Truly Amazing

Rating: Null/10 (18 February 2003)

Raging Bull is one of those films that nobody really wanted to make and no companies really wanted to fund but, when they finally do get made it's that gritty grubby atmosphere in their pre-production stages that often pull the films to glorious highs and fantastic praise.
Perhaps my favourite American film alongside The Godfather Part 2, Raging Bull triumphs on all levels. The great Oscar winning performance from De Niro is truly a classic performance alongside brilliant supporting roles Pesci and Moriarty.
It took alot of guts on Scorsese's part to shoot the film in all black and white (except for one tiny scene) but i'm very glad he did as it increases the atmosphere ten times and gives the film a some personal and intimate feel most notably in the fight scenes.
The fight scenes are filmed masterfully using large clean boxing rings for the early fights when La Motta is up and coming and full of energy and then changing to smaller, grubby rings alongside hazy effects over the scene to show La Motta downfall and the loss of his ability in the later fights.
Overall Raging Bull is praticulary faultless and is deserving of viewing and purchasing by anyone that is even a little bit interested in film.
10/10