Scorcese and DeNiro shine light on an ugly story

Rating: 9/10 (21 April 2013)

Jake LaMotta makes for an ugly character portrayal but when his story is directed in such gloriously clever ways, it makes cinema history. Martin Scorsese's usually over reaching vision delivered an experience that is as vulgar as it is complete. The black and white approach, the slow motion and extraordinary editing techniques, vintage soundtrack and sound effects, the clever lighting and smoke, and the changing of the ring sizes all make this a cine-phile experience to study, appreciate and enjoy. A boxing story? Yes...but a genius approach to it! Robert DiNero as The Bull is one scary portrayal, and one that deserves watching unto itself. There is a very real aspect of this movie that is actually unappealing yet enhancing the reality and further drawing one into this simple, black and white existence.