Criterion Spine #120 ... on Laserdisc!!!

Rating: 9/10 (15 July 2009)

"Raging Bull" is aggravating to watch. As an enormous fan of Scorsese's pre-2000 work, the catalogue of innovative, dark, gripping, and overall classic works that he did seem to be given the most praise, yet the least rewards. Knowing that DeNiro won an Oscar for this film, knowing that Pesci was nominated (but lost) and knowing that Scorsese was also up for one of those prized trophies, yet lost – is extremely aggravating. Martin Scorsese is one of the most influential directors of my time, and probably my parent's time as well. His body of work ranges from angry Taxi Drive, to a suspicious boxer, to a documentary about a Band, and even a comedy about New York after hours. The list could go on, yet modern audiences only remember him as the guy that brought us "Gangs of New York" or "The Departed", two decent films, but nothing of the caliber that his work from the early 70s had. How can anyone say that "The Departed" was more of an Oscar contender than "Mean Streets"? So, upon watching "Raging Bull" for the first time – I was filled with anger and frustration. "Raging Bull" is one of those near perfect films that was released in the 80s, yet still seems powerful and relevant today. Perhaps it is the skill of Scorsese behind the camera to give us a non-linear biography of a man who has no trouble destroying his own life. Perhaps it is the sharp editing that takes, what could have been your average sports movie, and transforms it into this pioneering black and white, quick cut by quick cut, journey into the darkness of man. Or perhaps it is the actors, Pesci and DeNiro doing what was genius at the time (Pesci seems to have never let go of Joey La Motta in any of his future roles), and giving us lines, words, and actions that will remain in our minds long after the film is over? Perhaps. Everything about "Raging Bull" was perfect, yet the Academy turned away for "Ordinary People", thus Scorsese had to wait for the sympathy win to finally claim his victory. Anyone else find that aggravating?
Enough of me on my soap box trying to justify why Scorsese was robbed early in life, and let's talk about what made "Raging Bull" so exciting to watch. To begin, the casting of both DeNiro and Pesci was brilliant. The two of them had this chemistry (which would try to be duplicated again and again in "Goodfellas" and "Casino") which Scorsese could not have imagined. They brought to the screen a true presence of two brothers growing up in New York in the 40s, trying to cope with both fame and possible infidelity. There are points in this film where one has to question the sanity of DeNiro's La Motta and also be amazed by the way Pesci is able to keep up with DeNiro's rage. The two of them are the glue to this film. Their scenes are intense, yet delicate. They command the scene, yet give more of their character to you than most of today's actors. Then, like a pioneer in his trade, DeNiro does this amazing transformation from a guy hoping to make weight to a man gaining to demonstrate his downward spiral. It was like watching Bickle shave his head – you just cannot find determined actors like this in modern cinema.
To add to the amazing caliber of acting that Pesci and DeNiro commanded, "Raging Bull" demonstrated that Scorsese was a force to be reckoned with. Not only did he take the idea of a sports story and spin it on its head, but he also redefined the genre. Black and white cinematography, the slow-motion shots, the use of violence and language set in the 40s, and these brilliant moments where words make all the difference. One cannot watch a Spike Lee Joint today without seeing how Scorsese influenced them – his work, especially in "Raging Bull" can be seen through today's cinema releases. While my only argument with this film is the length of the picture versus the slowed scenes, I don't fault Scorsese for that. Schrader and Martin's screenplay wasn't perfect, but thankfully with DeNiro, Pesci, and Scorsese at the helm, the fuzzy edges were able to be cleared up.
I cannot say how influential this film was watching it for the first time. It is dark, it is depressing, yet the bold color of the characters – despite the black and white – come through stronger than other films watched this year. The acting is more than Oscar-worthy, they define this film and the early 80s era. My favorite scene was the shots of when La Motta was actually happy with his family – the shots filmed in color allowed us to see these characters as more than just celluloid imprints; they became real. My favorite sound – the flashbulbs going off during each match – this was just brilliant. Scorsese took an already iconic image and showed how his keen perception was able to make it better.
I cannot wait to watch this film again.
BRAVO SCORSESE, BRAVO!
Grade: ***** out of *****