Blog Response: The Bronx Bull

“You never got me down Ray! You never got me down!” says Jake Lamotta, subject of Martin Scorsese’s 1980 classic,

Raging Bull; a film I watched for the second time last weekend. Although the film is based around adult life of legendary boxer Jake Lamotta, it is much less about struggles inside the ring as it is about the the struggles outside of the ring.

One of my favorites parts of Raging Bull is Martin Scorsese’s brilliant opening scene to the film. It has Jake Lamotta, played by Robert De Niro, in the corner of the ring, while he punching the air and the credits are playing over. Could this perhaps be a metaphor? Perhaps Jake Lamotta in the corner of the ring fighting symbolizes his cornered self in real life, as he attempts to punch away the demons he is facing.

A thing I look up to a tremendous amount in Raging Bull is the editing. Thelma Schoonmaker won an academy award for her editing in Raging Bull, and for good reason as well. The way she paces, particularly the fight scenes, to make you feel every punch that is thrown, is quite remarkable. The sound editing in the film is also very advanced, it ties the entire film together perfectly, once again, it is the fight scenes in particular where it’s best used

One thing that must be discussed when talking about Raging Bull is the unbelievable performance that is given by Robert De Niro. In my opinion, one of the best performances ever witnessed on screen, right behind Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now/The Godfather and Daniel Day Lewis in There will be Blood. Besides his brilliant acting, De Niro had to go through a huge weight transformation to play the part for the final act of the film.

Another thing that is worth noting is that the film pulls off being in black and white in 1980. After watching Raging Bull, it is hard to imagine it in anything but black and white.

It is worth noting that all the traits of the film mentioned are a direct product of Martin Scorsese’s Directing. It is his creation, and in Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and Raging Bull, he proves himself to be one the greatest directors of all time.