Director: Martin Scorsese Cinematographer: Michael Chapman
One of a string of early 1980s box office disappointments for Martin Scorsese, the film is a hugely ambitious and superbly edited biography of Jake LaMotta (Robert De Niro), an Italian American middleweight boxer whose sadomasochistic rage, sexual jealousy and animalistic appetite destroys his relationship with his wife and family. Scorsese gives De Niro the freedom to truly transform into the unsympathetic working class boxer and he’s got strong support from relative newcomers Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty (as LaMotta’s brother and wife). It received mixed reviews and criticism for its violent content on release, but De Niro’s explosive and absorbing performance, the brutal yet poetic fight scenes and the bleakly beautiful black and white cinematography make Raging Bull not only Scorsese’s finest film but also one of cinema’s best ever.
2-disc Collector Set Special Edition (DVD)
Blu-ray
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock ‘N’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (Paperback)
Robert De Niro 7 Movie Collection (Raging Bull, Ronin, Men of Honor, Stanley & Iris, True Confessions, Flawless, New York, New York) (DVD)
Sports Giftset (Bull Durham / Hoosiers / Raging Bull / Rocky ) DVD
Lists:
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- No. 9 on The Pendragon Society’s 1000 Greatest Films of All-Time(2020)
- No. 6 on Sight & Sound Top Ten Director’s Poll (2002)
- No. 39 on The One-Line Review 50 Greatest Films (2009)
- Listed among The New York Times Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made (2004)
- Listed among the 100 Essential Films by The National Society of Film Critics (2002)
- Listed among Leonard Maltin’s 100 Must-See Films of the 20th Century (2000)
- No. 64 on The LA Daily News greatest American movies (1997)
- Listed among Filmsite’s 100 Greatest Films
- Listed among the TOP 100 FILMS OF ALL TIME by the Video Detective (1997)
- Listed among Movieline’s 100 Best Movies Ever Made (1995)
- Listed among Roger Ebert’s top 10 greatest films of all-time (1991)
- Robert De Niro’s performance as Jake LaMotta was listed No. 2 on The Pendragon Society’s 100 Greatest Film Acting Performances of All-Time (2019)
- Listed among Roger Ebert’s 100 Great Movie Moments for Robert De Niro’s transformation from sleek boxer to paunchy nightclub owner (1995)
- No. 6 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Maverick Movies in the Last 100 Years (1999)
CAST
- Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta
The film had initially come about because De Niro read the autobiography upon which the film is based, became fascinated by LaMotta and showed the book to Martin Scorsese. As well as making uncredited contributions to the screenplay, De Niro remarkably gained approximately 60 pounds (27 kg) to portray LaMotta in his later post-boxing years (an act that has caused lasting damage to his health). Bringing him his second Oscar, it’s truly one of cinema’s most trans-formative and intense performances, born out of his incredible commitment to method acting.
- Joe Pesci as Joey LaMotta
- Cathy Moriarty as Vickie LaMotta
- Nicholas Colasanto as Tommy Como
- Theresa Saldana as Lenora LaMotta (Joey’s wife)
- Frank Vincent as Salvy Batts
- Johnny Barnes as Sugar Ray Robinson
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Produced by Irwin Winkler, Robert Chartoff
Screenplay by Paul Schrader, Mardik Martin
Cinematography Michael Chapman
Edited by Thelma Schoonmaker
Running time 129 minutes
Country United States
Language English