709 reviews
An emotionally self-destructive boxer (Robert DeNiro) and his journey through life, as the violence and temper that leads him to the top in the ring, destroys his life outside it.
I do not want to be the one to say bad things about this film, because it is not a bad film. But most of it just did not resonate with me. The story is good, the acting is good, I love the use of the black and white cinematography at a time when color was far more dominant. But I cannot say this is one of the greatest movies ever made.
IMDb, AFI, Entertainment Weekly, ESPN and everyone else has this ranked so near the top of their list (IMDB actually only puts it in the top 100, which seems more fair). I am lost... it is a great movie, yes, but one of the greatest? No, it just is not true. DeNiro has done better, Pesci has done better, Scorsese has done better...
I do not want to be the one to say bad things about this film, because it is not a bad film. But most of it just did not resonate with me. The story is good, the acting is good, I love the use of the black and white cinematography at a time when color was far more dominant. But I cannot say this is one of the greatest movies ever made.
IMDb, AFI, Entertainment Weekly, ESPN and everyone else has this ranked so near the top of their list (IMDB actually only puts it in the top 100, which seems more fair). I am lost... it is a great movie, yes, but one of the greatest? No, it just is not true. DeNiro has done better, Pesci has done better, Scorsese has done better...
There's very little to like about the character portrayed here by Robert De Niro, other than to acknowledge that he took advantage of one of the few things he was good at i.e. thumping anyone who enraged him regardless of whether they were in the boxing ring or not.
The power of the movie comes from De Niro under the direction of Martin Scorsese, providing a wholly convincing performance of the furious, bitter, bovine pugilist with serious psychological issues. It is one of the truly great performances of that decade, perhaps of all time, nailing the establishment of a character it's genuinely difficult to have any empathy or sympathy with. If you dig deeper, you will not be surprised to find a serial misogynist who married seven times and who beat all of his wives. If this is your type of hero you might like to reconsider how you got there. If De Nero, Scorsese and cinema are your heroes, not too many will disagree with that.
The power of the movie comes from De Niro under the direction of Martin Scorsese, providing a wholly convincing performance of the furious, bitter, bovine pugilist with serious psychological issues. It is one of the truly great performances of that decade, perhaps of all time, nailing the establishment of a character it's genuinely difficult to have any empathy or sympathy with. If you dig deeper, you will not be surprised to find a serial misogynist who married seven times and who beat all of his wives. If this is your type of hero you might like to reconsider how you got there. If De Nero, Scorsese and cinema are your heroes, not too many will disagree with that.
... in that he lost everything he ever had by age 40, although Kane didn't die broke by any means. An athlete expects to lose their prowess over time, but Jake lost everything else too. He did have a pretty good second act, partially and ironically because of this film, and even managed to live to age 95 and not die alone. That's an unexpected outcome when you first see him at age 42.
It's really interesting how this film is set up. You first see LaMotta (Robert De Niro) at age 42 in 1964 - bloated, working in a dive of a nightclub, practicing the third-rate act that keeps him fed and off the streets. His name and the year are shown in print. Then immediately you switch to LaMotta in 1941, in the ring, at age 19. Granted, Robert De Niro at age 36 when he made this does NOT look anything close to a teenager, but then there has to be some dramatic license.
This first fight shown in 1941 tells you what you need to know about the kind of world Jake inhabits. There are the violent punches of the fight followed by a decision against Jake with which the audience strongly disagrees. Fans throw things - everything from popcorn to chairs. Fights break out. A woman is trampled in the chaos. And then the organist tries to calm things down by playing the Star Spangled Banner. The audience does not come to attention.
So you've seen the end and the beginning of the story. It's fascinating and grabs one's attention, and even though you can look up and see how the actual Jake LaMotta's life went in those 23 years, the movie gives you all of the intimate scenes telling you the how. Jake craves love, food, recognition - he has a tremendous appetite for all of these things but he's also tremendously lacking in confidence and self control and strikes out violently as a result. It really is a fascinating portrait.
It's really interesting how this film is set up. You first see LaMotta (Robert De Niro) at age 42 in 1964 - bloated, working in a dive of a nightclub, practicing the third-rate act that keeps him fed and off the streets. His name and the year are shown in print. Then immediately you switch to LaMotta in 1941, in the ring, at age 19. Granted, Robert De Niro at age 36 when he made this does NOT look anything close to a teenager, but then there has to be some dramatic license.
This first fight shown in 1941 tells you what you need to know about the kind of world Jake inhabits. There are the violent punches of the fight followed by a decision against Jake with which the audience strongly disagrees. Fans throw things - everything from popcorn to chairs. Fights break out. A woman is trampled in the chaos. And then the organist tries to calm things down by playing the Star Spangled Banner. The audience does not come to attention.
So you've seen the end and the beginning of the story. It's fascinating and grabs one's attention, and even though you can look up and see how the actual Jake LaMotta's life went in those 23 years, the movie gives you all of the intimate scenes telling you the how. Jake craves love, food, recognition - he has a tremendous appetite for all of these things but he's also tremendously lacking in confidence and self control and strikes out violently as a result. It really is a fascinating portrait.
"Raging Bull" isn't the average, stereotypical underdog boxing movie, because it isn't really about boxing at all. Like most great movies, its focus is much deeper. It came out in 1980, earned Robert De Niro a Best Actor Academy Award, and was marked down as another solid triumph by director Martin Scorsese, whose previous 1976 outing with De Niro earned them both critical acclaim (and for De Niro, an Oscar nomination, although he would actually earn an Oscar for "Raging Bull" four years later).
It dwindled in production hell for quite some time, with Scorsese's drug use halting production and only the duo's strong willpower that kept the project moving ahead. It was after De Niro read boxer Jake LaMotta's memoirs that he knew he wanted to make the film, so Scorsese and De Niro turned to Paul Schrader for a script. Schrader, who had previously written "Taxi Driver" (1976), agreed, and wrote the screenplay for them. The rest is history.
"Raging Bull" has often been regarded as the greatest film of the 80s. To be honest, I'm not so sure about that, since various genres offer different feelings and emotions (comparing this to a comedy might seem rather silly). But to say it is one of the most powerful films of all time would be no gross overstatement -- it is superb film-making at its finest.
De Niro gained 60 pounds to play LaMotta, which was an all-time record at the time (later beaten by Vincent D'Onofrio, who gained 70 pounds for Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket"). His physical transformation is on-par with any great screen makeover, especially the most recent, ranging from Willem Dafoe in "Shadow of the Vampire" to Charlize Theron in "Monster." In addition, co-star Joe Pesci also lost weight for his role of Joey, LaMotta's short, eccentric brother. The greatest scene in the film is when LaMotta accuses his brother of having an affair with his wife. The tension is raw, the dialogue amazing, and the overall intensity electrifying.
The film is most often compared to "Rocky," more than any other, apparently because they both concern a certain level of boxing. As much as I absolutely adore "Rocky," "Raging Bull" is a deeper, more realistic film. But whereas "Raging Bull" is raw, "Rocky" is inspiring, and that is one of the reasons I do not think these two very different motion pictures deserve comparison, for the simple fact that they are entirely separate from one another. The only connecting thread is the apparently central theme of boxing, which is used as a theme in "Rocky," and a backdrop in "Raging Bull." They're entirely different motion pictures -- one uplifting, the other somewhat depressing -- and the people who try to decide which is better need to seriously re-evaluate their reasons for doing so. They both succeed splendidly well at what they are trying to do, and that's all I have to say about their so-called connection.
De Niro, who could justifiably be called the greatest actor of all time, is at the top of his game here. In "Taxi Driver" he displayed a top-notch performance. He wasn't just playing Travis Bickle -- he was Travis Bickle. And here he is Jake LaMotta, the infamous boxer known for his abusive life style and somewhat paranoid delusions during his reign as world middleweight boxing champion, 1949 - 1951. Throughout the film, he beats his wife (played expertly and convincingly by the 19-year-old Cathy Moriarty), convinced that she is cheating on him, and that is more or less what the film is truly about. The boxing is just what he does for a living, and could be considered as a way to release some of his deeper, harbored anger.
LaMotta has a close relationship with Joey, his brother, and their interaction is often what elevates the film above others of its genre. The dialogue is great, close to the perfection of Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction," rich in that rapid-fire filthy language and brutal insults. Pesci, who was on the verge of quitting showbiz at the time of pre-production, was spotted by De Niro in a cheap B-movie named "The Death Collector" (1975), a.k.a. "Family Business," a truly horrid film that nevertheless showcased an early sign of things to come for Pesci. De Niro wanted him for the movie and his premonition was either very lucky or very wise -- this is one of the best performances of Pesci's entire career.
Scorsese shot the film in muted black and white, portraying a certain era of depression and misery. To make the blood show up on screen during the occasional fight scenes, Scorsese used Hershey's Syrup -- which is an interesting tidbit of trivia for any aspiring film-making planning on filming a violent movie in black and white. But how often does that happen?
This is certainly one of the most intense films Scorsese has directed, and one of the most important of his career. Along with "Taxi Driver," it is an iconic motion picture that will stand the test of time for years and years to come.
Scorsese and De Niro's partnership over the years has resulted in some of the most influential and utterly amazing motion pictures of all time: "Mean Streets," "Taxi Driver," "The King of Comedy," "Goodfellas" and "Casino" come to mind almost instantly. But perhaps the one single title that will be remembered as their most daring effort is "Raging Bull," a motion picture so utterly exhilarating that it defies description. It is simply a masterpiece for the mind and senses, leaving you knocked out cold after its brutal one-two punch. If I had to assemble a list of required viewing, this would be up there towards the top.
It dwindled in production hell for quite some time, with Scorsese's drug use halting production and only the duo's strong willpower that kept the project moving ahead. It was after De Niro read boxer Jake LaMotta's memoirs that he knew he wanted to make the film, so Scorsese and De Niro turned to Paul Schrader for a script. Schrader, who had previously written "Taxi Driver" (1976), agreed, and wrote the screenplay for them. The rest is history.
"Raging Bull" has often been regarded as the greatest film of the 80s. To be honest, I'm not so sure about that, since various genres offer different feelings and emotions (comparing this to a comedy might seem rather silly). But to say it is one of the most powerful films of all time would be no gross overstatement -- it is superb film-making at its finest.
De Niro gained 60 pounds to play LaMotta, which was an all-time record at the time (later beaten by Vincent D'Onofrio, who gained 70 pounds for Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket"). His physical transformation is on-par with any great screen makeover, especially the most recent, ranging from Willem Dafoe in "Shadow of the Vampire" to Charlize Theron in "Monster." In addition, co-star Joe Pesci also lost weight for his role of Joey, LaMotta's short, eccentric brother. The greatest scene in the film is when LaMotta accuses his brother of having an affair with his wife. The tension is raw, the dialogue amazing, and the overall intensity electrifying.
The film is most often compared to "Rocky," more than any other, apparently because they both concern a certain level of boxing. As much as I absolutely adore "Rocky," "Raging Bull" is a deeper, more realistic film. But whereas "Raging Bull" is raw, "Rocky" is inspiring, and that is one of the reasons I do not think these two very different motion pictures deserve comparison, for the simple fact that they are entirely separate from one another. The only connecting thread is the apparently central theme of boxing, which is used as a theme in "Rocky," and a backdrop in "Raging Bull." They're entirely different motion pictures -- one uplifting, the other somewhat depressing -- and the people who try to decide which is better need to seriously re-evaluate their reasons for doing so. They both succeed splendidly well at what they are trying to do, and that's all I have to say about their so-called connection.
De Niro, who could justifiably be called the greatest actor of all time, is at the top of his game here. In "Taxi Driver" he displayed a top-notch performance. He wasn't just playing Travis Bickle -- he was Travis Bickle. And here he is Jake LaMotta, the infamous boxer known for his abusive life style and somewhat paranoid delusions during his reign as world middleweight boxing champion, 1949 - 1951. Throughout the film, he beats his wife (played expertly and convincingly by the 19-year-old Cathy Moriarty), convinced that she is cheating on him, and that is more or less what the film is truly about. The boxing is just what he does for a living, and could be considered as a way to release some of his deeper, harbored anger.
LaMotta has a close relationship with Joey, his brother, and their interaction is often what elevates the film above others of its genre. The dialogue is great, close to the perfection of Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction," rich in that rapid-fire filthy language and brutal insults. Pesci, who was on the verge of quitting showbiz at the time of pre-production, was spotted by De Niro in a cheap B-movie named "The Death Collector" (1975), a.k.a. "Family Business," a truly horrid film that nevertheless showcased an early sign of things to come for Pesci. De Niro wanted him for the movie and his premonition was either very lucky or very wise -- this is one of the best performances of Pesci's entire career.
Scorsese shot the film in muted black and white, portraying a certain era of depression and misery. To make the blood show up on screen during the occasional fight scenes, Scorsese used Hershey's Syrup -- which is an interesting tidbit of trivia for any aspiring film-making planning on filming a violent movie in black and white. But how often does that happen?
This is certainly one of the most intense films Scorsese has directed, and one of the most important of his career. Along with "Taxi Driver," it is an iconic motion picture that will stand the test of time for years and years to come.
Scorsese and De Niro's partnership over the years has resulted in some of the most influential and utterly amazing motion pictures of all time: "Mean Streets," "Taxi Driver," "The King of Comedy," "Goodfellas" and "Casino" come to mind almost instantly. But perhaps the one single title that will be remembered as their most daring effort is "Raging Bull," a motion picture so utterly exhilarating that it defies description. It is simply a masterpiece for the mind and senses, leaving you knocked out cold after its brutal one-two punch. If I had to assemble a list of required viewing, this would be up there towards the top.
- MovieAddict2016
- Apr 4, 2004
- Permalink
- head_radio
- Oct 27, 2004
- Permalink
Easily one of the most powerful films I have ever seen. I have watched it at least ten times, and it only gets better and better with each viewing. Martin Scorsese is absolutely the greatest filmmaker of the last quarter century, and this film is his best. The story of how boxer Jake LaMotta watched his career and marriage crumble under the weight of his violent temper and deep-rooted misogyny is told with no punches pulled (excuse the bad pun), as Deniro (in what may be his best performance) and Scorsese unflinchingly explore what drove this man over the edge, and what ultimately may have pulled him back. The boxing scenes easily rank with the most brutal and violent moments ever put on film, shot in stark, unadorned black and white and utilizing unlikely sounds including shattering windows and animal cries to great effect. Thelma Schoonmaker's jarring, discordant editing in these scenes also deserves special mention. The scenes of domestic violence are not for the faint of heart, but there is really no other way to tell this story. If there is a more perfect exploration of why as men we act the way we do, then I'd love to see it, because this movie made me re-evaluate my life. 10/10
Raging Bull is one of Martin Scorsese's best films and with out a doubt the best film of the 80's. It follows the career of middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta as his career progresses but his emotional problems worsen.
The most notable feature in Raging Bull is the colour. All but the home Video footage is shot in black and white. This was a huge risk on Scorsase's part but it defiantly pays off, the film wouldn't feel the same had it been done in colour.
Throughout the entire film acting is simply impeccable. De Niro and Pesci are both stunning. The script is amazing, you really feel like you understand every character, none of their actions seem out of character no matter how outrageous they may be.
Scorsese's directing is stunning. He really is a very talented director and in Raging Bull it shows. The fight scenes are famous for their brutal realism and it's easy to see why. He puts you right in the ring with the fighters and you cant help but admire their technical brilliance. However, the most stunning aspect of all is Thelma Schoonmaker's editing. Its some of the best editing I've ever seen especially during the fight scenes where it's positively breathtaking.
No matter what happens you always find yourself sympathising with La Motta, even during his most outrageous moments. Not only is Raging Bull the greatest film to come out of the 80's but is one of the greatest this century that's highly underrated and defiantly worth owning.
10 out of 10
The most notable feature in Raging Bull is the colour. All but the home Video footage is shot in black and white. This was a huge risk on Scorsase's part but it defiantly pays off, the film wouldn't feel the same had it been done in colour.
Throughout the entire film acting is simply impeccable. De Niro and Pesci are both stunning. The script is amazing, you really feel like you understand every character, none of their actions seem out of character no matter how outrageous they may be.
Scorsese's directing is stunning. He really is a very talented director and in Raging Bull it shows. The fight scenes are famous for their brutal realism and it's easy to see why. He puts you right in the ring with the fighters and you cant help but admire their technical brilliance. However, the most stunning aspect of all is Thelma Schoonmaker's editing. Its some of the best editing I've ever seen especially during the fight scenes where it's positively breathtaking.
No matter what happens you always find yourself sympathising with La Motta, even during his most outrageous moments. Not only is Raging Bull the greatest film to come out of the 80's but is one of the greatest this century that's highly underrated and defiantly worth owning.
10 out of 10
- GavAnderson
- Feb 13, 2005
- Permalink
From the story of a one time middle weight champion of the world and his apparent necessity for internal conflict and self destruction, America's greatest director in the history of cinema has carved a masterpiece of a feature, teaming up with the greatest actor of his generation in order to establish what will no doubt go down in history as one of the most powerful films of all time. "Raging Bull", directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert deNiro in the brilliant performance that ensured him a well deserved Academy Award, is a raw feature film that will have you stunned at its conclusion and leave you reeling in your theatre, couch or bed until the final credit has finished rolling off the screen.
The film, adapted from another source, revolves around the rise and fall of Jake LaMotta (deNiro), an ambitious middle weight fighter who has struggled for years along with his manager brother (an unforgettable Joe Pesci) to get a shot at the title for the middle weight champion of the world. Frustrated with himself and the life that he's had to lead, LaMotta presents the complex mind of a self destructive man who's inhumanity and self-destructive nature push him away from all the people in the world that love him and ultimately transform him from a prize fighter into an overweight sleaze with nothing but the clothes on his back. From the flawless and gripping boxing scenes to the raw yet accurate portrayal of his abusive habits towards both his brother and wife, "Raging Bull" succeeds on absolutely every level.
DeNiro's performance in the film is unquestionably his finest piece of work in his own personal career, if not throughout the history of cinema altogether. Completely believable as a boxer, he furthermore went on a diet to put on 60 pounds for his scenes situated in the latter half of the film when he has hit rock bottom which is testament to both his dedication and his unparalleled skill of establishing a believable character. Joe Pesci is absolutely brilliant as his portrayal of Jake's brother, Joey LaMotta, and considering the fact that was one of his first feature films in the spotlight, he completely delivers a character who loves his brother unquestionably but who also has internal struggles regarding his own nature and his methods of dealing with his brother. I fell in love with Joe Pesci due to his performance here, and he is clearly one of the more talented and gifted actors within Hollywood.
Scorsese is also in top form, and you can feel his presence, his brilliance and his uncompromising dedication to showing you the real life and times of Jake LaMotta in every single piece of footage presented to you on the screen. Martin Scorsese illustrates the reason why he is considered by many to be cinema's greatest film director of all time as he takes you on a journey of Jake LaMotta's personal and public existence. Scorsese doesn't leave anything out, and his brilliance obviously lies within the fact that he can illustrate everything about a character in the simplest of scenes to make you empathise but simultaneously make you comprehend the various fundamental layers of such a despicable character in cinema history. And on top of that, he can make you like the character and hate the character at the exact same time - a brilliance unprecedented throughout Hollywood and surely testament to Scorsese's superiority to directors such as Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood who, despite having tremendous talent, cannot realistically present characters to the extent that Scorsese can.
Further supporting cast members, Cathy Moriarty and Frank Vincent deliver completely credible characters with Moriarty well deserving of her Oscar Nomination for her performance as Vickie. The editing was completely flawless and top notch throughout the entire feature with Scorsese's other partner - Thelma Schoonmaker - bringing Scorsese's incredible vision to life once more without a single complaint in the world. Brilliant cinematography ensured a visually compelling piece of work, exemplified further by an Oscar Nod towards this element of the picture also.
All in all, this is arguably the finest achievement from the Scorsese-DeNiro partnership, and it delivers everything that you would predict from our beloved Martin Scorsese. Love, deceit, hate, an underlying theme of violence, some of the best acting ever put on film as well as some of the most brutal and compelling sequences of boxing you'll ever see: all are shown with flamboyance and an honest brutality that we've come to accept as the trademark of Martin Scorsese in this poignant tale of one man's annihilation of self. And who is the only director who could realistically bring this to life? We all know the answer.
Well done, Mr Scorsese. Regardless of what the pretentious fools responsible for the decisions that the Academy makes, the people are fully aware of who the best director in town is.
"Raging Bull" is flawless and perfect. 10 out of 10, all the way.
The film, adapted from another source, revolves around the rise and fall of Jake LaMotta (deNiro), an ambitious middle weight fighter who has struggled for years along with his manager brother (an unforgettable Joe Pesci) to get a shot at the title for the middle weight champion of the world. Frustrated with himself and the life that he's had to lead, LaMotta presents the complex mind of a self destructive man who's inhumanity and self-destructive nature push him away from all the people in the world that love him and ultimately transform him from a prize fighter into an overweight sleaze with nothing but the clothes on his back. From the flawless and gripping boxing scenes to the raw yet accurate portrayal of his abusive habits towards both his brother and wife, "Raging Bull" succeeds on absolutely every level.
DeNiro's performance in the film is unquestionably his finest piece of work in his own personal career, if not throughout the history of cinema altogether. Completely believable as a boxer, he furthermore went on a diet to put on 60 pounds for his scenes situated in the latter half of the film when he has hit rock bottom which is testament to both his dedication and his unparalleled skill of establishing a believable character. Joe Pesci is absolutely brilliant as his portrayal of Jake's brother, Joey LaMotta, and considering the fact that was one of his first feature films in the spotlight, he completely delivers a character who loves his brother unquestionably but who also has internal struggles regarding his own nature and his methods of dealing with his brother. I fell in love with Joe Pesci due to his performance here, and he is clearly one of the more talented and gifted actors within Hollywood.
Scorsese is also in top form, and you can feel his presence, his brilliance and his uncompromising dedication to showing you the real life and times of Jake LaMotta in every single piece of footage presented to you on the screen. Martin Scorsese illustrates the reason why he is considered by many to be cinema's greatest film director of all time as he takes you on a journey of Jake LaMotta's personal and public existence. Scorsese doesn't leave anything out, and his brilliance obviously lies within the fact that he can illustrate everything about a character in the simplest of scenes to make you empathise but simultaneously make you comprehend the various fundamental layers of such a despicable character in cinema history. And on top of that, he can make you like the character and hate the character at the exact same time - a brilliance unprecedented throughout Hollywood and surely testament to Scorsese's superiority to directors such as Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood who, despite having tremendous talent, cannot realistically present characters to the extent that Scorsese can.
Further supporting cast members, Cathy Moriarty and Frank Vincent deliver completely credible characters with Moriarty well deserving of her Oscar Nomination for her performance as Vickie. The editing was completely flawless and top notch throughout the entire feature with Scorsese's other partner - Thelma Schoonmaker - bringing Scorsese's incredible vision to life once more without a single complaint in the world. Brilliant cinematography ensured a visually compelling piece of work, exemplified further by an Oscar Nod towards this element of the picture also.
All in all, this is arguably the finest achievement from the Scorsese-DeNiro partnership, and it delivers everything that you would predict from our beloved Martin Scorsese. Love, deceit, hate, an underlying theme of violence, some of the best acting ever put on film as well as some of the most brutal and compelling sequences of boxing you'll ever see: all are shown with flamboyance and an honest brutality that we've come to accept as the trademark of Martin Scorsese in this poignant tale of one man's annihilation of self. And who is the only director who could realistically bring this to life? We all know the answer.
Well done, Mr Scorsese. Regardless of what the pretentious fools responsible for the decisions that the Academy makes, the people are fully aware of who the best director in town is.
"Raging Bull" is flawless and perfect. 10 out of 10, all the way.
Jake La Motta's story is no doubt the best movie about boxing of all times together with Robert Wise's The Set-Up. Besides the legendary performance of Robert De Niro, there are many things in this film that will remain in my heart forever: the splendid black & white, the contrast between the slow moving scenes and the frenetic ones, the choice of the music and the sense of loss which entangles the whole movie. De Niro faces another "born loser" role (after Travis Bickle, John Rubin, Johnny Boy) and strikes again; Martin Scorsese is the most poetic director of the last 30 years.
- solitaryman2
- Feb 8, 2000
- Permalink
Whoever is dissatisfied by Raging Bull, I'm sure they watched it with expectations of watching a sports movie, like Rocky. Despite the AFI chose Raging Bull as the #1 sports movie of all time, you can't expect to see the most breathtaking boxing match nor to witness the best crochet of boxing history. Raging Bull can only be classified as a drama/biography. Director Scorsese chose to go with black&white cinematography only to keep the young viewers away from this masterpiece of art. It's not fair to compare Rocky with Raging Bull. Rocky was a populist movie mostly for young viewers, and Raging Bull is a cinematic masterpiece. From a wide point of view, for instance, if you look at one of the Michelangelo's paintings; at first you see a nude woman, if you look longer and deeper you realize that her nudity expresses some thought, if you look continuously and give a life to it in your imagination you discover that the women are not just their bodies. Accordingly, like it is not enough looking once to a painting to understand what opinion does it defend; it is not reasonable and not fair to watch Raging Bull so as to see a sports movie. Also it is not reasonable to see Raging Bull only once. Raging Bull is one movie that, every time you watch it you get a better taste, every time you watch it you discover something new.
Raging Bull taught us that even if you are the best at some skill, even if you are the best of all; you need to create witnesses, admirers and supporters of your skill. It's the only way to reach the top. Moreover, it is harder to stay at the top than to reach the top. Not because someone better than you can defeat you, it's just because of the need to be accepted on every authority; like the Council of Judges, the Media and the Admiration of People. Director Scorsese draws benefit from the hypocrisy of fame. He empowers Raging Bull to make people ask to their conscience if the popular values that people choose can really cherish their values.
In Raging Bull, Jake La Motta was the best boxer of all, but people didn't like him. He was disrespectful, he was uncivilized, he was very ugly, he was arrogant, he was irritable and he didn't care; 'cause he believed himself. Despite the fact that he is the best, everybody disliked him. Soon, he was left alone; and in a very short time he lost everything he possessed. When he opened his eyes back to life, he found himself in prison. The scene that he is punching and butting the wall facing him is one of the most heart rending memorable scenes of the whole cinema history.
At the end, he finally throws in the towel of believing himself, he loses his faith and becomes to learn what he never wanted to learn: The Fame. He starts running his own business at a night club under his name, working as a stand-up comedian at the stage. People laugh at him for the jokes he made out of his memories, the jokes paraphrasing the bitter facts of life; including the very famous joke of the British King Richard-III which he said in the year 1485 just before dying: "A horse, a horse... My kingdom for a horse!". There we understand truly: For every joke there lies a share of a fact underneath.
Raging Bull taught us that even if you are the best at some skill, even if you are the best of all; you need to create witnesses, admirers and supporters of your skill. It's the only way to reach the top. Moreover, it is harder to stay at the top than to reach the top. Not because someone better than you can defeat you, it's just because of the need to be accepted on every authority; like the Council of Judges, the Media and the Admiration of People. Director Scorsese draws benefit from the hypocrisy of fame. He empowers Raging Bull to make people ask to their conscience if the popular values that people choose can really cherish their values.
In Raging Bull, Jake La Motta was the best boxer of all, but people didn't like him. He was disrespectful, he was uncivilized, he was very ugly, he was arrogant, he was irritable and he didn't care; 'cause he believed himself. Despite the fact that he is the best, everybody disliked him. Soon, he was left alone; and in a very short time he lost everything he possessed. When he opened his eyes back to life, he found himself in prison. The scene that he is punching and butting the wall facing him is one of the most heart rending memorable scenes of the whole cinema history.
At the end, he finally throws in the towel of believing himself, he loses his faith and becomes to learn what he never wanted to learn: The Fame. He starts running his own business at a night club under his name, working as a stand-up comedian at the stage. People laugh at him for the jokes he made out of his memories, the jokes paraphrasing the bitter facts of life; including the very famous joke of the British King Richard-III which he said in the year 1485 just before dying: "A horse, a horse... My kingdom for a horse!". There we understand truly: For every joke there lies a share of a fact underneath.
- CihanVercan
- Sep 23, 2008
- Permalink
The routine use of black-and-white film to make movies seems to have ended in the mid-sixties, probably killed off by the advent of colour television. Since then black-and-white has been used very sparingly; even Polanski's `Chinatown', obviously conceived as homage to the films noirs of the 1940s and 1950s, was shot in colour.
`Raging Bull'- a biography of the boxer Jake La Motta who for a time held the world middleweight championship- is one of the few exceptions. The use of black-and-white seems to have been inspired by the fact that the film depicts real-life events that occurred in the forties and fifties. Scorsese has tried to capture the look of both the films and the newsreels of that period. This is remarkably effective for the boxing scenes, which have a raw, brutal power and graphically depict the aggressive nature of the sport. The other remarkable thing about the film is the performance of Robert de Niro, for which he won a well-deserved Best Actor Academy Award. De Niro actually learned to box for the film, and did all the boxing scenes himself without using a stunt double, but his portrayal of La Motta's private life is equally effective.
Some boxers- Henry Cooper comes to mind- are hard-hitting inside the ring but gentlemanly and restrained outside. La Motta, as portrayed in this film, did not fall into this category. De Niro portrays him as a man with a very short fuse, seething with anger and violence. Unlike his great rival Sugar Ray Robinson, an elegant practitioner of the art of boxing, La Motta tries to overpower his rivals with brute force rather than relying on skill. His aggression is not something confined to the ring, but rather an inherent part of his personality, and comes out in his dealings with others. He treats his beautiful wife Vicki particularly badly, frequently (and irrationally) suspecting her of infidelity and subjecting her to both verbal and physical abuse. Besides De Niro's dominating performance, there are also very good contributions from Cathy Moriarty as Vicki and from Joe Pesci as La Motta's loyal brother Joey, another frequent target of abuse despite his loyalty.
For me, this is a very good film, yet one that falls just short of the classic status that some have claimed for it. At times it is enthralling to watch, but at others, particularly in the first half, it seems to lack structure, as La Motta takes on a series of opponents without the significance of these fights ever becoming clear. More could have been made of the gambling-inspired corruption that infested the sport at this period and which may well have contributed to La Motta's sense of frustration- at one time it is made clear to him that his getting a chance to fight for the world title depends upon his taking a dive in a non-title fight. The main weakness, however, is a sense of emptiness at its centre, resulting from the lack of a character who can engage our sympathies. As I said, it is De Niro's performance that dominates the film, but for all his fine acting, even he cannot make us sympathise with a drunken, self-pitying, paranoid, violent wife-beater. As a character study of an unpleasant character it is excellent, but it can go no further than that. I cannot agree that this is the greatest film of the eighties; indeed, for me it was not even the greatest sporting film of the eighties. (I preferred both `Chariots of Fire' and `Eight Men Out'). It is an easy film to admire, but a difficult one to love. 7/10.
`Raging Bull'- a biography of the boxer Jake La Motta who for a time held the world middleweight championship- is one of the few exceptions. The use of black-and-white seems to have been inspired by the fact that the film depicts real-life events that occurred in the forties and fifties. Scorsese has tried to capture the look of both the films and the newsreels of that period. This is remarkably effective for the boxing scenes, which have a raw, brutal power and graphically depict the aggressive nature of the sport. The other remarkable thing about the film is the performance of Robert de Niro, for which he won a well-deserved Best Actor Academy Award. De Niro actually learned to box for the film, and did all the boxing scenes himself without using a stunt double, but his portrayal of La Motta's private life is equally effective.
Some boxers- Henry Cooper comes to mind- are hard-hitting inside the ring but gentlemanly and restrained outside. La Motta, as portrayed in this film, did not fall into this category. De Niro portrays him as a man with a very short fuse, seething with anger and violence. Unlike his great rival Sugar Ray Robinson, an elegant practitioner of the art of boxing, La Motta tries to overpower his rivals with brute force rather than relying on skill. His aggression is not something confined to the ring, but rather an inherent part of his personality, and comes out in his dealings with others. He treats his beautiful wife Vicki particularly badly, frequently (and irrationally) suspecting her of infidelity and subjecting her to both verbal and physical abuse. Besides De Niro's dominating performance, there are also very good contributions from Cathy Moriarty as Vicki and from Joe Pesci as La Motta's loyal brother Joey, another frequent target of abuse despite his loyalty.
For me, this is a very good film, yet one that falls just short of the classic status that some have claimed for it. At times it is enthralling to watch, but at others, particularly in the first half, it seems to lack structure, as La Motta takes on a series of opponents without the significance of these fights ever becoming clear. More could have been made of the gambling-inspired corruption that infested the sport at this period and which may well have contributed to La Motta's sense of frustration- at one time it is made clear to him that his getting a chance to fight for the world title depends upon his taking a dive in a non-title fight. The main weakness, however, is a sense of emptiness at its centre, resulting from the lack of a character who can engage our sympathies. As I said, it is De Niro's performance that dominates the film, but for all his fine acting, even he cannot make us sympathise with a drunken, self-pitying, paranoid, violent wife-beater. As a character study of an unpleasant character it is excellent, but it can go no further than that. I cannot agree that this is the greatest film of the eighties; indeed, for me it was not even the greatest sporting film of the eighties. (I preferred both `Chariots of Fire' and `Eight Men Out'). It is an easy film to admire, but a difficult one to love. 7/10.
- JamesHitchcock
- Feb 26, 2004
- Permalink
Raging bull is my favorite film. Robert de Niro's performance in this film is truly amazing and the direction from Scorsese and the script from Paul Schrader are flawless. The fight scenes are the most brutal that I have ever seen on film even though theres only like 12 minutes of them and the editing is simply brilliant. It should have earned Scorsese a best director oscar but at least they had enough sense to award de Niro the best actor oscar.
I'll come back to this film forever.
I'll come back to this film forever.
This is an interesting biopic and I can't fault the acting, directing or cinematography but Jake La Motta is too unlikeable and one-dimensional to be entertaining. It's probably a realistic and accurate depiction of the man and indeed many boxers but I simply can't find it in me to score more than a 7.
Well, I don't think I've ever been more disappointed in my entire life, but there it is.
I realize that this film lost to "Ordinary People," a film I love. I am not an idiot - I know that Martin Scorcese is a great, very gifted artist who puts powerful images on the screen. I agree that he has been cheated out of the Academy Award many times, which makes one realize they don't count for much.
For DeNiro, this stands as one of the greatest performances of all time. DeNiro is one of a handful of American actors who has earned his place at the top - he's there with Brando, Pacino, and Newman. "Raging Bull" helped put him there. As far as the rest of the acting, Cathy Moriarity epitomizes the '40s blond and a Bronx woman, and Joe Pesci is perfect as LaMotta's brother.
Scorcese presents here the turbulent life of Jake Lamotta with all its brutality, sparing us nothing in his fights, his anger against his wives, his brother, no one. His obsessive nature, his jealousy, his - well, hey, his rage - does not make him a likable character. LaMotta himself was disturbed by how he came off on screen, but then had the honesty to admit that he was a bastard.
Scorcese creates the Bronx and the bloody horror of the fight ring in a way no one else ever has. The first shot of the lone boxer in the ring is stunning, as is the real LaMotta's own practicing of a speech in a dressing room. Everything about this film evinces the aura of a special era, especially the color home movies - a brilliant touch.
The only problem I had with the film was that it was boring and unwatchable. I finally got so sick of all the screaming and yelling and watching this unlikeable, obnoxious character that I turned the set off. I thought if he tortured his wife one more time asking her if she slept with his brother, I was going to put my fist through the set.
This is the age-old question - you know something is great art but it doesn't speak to you. You like something that's very well done but a little less artistic better - does this means you are one of the masses for whom mediocrity has become your idea of what's good? I don't know. I like to think I can appreciate a beautifully made film. But I think what I can appreciate more than that are complicated characters I understand on some level - or want to understand, real emotions, real heartache - probably more than magnificent film-making. When there is both, it's magic. For me, "Raging Bull" was not one of those times. "Godfather I," "Godfather II," yes.
I really hate writing these comments.
I realize that this film lost to "Ordinary People," a film I love. I am not an idiot - I know that Martin Scorcese is a great, very gifted artist who puts powerful images on the screen. I agree that he has been cheated out of the Academy Award many times, which makes one realize they don't count for much.
For DeNiro, this stands as one of the greatest performances of all time. DeNiro is one of a handful of American actors who has earned his place at the top - he's there with Brando, Pacino, and Newman. "Raging Bull" helped put him there. As far as the rest of the acting, Cathy Moriarity epitomizes the '40s blond and a Bronx woman, and Joe Pesci is perfect as LaMotta's brother.
Scorcese presents here the turbulent life of Jake Lamotta with all its brutality, sparing us nothing in his fights, his anger against his wives, his brother, no one. His obsessive nature, his jealousy, his - well, hey, his rage - does not make him a likable character. LaMotta himself was disturbed by how he came off on screen, but then had the honesty to admit that he was a bastard.
Scorcese creates the Bronx and the bloody horror of the fight ring in a way no one else ever has. The first shot of the lone boxer in the ring is stunning, as is the real LaMotta's own practicing of a speech in a dressing room. Everything about this film evinces the aura of a special era, especially the color home movies - a brilliant touch.
The only problem I had with the film was that it was boring and unwatchable. I finally got so sick of all the screaming and yelling and watching this unlikeable, obnoxious character that I turned the set off. I thought if he tortured his wife one more time asking her if she slept with his brother, I was going to put my fist through the set.
This is the age-old question - you know something is great art but it doesn't speak to you. You like something that's very well done but a little less artistic better - does this means you are one of the masses for whom mediocrity has become your idea of what's good? I don't know. I like to think I can appreciate a beautifully made film. But I think what I can appreciate more than that are complicated characters I understand on some level - or want to understand, real emotions, real heartache - probably more than magnificent film-making. When there is both, it's magic. For me, "Raging Bull" was not one of those times. "Godfather I," "Godfather II," yes.
I really hate writing these comments.
Bringing the life story of one of the roughest brawlers to ever step into the boxing ring, Raging Bull finds director Martin Scorsese & actor Robert De Niro teaming up once again to deliver yet another quality work but just like their other collaborations, it left me cold & indifferent to whatever it had in store and while I respect the legacy of this sports drama, I'm no fan of it.
Raging Bull chronicles the life of Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxer whose rage, jealously & bouts of violent outbursts helps propel him to the top of the division but his inability to keep those vicious tendencies in check outside the arena leads him on a path of self-destruction, as he destroys his relationships with his wife & family over the years and wounds up all alone in his later life.
Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film is incredibly faithful to its source material and recreates the events with accuracy. Shot in black & white, which gives the picture a timeless quality, it illustrates the good, bad & ugly side of LaMotta with finesse and his arc is undeniably compelling. But he also comes off as an insufferable persona whose problems are of his own making which makes his downward journey all the more deserving.
What also affects the experience is that the story remains a monotonous ride for the entirety of its runtime. There is no escalation whatsoever whether we are witnessing LaMotta's boxing bouts or personal life. It's just a similar set of events repeated time n again for 125 minutes and that's not enough to keep the interest alive. It's brutal & violent in the ring but it fails to deliver the desired emotional impact because we are just not invested in his journey.
However, from a filmmaking standpoint, Raging Bull is an outstanding piece of work. The staging of events, the era-appropriate set pieces, the boxing choreography, the controlled camerawork, all of it exhibit an exactness that's quite commendable. And as for the performances, Robert De Niro leads the show from the front and delivers a smashing showcase as Jake LaMotta, and he is brilliantly supported by Joe Pesci & Cathy Moriarty who play his brother & wife respectively.
On an overall scale, Raging Bull is impressive in its craftsmanship but the narration is lacking in flavour and becomes repetitive after a while. Scorsese's direction & De Niro's commitment to his role certainly stand out but the longer it goes on, the more wearisome it becomes. Painting a faithful portrait of a character with no redeeming characteristics, Raging Bull is significant from a filmmaking viewpoint but there isn't much to gain by investing in someone who refuses to learn from his own mistakes.
Raging Bull chronicles the life of Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxer whose rage, jealously & bouts of violent outbursts helps propel him to the top of the division but his inability to keep those vicious tendencies in check outside the arena leads him on a path of self-destruction, as he destroys his relationships with his wife & family over the years and wounds up all alone in his later life.
Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film is incredibly faithful to its source material and recreates the events with accuracy. Shot in black & white, which gives the picture a timeless quality, it illustrates the good, bad & ugly side of LaMotta with finesse and his arc is undeniably compelling. But he also comes off as an insufferable persona whose problems are of his own making which makes his downward journey all the more deserving.
What also affects the experience is that the story remains a monotonous ride for the entirety of its runtime. There is no escalation whatsoever whether we are witnessing LaMotta's boxing bouts or personal life. It's just a similar set of events repeated time n again for 125 minutes and that's not enough to keep the interest alive. It's brutal & violent in the ring but it fails to deliver the desired emotional impact because we are just not invested in his journey.
However, from a filmmaking standpoint, Raging Bull is an outstanding piece of work. The staging of events, the era-appropriate set pieces, the boxing choreography, the controlled camerawork, all of it exhibit an exactness that's quite commendable. And as for the performances, Robert De Niro leads the show from the front and delivers a smashing showcase as Jake LaMotta, and he is brilliantly supported by Joe Pesci & Cathy Moriarty who play his brother & wife respectively.
On an overall scale, Raging Bull is impressive in its craftsmanship but the narration is lacking in flavour and becomes repetitive after a while. Scorsese's direction & De Niro's commitment to his role certainly stand out but the longer it goes on, the more wearisome it becomes. Painting a faithful portrait of a character with no redeeming characteristics, Raging Bull is significant from a filmmaking viewpoint but there isn't much to gain by investing in someone who refuses to learn from his own mistakes.
- CinemaClown
- Sep 28, 2018
- Permalink
From my understanding, before this film was made, Martin Scorsese, arguably America's greatest filmmaker, was at the end of his rope. He was about to call it quits. His good friend, arguably America's greatest film actor, Robert De Niro, approached him with a book he had read. The title of the book was Raging Bull. After some coaxing, Robert finally convinced his friend to do the film, and it resulted in a MASTERPIECE!!!!!
"Raging Bull" is the story of former boxing middleweight champion Jake La Motta, and his penchant for self-destruction. La Motta is not in the least a nice guy. He is well, a jerk, who eventually drives any and everyone who has ever cared about him out of his life. He evolved from a lean, trim boxer to an overweight loser who owns a night club.
This film currently ranks on AFI's 100 Greatest Movies at #24, and for very good reason. It contains arguably THE GREATEST acting performance in the history of cinema, by arguably the greatest actor in the history of cinema, directed by arguably the greatest director in the history of cinema. But together, nothing needs to be argued, they are the greatest tag team in the history of cinema. Robert De Niro is flawless, superb, excellent, amazing, any positive adjective is warranted by his performance. There is a reason why they call him the greatest actor. This is it. (also "Taxi Driver") Naturally, Scorsese's direction is flawless, and Thelma Schoonmaker's editing will pretty much speak for itself. The black-and-white(or tinted monochrome) was an ingenious touch, similar to William Friedkin's gunshot at the very end of "The French Connection". It is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen, if it were a woman I could only beg to drink its bathwater. Joe Pesci is excellent as Jake's brother Joey, as is Cathy Moriarty as Jake's long suffering wife. It is sad when you realize that De Niro will never act that great again, but you find solace in the fact that he once did. He is maybe my favorite actor, Scorsese maybe my favorite director, and I only hope to have a millionth of the impact they've had on film. Far superior to "Rocky", even though Rocky is very good and contains maybe the most inspirational theme song ever.
This film was criminally robbed of 1980's Best Picture and Best Director Academy Awards, by "Ordinary People", another one of those dysfunctional family drama's. The Academy has since lost a huge amount of credibility, but I find solace in the fact that they honored De Niro with an award for Best Actor, in a performance that warrants two of them and makes me want to shine his shoes.
The film gets nothing less than a 10. It was voted the film of the 1980's decade. I agree wholeheartedly.
Scorsese and De Niro forever.
"Raging Bull" is the story of former boxing middleweight champion Jake La Motta, and his penchant for self-destruction. La Motta is not in the least a nice guy. He is well, a jerk, who eventually drives any and everyone who has ever cared about him out of his life. He evolved from a lean, trim boxer to an overweight loser who owns a night club.
This film currently ranks on AFI's 100 Greatest Movies at #24, and for very good reason. It contains arguably THE GREATEST acting performance in the history of cinema, by arguably the greatest actor in the history of cinema, directed by arguably the greatest director in the history of cinema. But together, nothing needs to be argued, they are the greatest tag team in the history of cinema. Robert De Niro is flawless, superb, excellent, amazing, any positive adjective is warranted by his performance. There is a reason why they call him the greatest actor. This is it. (also "Taxi Driver") Naturally, Scorsese's direction is flawless, and Thelma Schoonmaker's editing will pretty much speak for itself. The black-and-white(or tinted monochrome) was an ingenious touch, similar to William Friedkin's gunshot at the very end of "The French Connection". It is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen, if it were a woman I could only beg to drink its bathwater. Joe Pesci is excellent as Jake's brother Joey, as is Cathy Moriarty as Jake's long suffering wife. It is sad when you realize that De Niro will never act that great again, but you find solace in the fact that he once did. He is maybe my favorite actor, Scorsese maybe my favorite director, and I only hope to have a millionth of the impact they've had on film. Far superior to "Rocky", even though Rocky is very good and contains maybe the most inspirational theme song ever.
This film was criminally robbed of 1980's Best Picture and Best Director Academy Awards, by "Ordinary People", another one of those dysfunctional family drama's. The Academy has since lost a huge amount of credibility, but I find solace in the fact that they honored De Niro with an award for Best Actor, in a performance that warrants two of them and makes me want to shine his shoes.
The film gets nothing less than a 10. It was voted the film of the 1980's decade. I agree wholeheartedly.
Scorsese and De Niro forever.
- JVe5462530
- Jan 20, 2002
- Permalink
- Ch4ndler_B1ng
- Feb 15, 2020
- Permalink
Since John Wayne and John Ford stopped making films, the greatest director/actor combination of the last 35 years is in my mind Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro.
In Raging Bull these two guys are within their element. An added dimension to Scorsese's direction and DeNiro's portrayal is that these are the people they know and grew up with. Raging Bull invokes a world of the past that isn't always pleasant, but is brutal and honest.
Jake LaMotta as middleweight champion of the world 1949-1951 may have had the hardest chin in boxing. He was a good puncher, but he had a marvelous ability to not only take a punch, but roll with it so it did less damage than thought. He fooled many an opponent like that and set them up for the kill.
Large parts of the boxing establishment was controlled by organized crime back in his days, the fathers of the people you'd later see DeNiro play in Goodfellas. You had to play ball with them or you went nowhere in the fight game. Jake compromised himself by agreeing to throw a fight to someone named Billy Fox in order to get a title shot at the middleweight crown. It seared his very soul in doing that.
One thing that wasn't covered in Raging Bull was the drama behind the title fight itself with Marcel Cerdan the man who LaMotta took the crown from. Cerdan was a national French hero, resistance fighter, lover of Edith Piaf and possessor of a murderous punch who had never been knocked out and only had sustained three losses in his career, two by disqualification. He was quite a brawler himself.
Cerdan broke his elbow in the first round and for 10 rounds literally held LaMotta off with one hand. When he failed to answer the bell for the 11th round, LaMotta got the title on a TKO. He was immediately promised a rematch and was on his way to the USA for that rematch when he was killed in a plane crash in the Azores. His death set off a national period of mourning in France.
LaMotta later admitted throwing the Fox fight to Congressional investigators and that with the win over the injured Cerdan cast a pall on his career and reputation. Sad because it was something he couldn't help. Jake the Bronx Bull certainly did have reason to rage.
DeNiro is something special. Watching this film you really think you are peeking into a heavenly newsreel highlights and lowlights of the life and career of Jake LaMotta. This film should be seen back to back with Somebody Up There Likes Me, the Rocky Graziano story that Paul Newman brought to the screen. Covers roughly the same era with the same quality.
Joe Pesci as DeNiro's manager/brother and Frank Vincent as the neighborhood wise guy would work together again and well with DeNiro and Scorsese. Cathy Moriarty gets her first notice as Jake's second wife Vicky who became a celebrity in her own right after Jake's boxing career was over.
Raging Bull is one of the finest boxing films ever done by a master director assembling a perfect cast to tell the tale of a bygone era.
In Raging Bull these two guys are within their element. An added dimension to Scorsese's direction and DeNiro's portrayal is that these are the people they know and grew up with. Raging Bull invokes a world of the past that isn't always pleasant, but is brutal and honest.
Jake LaMotta as middleweight champion of the world 1949-1951 may have had the hardest chin in boxing. He was a good puncher, but he had a marvelous ability to not only take a punch, but roll with it so it did less damage than thought. He fooled many an opponent like that and set them up for the kill.
Large parts of the boxing establishment was controlled by organized crime back in his days, the fathers of the people you'd later see DeNiro play in Goodfellas. You had to play ball with them or you went nowhere in the fight game. Jake compromised himself by agreeing to throw a fight to someone named Billy Fox in order to get a title shot at the middleweight crown. It seared his very soul in doing that.
One thing that wasn't covered in Raging Bull was the drama behind the title fight itself with Marcel Cerdan the man who LaMotta took the crown from. Cerdan was a national French hero, resistance fighter, lover of Edith Piaf and possessor of a murderous punch who had never been knocked out and only had sustained three losses in his career, two by disqualification. He was quite a brawler himself.
Cerdan broke his elbow in the first round and for 10 rounds literally held LaMotta off with one hand. When he failed to answer the bell for the 11th round, LaMotta got the title on a TKO. He was immediately promised a rematch and was on his way to the USA for that rematch when he was killed in a plane crash in the Azores. His death set off a national period of mourning in France.
LaMotta later admitted throwing the Fox fight to Congressional investigators and that with the win over the injured Cerdan cast a pall on his career and reputation. Sad because it was something he couldn't help. Jake the Bronx Bull certainly did have reason to rage.
DeNiro is something special. Watching this film you really think you are peeking into a heavenly newsreel highlights and lowlights of the life and career of Jake LaMotta. This film should be seen back to back with Somebody Up There Likes Me, the Rocky Graziano story that Paul Newman brought to the screen. Covers roughly the same era with the same quality.
Joe Pesci as DeNiro's manager/brother and Frank Vincent as the neighborhood wise guy would work together again and well with DeNiro and Scorsese. Cathy Moriarty gets her first notice as Jake's second wife Vicky who became a celebrity in her own right after Jake's boxing career was over.
Raging Bull is one of the finest boxing films ever done by a master director assembling a perfect cast to tell the tale of a bygone era.
- bkoganbing
- Apr 5, 2006
- Permalink
I've never seen a boxing film that I could ever consider forcing myself to endure again. I've suffered James Cagney's worst film, WINNER TAKE ALL (1932). I've tortured myself watching Lew Ayres in the utterly atrocious IRON MAN (1931). I've poked red hot needles into my eyes to keep me awake through Chester Morris' excruciatingly boring performance in KING FOR A NIGHT (1933). Doug Fairbanks in THE LIFE OF JIMMY DOLAN (1933) was ok but that hardly sets ones world alight.
OK, there are possibly more modern examples of the genre but I clearly am not a fan of boxing films. So why is someone like me who thinks 1937's a bit modern reviewing RAGING BULL? Because it's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
This has possibly is the greatest example of cinematography in the history of cinema. Although the boxing scenes are the most brutal and hideous images imaginable which are totally mesmeric, it's the scenes of everyday life which are utterly awe inspiring. This is a true work of art. The characters Scorsese creates to inhabit his savage world give this a rare authenticity, a voyeuristic glimpse into a fascinating reality which few of us would ever want to experience. De Niro's character is however so hideous that watching this is not an enjoyable experience but an experience so engrossing that you'll want to stand up and applaud at the end.
OK, there are possibly more modern examples of the genre but I clearly am not a fan of boxing films. So why is someone like me who thinks 1937's a bit modern reviewing RAGING BULL? Because it's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
This has possibly is the greatest example of cinematography in the history of cinema. Although the boxing scenes are the most brutal and hideous images imaginable which are totally mesmeric, it's the scenes of everyday life which are utterly awe inspiring. This is a true work of art. The characters Scorsese creates to inhabit his savage world give this a rare authenticity, a voyeuristic glimpse into a fascinating reality which few of us would ever want to experience. De Niro's character is however so hideous that watching this is not an enjoyable experience but an experience so engrossing that you'll want to stand up and applaud at the end.
- 1930s_Time_Machine
- Jan 4, 2024
- Permalink
Wow. This is an incredibly unpleasant film about a particularly unpleasant man. However, as the main character (boxer Jake LaMotta) is SO unpleasant and awful, the film is hard to stop watching--like some sort of train wreck that lasts 129 minutes! Now I am NOT saying the film isn't well made--it's very well crafted and there a lot of things to admire about it....but the characters (particularly Jake) are so awful that you just marvel at them.
The film is the life story of Jake LaMotta and it covers from his early days as a professional boxer in 1941 through his early post-boxing years. However, there are many things that make it quite different from films like "Somebody Up There Likes Me" and "Rocky"--and not just the bubbling hostility of Jake outside the ring. In addition, those around him are incredibly harsh and unpleasant. It's funny, but the mobsters around him are NICER than the LaMottas (Jake and his almost as vicious brother, Joey) and you see them as the gentlemen in the film! Also, unlike these other boxer films, this one shows the brutality in the ring to a degree only approximated in one other film--Kirk Douglas' "Champion"--though "Raging Bull" manages to go a few steps further in the brutality department. A few of the boxing scenes, in particular, are amazingly graphic--with broken noses and squirting blood galore. Now I know I might sound crazy saying this, but this Martin Scorsese film is probably one of the best indictments AGAINST boxing because it IS so bloody and brutal. I'd place it among films like "Requium For a Heavyweight" and "The Harder They Fall" as the best in anti-boxing films! So let's talk about the technical aspects of the film. When it comes to the boxing sequences, this is an amazing film. As I said above, the brutality of the scenes is stomach-turning. And, instead of quickly filming the matches, the director chose to choreograph them so maximize the emotional impact--with loud thuds, great lighting and amazing effects to simulate the gallons of blood spilled in the fights. My only complaint about the fights is that the boxers simply threw too many punches. No boxing match (even the lightweight ones) has THAT much punching in rapid succession. If they did, they'd never go more than three rounds, as the fighters would collapse from exhaustion! But, this exaggeration did make the scenes more intense, so I saw it as a case of artistic license. As for making the film in black & white, I think this also worked well.
The acting was pretty amazing. A lot has been said about Robert DiNero's commitment to the role--and how he deliberately ballooned up 60 pounds to play the retired LaMotta. In addition, the intense physical training he underwent to become the character was amazing. You have to admire his willingness to give his all for the part! When I looked for pictures of Jake, Joey and Mrs. LaMotta, I was also amazed that the actors (DiNero, Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty) really did look a lot like the actual people they portrayed--a nice touch. Overall, an exceptional film in most every way, though it's NOT a film for everyone. The unpleasantness of the film make it something that many simply don't want to endure--and I can certainly understand this--it is bloody and vicious throughout.
The film is the life story of Jake LaMotta and it covers from his early days as a professional boxer in 1941 through his early post-boxing years. However, there are many things that make it quite different from films like "Somebody Up There Likes Me" and "Rocky"--and not just the bubbling hostility of Jake outside the ring. In addition, those around him are incredibly harsh and unpleasant. It's funny, but the mobsters around him are NICER than the LaMottas (Jake and his almost as vicious brother, Joey) and you see them as the gentlemen in the film! Also, unlike these other boxer films, this one shows the brutality in the ring to a degree only approximated in one other film--Kirk Douglas' "Champion"--though "Raging Bull" manages to go a few steps further in the brutality department. A few of the boxing scenes, in particular, are amazingly graphic--with broken noses and squirting blood galore. Now I know I might sound crazy saying this, but this Martin Scorsese film is probably one of the best indictments AGAINST boxing because it IS so bloody and brutal. I'd place it among films like "Requium For a Heavyweight" and "The Harder They Fall" as the best in anti-boxing films! So let's talk about the technical aspects of the film. When it comes to the boxing sequences, this is an amazing film. As I said above, the brutality of the scenes is stomach-turning. And, instead of quickly filming the matches, the director chose to choreograph them so maximize the emotional impact--with loud thuds, great lighting and amazing effects to simulate the gallons of blood spilled in the fights. My only complaint about the fights is that the boxers simply threw too many punches. No boxing match (even the lightweight ones) has THAT much punching in rapid succession. If they did, they'd never go more than three rounds, as the fighters would collapse from exhaustion! But, this exaggeration did make the scenes more intense, so I saw it as a case of artistic license. As for making the film in black & white, I think this also worked well.
The acting was pretty amazing. A lot has been said about Robert DiNero's commitment to the role--and how he deliberately ballooned up 60 pounds to play the retired LaMotta. In addition, the intense physical training he underwent to become the character was amazing. You have to admire his willingness to give his all for the part! When I looked for pictures of Jake, Joey and Mrs. LaMotta, I was also amazed that the actors (DiNero, Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty) really did look a lot like the actual people they portrayed--a nice touch. Overall, an exceptional film in most every way, though it's NOT a film for everyone. The unpleasantness of the film make it something that many simply don't want to endure--and I can certainly understand this--it is bloody and vicious throughout.
- planktonrules
- Mar 6, 2010
- Permalink
- Theo Robertson
- Aug 2, 2005
- Permalink
Sorry but I was really unimpressed with this tale of the life of legendary boxer Jake La Motta. It's based on his own book, so it can be relied upon to be authentic, but somehow this Martin Scorsese effort just fell flat for me. The usual mix of Robert De Niro (La Motta) with probably the least versatile actor I have ever seen on screen, Joe Pesci, as his brother Joey; Cathy Moriarty as his wife Vickie and an ensemble of Italian American co-stars just reminded me of a very much weaker "Midnight Cowboy" (1969). Sure, that's not about boxing - but I'm not too sure how much this is about it, either. There is precious little by way of ring action - though what there is is excellently and intensively photographed - for the most part it is more of a soap opera, backed up with loads of expletives and a bit of domestic violence that seems to have come to epitomise the attitudes this New York community have for their womenfolk. There is the usual gangland, fight-fixing, shenanigans but somehow it all comes across as remarkably sterile. I don't really rate De Niro as an actor. Like Pesci, he only really seems to have one gear; one style and it all usually involves him playing well to his own roots, armed with a ripe vocabulary and lots of angry tantrums. At times it is shot like a television movie; the black and white imagery is just too clean and pristine. It seems to be trying for a look that places it contemporaneously in the late 1940s, but instead, for me anyway, it came across more as a film out of it's time. I am certain that I am in the minority here; it played to a very full cinema the other night and received applause at the end, but I am afraid I just cannot see what all the fuss is about.
- CinemaSerf
- Jun 6, 2023
- Permalink
- phattdirty
- Sep 25, 2004
- Permalink
RAGING BULL (3 outta 5 stars) You know, I gotta say it... I don't think this is one of Martin Scorsese's best. I mean, the movie is fine... it's well shot and the story is fine and the performances are good... but it just doesn't work for me like other Scorsese classics. There are some classic scenes in here... but the movie as a whole just doesn't sustain itself for over 2 hours. Robert DeNiro portrays real-life boxer Jake LaMotta and apparently gained something like 60 pounds to portray him in his declining years. Sure, he plays the character and his foibles for all they're worth... but the movie doesn't really give us any reason to care about the man. He constantly mistreats the people close to him... his brother, his wife, his girlfriend... after a while it just seems to be the same thing over and over. Certain scenes do stand out... and the fights are visually impressive... but I can watch Scorsese's best movies over and over and never feel bored. I can't say that about this particular film. But, hey, I think Scorsese's best movie is "After Hours"... so what do I know?
I don't know what to say about this movie, I just wasn't interested in the plot as it had a boring tone to it and I felt nothing much interesting was happening. I didn't like the main character Jake who I thought was ignorant and insecure and I was glad things went bad for him towards the end. You're unlikely to enjoy a movie when you don't like the personality of the main character and that was the case for this movie.
- SafReviews
- Feb 3, 2022
- Permalink