Review of Raging Bull (1980) by Peter H — 24 Sep 2011

501st REVIEW: Martin Scorsese's RAGING BULL [1980]: "let me tell you a little story, when it came out it was down the block here, the movie, two blocks from here in my neighbourhood right where I live now and I went there with my ex-wife Vickie. And we went there and watched the movie and when I saw the movie I was kinda depressed, I sat there. Was I really like that? You know what she said? You were worse (laughs)" -source- interview with Jake La Motta, from the DVD documentary THE BRONX BULL; AN INTRODUCTION TO RAGING BULL.

One of the most celebrated films of the 1980's by most film critics, film historians, and movie buffs is the 1980 Sports biography picture RAGING BULL about real-life middleweight Boxer Jake La Motta. Celebrated for its stark realism, gripping drama and unflattering portrait of one man's psychological and sexual complexities, RAGING BULL to this day remains a triumphant accomplishment for both Martin Scorsese and Robert De Nero. RAGING BULL like most great films lives up to its reputation as a great film in my eyes like other great films I have viewed. Unlike most Biography films and Sporting movies it doesn't resort to being either a sentimental or an uplifting film instead it's a bleak portrait of one human being consumed with paranoia, jealously, anger, fear and vanity. With my 501st review on this site I finally get around to reviewing a film I should have seen much sooner, Martin Scorsese 1980 masterpiece RAGING BULL.

REVIEW # 501: RAGING BULL: A PORTRAIT OF A HUMAN BEING.

The film began life as a 1970 Autobiography by Jake La Motta with Joseph Carter and Peter Savage when in 1973 in the middle of the production of THE GODFATHER PART TWO [1974] actor Robert De Nero came read the book. De Nero after reading the story knew that there was potential in the life story of the ex- middleweight champion when he gave the book to director Martin Scorsese who at first didn't share the same enthusiasm as De Nero. Eventually De Nero persuaded Scorsese and by the time the Scorsese hit a rough patch in 1978 when he went to hospital, were Scorsese was convicted fully by De Nero that it was high time to make the book into a film.

THE PLOTLINE.

The story of the film is based upon the true story of Jake La Motta over a period from 1941 to 1964.The story of the film starts off with an opening shot of an obese La Motta (Robert De Nero) practicing his jokes in a N.Y.C night club in 1964 before cutting back to the year 1941. In the next scene Jake is seen fighting middle weight Boxer called Jimmy Reeves which due to a technicality he loses the fight to. Back in the Bronx, Jake is seen abusing his current wife when his brother and manager Joey (Joe Pesci) comes to talk to him about a shot at the middleweight title. Later when the two are at a local Neighbourhood swimming pool, Jake spots a local Neighbourhood Girl called Vickie (Cathy Moriarty) who is only 15 years old when Jake starts to become obsessed with her. While his current marriage is crumbling away and fighting his biggest rival Sugar Ray Robinson, Jake peruses a relationship with the young Vickie.

By 1947 Jake is married to the young Vickie and Jakes obsession with his young wife reaches crisis point when his obsession and paranoia over Vickie start to affect hers and Joey's lives. As Jake's standing as a professional middle weight boxer increases towards the end of the 1940's & early 1950's, Jakes jealously, paranoia, suspicion and obsession becomes his undoing. Jake's sick obsession with Vickie and weight problems starts to drive everyone that is near and dear to him away by the time he reaches the big time before losing it all.

THE ACTING, SCRIPTING, DIRECTION, & CINEMA-PHOTOGRAPHY.

To start with De Nero was 100% dedicated to bringing the story of La Motta to the big screen. After trying to convince Scorsese to bring the story to the big screen from the time Martin Scorsese finished shooting ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE [1974] until Scorsese entered hospital in 1978 after a drug over dose that nearly killed him. De Nero's battle for getting RAGING BULL to the big screen was only half of what he did for the film. De Nero in preparation for the film spent close to one entire year getting shape for one half of the film by being trained by La Motta personally, who was convince afterwards that De Nero was that good he could of easily fought professionally.

After shooting most the boxing sequences for the first half of the film, for the second half to portray La Motta after he retired from boxing and gained a huge amount of weight. Instead of using a fat suit De Nero instead of getting into a tough physical state over the space of two months in the middle of the production, De Nero spent time gaining an incredible amount of weight. Scorsese upon seeing De Nero in that state reduce the planned shooting schedule to 10 days because of concern for De Nero's health. After giving one hell of a performance with incredible physical extremes and portraying such a loathsome character that eventually wins the audiences pity, at the 1980 Academy Awards De Nero Won an Oscar for the role. I usually say with most Oscar winning performances that the actors and actresses deserve them, but in the case of this performance it would have been the biggest mistake in Oscar history if De Nero didn't win the Oscar.

With the two other main performances in the film, Joe Pesci as Jake's Brother Joey who trying to help his brother fight his inner demons and then getting dragged into trying to help his brother obsession with his young wife and the eventual target of Jakes mounting suspicion is just brilliant in the role. When he is onscreen alongside De Nero the two are just brilliant together. With Cathy Moriarty as the ill suffering wife of Jake's sick behaviour and emotion, Vickie is brilliant in her role. Her performance comes across as mysterious in some respects for blending a timid and strong woman that seems to play well against De Nero's performance.

The direction form Scorsese in this film is all round brilliant, Scorsese after suffering from a near death experience from a drug over dose and a rough patch in his life in 1978 finally got behind the idea of making the life story of La Motta into a film. Scorsese created what I view as a deeply personal and emotional film after using the story of La Motta as a form of rehab due to his personal experiences. Scorsese's decision to shoot the film in stunning Black & White was a fluke after his friend and Husband to the Oscar winning editor of the film Thelma Schoonmaker, director Michael Powel (PEEPING TOM and THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CORNEL BLIMP) suggested that the film would look better in B/W was one brilliant decision. Scorsese's haunting vision of one man twisted by his insecurities, jealously and obsession is pure cinematic gold in the monochrome world of Black & White cinema-photography.

OVERALL THOUGHTS.

RAGING BULL for a quote- unquote sports films is unlike any other film of its type. Instead of being and inspirational story of the underdog overcoming impossible odds in the glory sport, this film goes deeper into the heart and mind of the athlete to portray a vain and insecure human being with enough faults to turn away the audience from even possibly caring about the main character. Scorsese's & De Nero portrayed the tragedy of Jake La Motta life in such a way that aside for taking pity and concern upon his victims mainly Joey and of course Vickie, the audience takes pity upon the despicable La Motta for his total blindness of his actions. RAGING BULL is a fine work and deeply personal work of cinema by both the main star and director that earned its much deserved spot on the list of the greatest films ever made. So it's easy to guess why this film gets a solid 100% from me.