Review of Raging Bull (1980) by Tony P — 10 Sep 2017
Boxing drama that is a bit different from your average Rocky project except the same Producers.
It is a biopic of former middleweight boxer Jake La Motta.
Based in the late 1940s era it is mainly shot in a grimy black and white image of films of the era.
I will be honest it took me a while to adapt to the celluloid atmosphere of the film but the acting of De Niro as the La Motta character was mesmerising.
He is like a time bomb ready to explode with paranoia at any time. Usually directed at those closest to him including his long suffering wife and brother played by Joe Pesci with a career best performance.
Unlike your average boxing film La Motta is no hero.
He wins the World Championship at middleweight roughly halfway through the film and goes on a downward spiral.
The viewer sees the descent from the pinnacle of his career to pawning his belt to try and raise funds to defend himself against a police charge.
He is seen aging badly. A mangled, overweight sight doing terrible acts in clubs to raise money.
The fight scenes themselves are very bloody and feature lots of splatter but I would say Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby has more brutal fight choreography.
Not your average three hour epic from director Martin Scorsese this film is just over two hours.
This review of Raging Bull (1980) was written by Tony P on 10 Sep 2017.
Raging Bull has generally received very positive reviews.
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