The De niro/Scorsese relationship and the robbery of Scorsese.

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2005)

This film heightens the dynamic and strength of the De niro/Scorsese relationship. As both men were on the brink of an emotional abyss like la motta and both De niro/Scorsese put their efforts into the film and in the end result created a masterpiece. With it's amazing screenplay by Schrader, Scorsese's direction and the relationship between De niro and Joe Pesci made for a cinematic masterpiece despite the contempt the audience has for la motta and poor box office sales when released in 1980. This film will be remembered for the scenes between Jake la motta and his brother which let us delve into the mind of a emotionally self destructive man. As for regards acting this film will be remembered for the transformation of De niro, with his belief in method acting and earing the right to play a character, transformed himself to the physicality of a real middle weight boxer enabling him to fight in actual boxing matches. De niro, then adds on 60 pounds to play Jake la motta later in life. Due to the transformations, this earned De niro the best actor award and confirmed him as one of the greatest actors of all time. However this film will be most remembered for the theft from Scorsese as the greatest thief of all time Robert Redford stole the Best Director award off Scorsese in broad daylight for his film ordinary people. Whether this is the greatest De Niro/Scorsese film will be debated for generations to come... so i leave with, which is better Taxi Driver or Raging Bull?