Mad Doping Fly

Rating: Null/10 (24 September 2003)

I was appalled at the low ranking this film got on AFI's and this (IMDb) site's greatest films list. I watched this movie only a month ago, so my opinion is going to be a bit biased because I can still feel the entire movie. I have never seen a film like Raging Bull before and chances are that I never will again. It has been said that this is the greatest movie of the 80s. I have to agree. In fact, this movie is one of the best ever, maybe up there at 3 or 4. This was probably DeNiro's and Pesci's finest hour (not to degrade their later collaborations, in any way). Scorsese did a brilliant job with bringing this to life. If it had been in anyone else's hands, it probably would have ended up being mediocre or "good" at best. The straight-forward (ie: no attempt at shallow humor, no attempt at political rhetoric, no pseudo-philosophy) dialogue and the use of black and white gave it a very realistic feel. The pauses in dialogue and the not quite long, but certainly noticable, moments of silence actually seemed normal, or at least suitable, for the setting. Then again, I am neither a cinematographer or screenwriter. Basically, I watched this film and I was hooked. The only way to have any idea about the magnitude of this film's greatness is to watch it.