RAGING BULL
***** / ***** (Fresh)
REVIEW BY JOHN ULMER (Copyright, 2004)
"Raging Bull" isn't the average, stereotypical underdog boxing movie,
because it isn't really about boxing at all. Like most great movies,
its focus is much deeper. It came out in 1980, earned Robert De Niro a
Best Actor Academy Award, and was marked down as another solid triumph
by director Martin Scorsese, whose previous 1976 outing with De Niro
earned them both critical acclaim (and for De Niro, an Oscar
nomination, although he would actually earn an Oscar for "Raging Bull"
four years later).
It dwindled in production hell for quite some time, with Scorsese's
drug use halting production and only the duo's strong willpower that
kept the project moving ahead. It was after De Niro read boxer Jake
LaMotta's memoirs that he knew he wanted to make the film, so Scorsese
and De Niro turned to Paul Schrader for a script. Schrader, who had
previously written "Taxi Driver" (1976), agreed, and wrote the
screenplay for them. The rest is history.
"Raging Bull" has often been regarded as the greatest film of the 80s.
To be honest, I'm not so sure about that, since various genres offer
different feelings and emotions (comparing this to a comedy might seem
rather silly). But to say it is one of the most powerful films of all
time would be no gross overstatement -- it is superb filmmaking at its
finest.
De Niro gained 60 pounds to play LaMotta, which was an all-time record
at the time (later beaten by Vincent D'Onofrio, who gained 70 pounds
for Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket"). His physical
transformation is on-par with any great screen makeover, especially
the most recent, ranging from Willem Dafoe in "Shadow of the Vampire"
to Charlize Theron in "Monster." In addition, co-star Joe Pesci also
lost weight for his role of Joey, LaMotta's short, eccentric brother.
The greatest scene in the film is when LaMotta accuses his brother of
having an affair with his wife. The tension is raw, the dialogue
amazing, and the overall intensity electrifying.
The film is most often compared to "Rocky," more than any other,
apparently because they both concern a certain level of boxing. As
much as I absolutely adore "Rocky," "Raging Bull" is a deeper, more
realistic film. But whereas "Raging Bull" is raw, "Rocky" is
inspiring, and that is one of the reasons I do not think these two
very different motion pictures deserve comparison, for the simple fact
that they are entirely separate from one another. The only connecting
thread is the apparently central theme of boxing, which is used as a
theme in "Rocky," and a backdrop in "Raging Bull." They're entirely
different motion pictures -- one uplifting, the other somewhat
depressing -- and the people who try to decide which is better need to
seriously re-evaluate their reasons for doing so. They both succeed
splendidly well at what they are trying to do, and that's all I have
to say about their so-called connection.
De Niro, who could justifiably be called the greatest actor of all
time, is at the top of his game here. In "Taxi Driver" he displayed a
top-notch performance. He wasn't just playing Travis Bickle -- he was
Travis Bickle. And here he is Jake LaMotta, the infamous boxer known
for his abusive life style and somewhat paranoid delusions during his
reign as world middleweight boxing champion, 1949 - 1951. Throughout
the film, he beats his wife (played expertly and convincingly by the
19-year-old Cathy Moriarty), convinced that she is cheating on him,
and that is more or less what the film is truly about. The boxing is
just what he does for a living, and could be considered as a way to
release some of his deeper, harbored anger.
LaMotta has a close relationship with Joey, his brother, and their
interaction is often what elevates the film above others of its genre.
The dialogue is great, close to the perfection of Quentin Tarantino's
"Pulp Fiction," rich in that rapid-fire filthy language and brutal
insults. Pesci, who was on the verge of quitting showbiz at the time
of pre-production, was spotted by De Niro in a cheap B-movie named
"The Death Collector" (1975), a.k.a. "Family Business," a truly horrid
film that nevertheless showcased an early sign of things to come for
Pesci. De Niro wanted him for the movie and his premonition was either
very lucky or very wise -- this is one of the best performances of
Pesci's entire career.
Scorsese shot the film in muted black and white, portraying a certain
era of depression and misery. To make the blood show up on screen
during the occasional fight scenes, Scorsese used Hershey's Syrup --
which is an interesting tidbit of trivia for any aspiring filmmaking
planning on filming a violent movie in black and white. But how often
does that happen?
This is certainly one of the most intense films Scorsese has directed,
and one of the most important of his career. Along with "Taxi Driver,"
it is an iconic motion picture that will stand the test of time for
years and years to come.
Scorsese and De Niro's partnership over the years has resulted in some
of the most influential and utterly amazing motion pictures of all
time: "Mean Streets," "Taxi Driver," "The King of Comedy,"
"Goodfellas" and "Casino" come to mind almost instantly. But perhaps
the one single title that will be remembered as their most daring
effort is "Raging Bull," a motion picture so utterly exhilarating that
it defies description. It is simply a masterpiece for the mind and
senses, leaving you knocked out cold after its brutal one-two punch.
If I had to assemble a list of required viewing, this would be up
there towards the top.
- John Ulmer
http://www.wiredonmovies.com
e-mail: johnulmer2003@msn.com
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