Emotionally self-destructive boxer, Jake La Motta's journey through life, as the violence and temper that leads him to the top in the ring destroys his life outside it.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Paul Schrader, Mardik Martin
Stars: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty, Frank Vincent, Nicholas Colasanto
Arguably Martin Scorsese's and Robert De Niro's finest film, Raging Bull is often painful to watch, but it's a searing, powerful work about an unsympathetic hero.
De Niro is always absorbing and credible, even when his character isn't.
Scorsese goes overboard in an attempt at low-keyed naturalism, however, and there is little dramatic structure to the biographical overview... But there's no denying the power and artistry of De Niro's performance.
This is a masterpiece. It proves that a film can have violent undertones and overtones, but still illuminate and comment upon violence in a moving, poetic and profound way.
Martin Scorsese's obsession with a dubious mystique of masculinity turns "Raging Bull" into a ponderous work of metaphysical cinematic bull.
When has a performer as fully and uniquely sacrificed himself to the moving-picture cause as De Niro?
Source: based on the book by Jake La Motta
Motion Picture Rating: R
Genres: biography, drama, sport
Categories: boxer, boxing, jealousy, dysfunctional marriage, rise and fall, brother brother relationship, italian american, violent husband, price of fame, fixed fight, domestic violence, machismo, self destructiveness, champion, bad temper, infedility, anger, coach, broken nose, nightclub, neglected wife, bronx new york city, championship belt, gym, steak, overweight, virility, madison square garden manhattan new york city, infatuation
Producer: Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler
Editor: Thelma Schoonmaker
Casting: Cis Corman
Director of photography: Michael Chapman
Costume design: Richard Bruno, Marilyn Putnam
Associate producer: Hal W. Polaire
Sound: Donald O. Mitchell, Bill Nicholson, David J. Kimball, Les Lazarowitz
Make up / hair: Verne Caruso, Mary Keats, Mona Orr, Jean Burt Reilly
Runtime: 129 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1
Color: Black and White