Raging Bull The Definitive Edition
Raging Bull is one of Martin Scorsese’s greatest masterpieces and is one of my top five favourite films of all time. Robert De Niro is electrifying as Jake LaMotta, a professional boxer who is unnecessarily combative outside of the ring and whose life is on self-destruct.
Powerless to control his rage and paranoia, he compensates by trying to dominate his beautiful young wife, which inevitably leads to him losing her.
We can really see that the qualities that make him a success in his sport, stubbornness and an animal intensity, cause him to fail miserably in his personal life. He cannot connect emotionally with his family and loved ones, and expresses any intensity of feeling towards them with violent outbursts instead.
It is an interesting study of misplaced passion and masculinity. I really enjoyed observing his complex relationship with his brother who is portrayed with humour and depth by the inimitable Joe Pesci.
I loved the cinematography, the realistic boxing scenes. Apparently DeNiro trained as a boxer for the role and turned out to be a great fighter. I also loved the constant toying with the bull metaphor: during the fight scenes DeNiro paws the ground and flares his nostrils, and when he and Pesci are engaged in a shouting match a neighbour yells through an open window that they are ‘animals’.
| Merchant | Title | Price |
 | Raging Bull: The Definitive Edition (2 Discs) | £9.99 |
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