and fighting skills--then taking two months off in Europe to stuff himself relentlessly till he had gained 60 lbs to play the slobbish, washed-up ex-champ. It's a performance of scary believability that makes you realise how casually, these days, the actor is coasting through his later career. Raging Bull was nominated for eight Oscars and picked up two, one for De Niro, and one for Thelma Schoonmaker's editing. On the DVD: not much, just the original trailer, and a brief promo for some of MGM's other DVD releases. There's some useful production info in the printed booklet enclosed in the box, but couldn't they have got Marty to say a few words? The images look stunning in their original widescreen (1.85:1) ratio, but neither the Dolby Digital sound nor the print seems to have been remastered. Such a major re-release deserved a little more effort. --Philip Kemp
Raging Bull is one of his very best. It strikes a near-perfect balance between formal experiment (it's shot in black and white and features heavily stylised, slo-mo fight sequences) and emotional content, delivered through the compelling true-life story of heavyweight boxer Jake La Motta (on whose autobiography it was based), and frequently scores high on critic and audience polls of the best films of the 20th century. The traditional rise-and-fall biopic structure serves as a vehicle for a brutally tender distillation of most of the director's favourite themes (male violence, sexual jealousy, ambition and failure). Onscreen, it features two of his favourite leading actors, Robert De Niro (whose intense physical exertions and pasta diet for the role won him an Academy Award), and Joe Pesci, as La Motta and his brother Joey respectively. Trapped in a bubble of emotional and verbal inarticulacy, Jake and Joey's constant, repetitive bickering ("Did you fuck my wife?" La Motta asks over and over again in one scene, undaunted by however many times Joey denies it), is counterpointed by Jake's eloquence in the ring, manifestly the only place where he can express himself. As the title suggests, the guy's an animal, a real antihero in satin shorts. The smouldering, statuesque Cathy Moriarty is on hand as Jake's long-suffering wife Vickie, as are a whole posse of Scorsese regulars. All are aided and abetted by several of Scorsese's most gifted and vital off-screen collaborators: screenwriter Paul Schrader (co-author of Taxi Driver), cinematographer Michael Chapman (Taxi Driver), and the indispensable Thelma Schoonmaker, editor of almost every Scorsese film since his feature, Who's That Knocking at My Door?. They don't come much better than this. --Leslie Felperin
was chosen as the best film of the 1980s in a major critics' poll at the end of the decade, and it's a knockout piece of filmmaking. Robert De Niro plays LaMotta (famously putting on 50 pounds for the later scenes), a man tormented by demons he doesn't understand and prone to uncontrollably violent temper tantrums and fits of irrational jealousy. He marries a striking young blond (Cathy Moriarty), his sexual ideal, and then terrorizes her with never-ending accusations of infidelity. Jake is as frightening as he is pathetic, unable to control or comprehend the baser instincts that periodically, and without warning, turn him into the rampaging beast of the title. But as Roman Catholic Scorsese sees it, he works off his sins in the boxing ring, where his greatest athletic talent is his ability to withstand punishment. The fight scenes are astounding; they're like barbaric ritual dance numbers. Images smash into one another--a flashbulb, a spray of sweat, a fist, a geyser of blood--until you feel dazed from the pummeling. Nominated for a handful of Academy Awards (including best picture and director), Raging Bull won only two, for De Niro and for editor Thelma Schoonmacher. --Jim Emerson
This is not infact the best film of the 80s or indeed the 70s, it is just simply the greatest film ever made. I am not writing that on a whim, I have not just seen it and got carried away, I have seen this movie on a number of separate occasions over the years each time picking it apart, looking for faults but finding none. Hours of research have gone into this review. The film was set back int the fifties, back in the day when men were men and all ... ...star of this true story has though been well chronicled as a man who could give and take a proper beating. He could be any one of those 'hardmen' your grandad told you about. The film is about his rise to fame and resulting demise and it tells the story of his life during these times, giving you an insight into the character and those around him. Although probably not the best part of this film, a number of my friends felt it was hard to get into ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Compelling performances Disadvantages: Can feel a little long
This certificate 18 film is from 1980 and it's largely shot in black and white. It stars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci and is directed by Martin Scorcese. De Niro plays 1940s boxing champion Jake La Motta. Joe Pesci plays La Motta's long-suffering brother and manager, and Cathy Moriarty plays Jake's wife.
The story follows Jake's traumas and triumphs in and out of the ring. It is based on Jake's autobiography. The depiction of the rise of La Motta, ... ...has-been 20 years later, he's reduced to acting out self-pitying monologues in a tawdry Manhattan nightclub. He thinks he's a great comedian but it's painful to watch.
He's also abusive towards his family but ironically his ultimate downfall - an accusation of under age sex - isn't really his fault. How will he manage in the end?
De Niro's performance is typically tough - he really played the part and put on all the weight necessary. Doing the ...
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Martin Scorsese's RAGING BULL is a ruthlessly unsympathetic portrait of a professional boxer's beatings in and out of the ring. Based on real life boxer Jake LaMotta's memoirs, by TAXI DRIVER screenwriter Paul Schrader, I rank this brilliant film alongside that other great character study of Scorsese's as one of the most powerful pieces of cinema ever made, with another mesmerising performance from Robert De Niro, from an insanely paranoid taxi driver ... ...his own personal redemption.
RAGING BULL is an exemplary production. Hauntingly scored and filmed with the most stunning black and white footage I have ever seen recorded from TAXI DRIVER cinematographer Michael Chapman, I found it often difficult to watch in comfort, so harsh an emotional experience it was, lingering with me long after the film had finished. The acting throughout is wonderful, from De Niro and Joe Pesci outdoing one another as ...
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raging bull is a film about the fighter jake lamotta. the story starts off with jake practicing standup comedy. then the film flashes back to his earlier life when he was a talented prize fighter. Jake gradually moves up in the rankings to get a title shot. Jake meets a 15 year old girl in the neighbourhood, he starts a relationship with her after his first wife leaves him. He then marries her and has children. Jakes boxing life is bright as he is ... ...him practicing his routine. The raging bull is a great film because it is fitious and it has grea acting. this film is in the list of 100 greatest films. it has a few oscars and has several dozen nominees. the story is stunning, i think this is down to robert deniro as he plays the role very well. i think this i value for money because it has everything to be a great film. ...
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29.08.2007
the raging bull Review ofRaging Bull (Wide Screen)by
majidali
Advantages: based on a real story, great acting by robert deniro. Disadvantages: none
raging bull is a story of one of the greats to enter boxing. This film shows how hard it was to be a fighter in the old days. It was hard because it had great fighters like sugar ray robinson and boxing was corrupted so it was hard to get a title shot. for me this is the best boxing film ever because it is based on truth. in this film it shows robert dineros actor getting paranoid and beating up his wife. his violence helps him in the ring however ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
With RAGING BULL, Martin Scorsese's personal approach to filmmaking is taken to a whole new level. Shooting in a crisp black and white, Scorsese tells the story of middleweight boxer Jake La Motta, played with incredible intensity by Oscar winner Robert De Niro. As La Motta rises through the ranks to earn his first shot at the middleweight crown, he falls in love with Vickie (Cathy Moriarty), a gorgeous girl from his Bronx neighbourhood. Jake's inability to express his feelings pours out in the ring and eventually takes over his life in his dealings with his brother, Joey (a brilliant Joe Pesci). Irrational jealousy over Vickie, as well as an insatiable appetite, sends him into a downward spiral that costs him his title, his wife, and his relationship with Joey. As the out-of-control fighter, De Niro delivers one of the screen's most unforgettable performances. Pesci is just as intense as Joey, who finally realises that he is unable to tame his animalistic brother. Scorsese and cinematographer Michael Chapman shoot the film with a stylish flair that fills the boxing scenes with boundless energy and adds immediacy to the endless arguments that erupt whenever Jake is outside the ring. Simply put, RAGING BULL is one of American cinema's masterworks.
Technical information
Special Features: Booklet Revealing An Insight Into The Making Of The Film, Chapter Search, Original Theatrical Trailer
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital Surround, Mono
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital Surround English Mono German Spanish French Italian
Award information
OSCAR: Best Actor In A Leading Role 1980 (Robert De Niro)
Professional reviews
Review: "...[Scorsese's] most ambitious film as well as his finest....The performance of [De Niro's] career..." (New York Times, p.C11, 14/11/1980)
"RAGING BULL is not simply the greatest boxing movie ever made; Martin Scorsese's 1980 masterpiece is arguably the finest American film released in [that] decade..." (New York Times, p.E23, 04/08/2000)
"...A fiercely poetic study of violence. Stunningly shot in black-and-white..." (Rolling Stone, p.23, 14/12/1989)
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