DVD Reviews

Raging Bull: 30th Anniversary Edition - Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Jan 13, 2011, 11:34 GMT

Robert De Niro teams with director Martin Scorsese in this "extraordinarily compelling" (Leonard Maltin) film that introduced unflinching realism to stunned audiences in 1980. An "exceedingly violentas well as poetic" fight picture that maps "the landscape of the soul" (The New York Times),Raging Bull garnered eight Oscar® nominations* and won two, including Best Actor for De Niro. De Niro gives the performance of his career as Jake La Motta, a ...more

Robert DeNiro scored a well-deserved Oscar as he disappeared (literally) into the skin of boxer Jake LaMotta. 

Jake LaMotta (Robert DeNiro) is a boxer with a burning desire to become the middleweight champion.  His brother Joey (Joe Pesci) serves as his manager.  However, his biggest opponent may be the one he sees in the mirror every morning.  Jake’s eye wanders away from his wife and onto the 15-year-old Vickie (Cathy Moriarty) and eventually marries her in 1947.

Jake eventually does pursue and win the middleweight championship, but his jealousy, temper, and paranoia soon make his personal life a mess that bleeds into his professional one. 

When Raging Bull came out at theaters, Jake LaMotta saw the film with his ex-wife Vickie.  He was a bit depressed about what he saw onscreen.  He asked her, “was I really that bad?”  Her reply, “No… you were worse.” 

Raging Bull is another fantastic collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro.  DeNiro becomes LaMotta, whether that be the fit fighter or the flabby, fallen on hard times elder LaMotta.  The only makeup is his nose.  DeNiro piles on the pounds (as he did for Al Capone in the Untouchables movie) for this physical transformation.  Our hero is a flawed one, as we all are.  Scorsese does shoot the boxing matches with style and a filmmaker’s flair, but those really aren’t what the film is about (though they are exciting asides). 

He’s more interested in LaMotta the man and what drove him.  What appears to drive him are his all too human flaws.  He should be on top of the world, but instead he paranoid that his wife is sleeping around.  This and other self-destructive behavior destroys whatever success he achieves.  He ends up a paunchy ex-pugilist reduced to comedy appearances.

A shade of the fit image we see in the beginning.  All shot in glorious black and with only snatches of color (some home movies).  DeNiro deservedly won best actor for his work here.  The film would also won for editing, but was nominated for a further six Oscars including best picture.  It’s a tour-de-force all around and a fascinating film. 

Raging Bull is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (1.85:1).  This new anniversary edition adds some new features and those and in high definition, except for a Tonight Show appearance by Moriarty from March 27, 1981 (6 minutes).  Those that have been ported over from the older edition are in standard definition, save for the 2 minute trailer which is in high definition. 

Also coming over from the old disc are a trio of informative commentaries: the first from director Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker, the second with producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, actors John Turturro and Theresa Saldana, cinematographer Michael Chapman, music producer Robbie Patterson, sound effects editor Frank Warner, and casting director Cis Corman, and the third from writers Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader and Jake LaMotta and his nephew Jason Lustig. 

The new featurettes are the 13 minute “Marty and Bobby” about Scorsese and DeNiro’s collaborations, the 12 minute “Reflections on a Classic” about the film’s impact, the 11 minute “Remembering Jake” where contemporaries and retired fighters talk about LaMotta, and the 10 minute “Marty on Film” where Scorsese reflects on filmmaking. 

The port-overs include the 82 minute “Fight Night” which is a multi-part making of, the 28 minute “Bronx Bull” about LaMotta, the 3 minute “DeNiro vs. LaMotta” which shows the reality versus the film, and a 1 minute vintage newsreel “LaMotta defends the Title.” 

Raging Bull has been on Blu-ray before and I think that this new release uses the same transfer.  It does add some new, worthwhile special features.  So owners can judge if they’re in need of upgrading.  What hasn’t changed is the fantastic film that features one of DeNiro’s best performances.  A knockout of a film and highly recommended.

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