This week, I will be reviewing what many consider one of the greatest films ever made. I, for one, am part of that group. This is an excellent movie! If you have not seen the movie, first check out the trailer below.
Raging Bull is a biographical film depicting the destructive life of Jake Lamotta. It was directed by Martin Scorcese with Robert De Niro as Jake. Although nominated for best film of the year, it did not win. Scorcese was also nominated for best director of the year, but lost as well. However, De Niro claimed the best actor Oscar for his portrayal of the boxer. And rightfully so.
Right from the beginning, you notice that the movie is in black and white. Scorcese's decision was based on test footage seeming "a bit off." A friend and mentor of his, Michael Powell, suggested the gloves were throwing off the colors. Scorcese realized this was true and he decided then that this movie would be filmed in black and white. This was an excellent decision for styling and showing the "black and white" sides of Jake.
The intro of the film is simple yet it is one of my favorite intros. The slow motion, the music, and the ring setting is a stunning and memorable visual that one remembers and never forgets.
De Niro's performance was absolutely perfect. You want him to win in the fights, you hated him in his personal life and relationships, and you feel sorry for him at the end of the film, showing how much he destroyed his life.
Each fight with Sugar Ray was memorable but the scene that stands out to me is the "you never got me down, Ray" scene, where Jake tells Ray to just hit him and Jake gets pummeled and punished by a fury of punches, leaving his faced disfigured, bruised, and swollen. After the fight is stopped by the referee, Jake goes to Ray, with a smile on his face, and says, "you never got me down, Ray. You never got me down." I felt as though Jake was the ultimate badass in that moment and no other moment in the film is that feeling ever brought up again.
His jealousy was a contributing factor to his demise. One scene that I recall is when he accuses his wife Vickie of sleeping with his brother Joey (Joe Pesci), hits her repeatedly, then walks to Joey's home and begins beating his brother up badly. This is a disturbing scene that pulls a lot of negative emotion from the viewer to despise Jake. Jake has completely lost his mind De Niro does a great job in showing it, albeit with everyone hating him.
Towards the end of the film, he is now a club owner and his wife Vickie is wanting a divorce. He ends up getting in trouble with the law and is needing $10,000 to try and get his charges dropped. However, he is unable to and is arrested and put in jail. In the jail cell, he begins to punch and headbutt the concrete wall and talks to himself, realizing how much he has failed in his life. You begin to feel sorry for the man.
I give this film an A and highly recommend you watch this. If you have seen it, watch it again. And again. And again. It's one of Martin Scorcese's best films (also see The Departed)
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