Scorsese brilliantly crafted this stunning film. From the opening titles to the very last scene where Robert De Niro restates Marlon Brando's famous line from the 1954 Best Picture winning epic, On the Waterfront. When that line is said, the entire movie rushed back into my mind, as if Scorsese wrapped it all up in a bundle and handed it to me. The line was not only fitting for the movie, but for the scene itself. The last scene sets up how Jake LaMotta might just go somewhere, as he clearly does for a movie was made on him. The saying of this quote had me in tears, as it really put an emphasis on a waste of a man's life.

I also loved how it was shot in black and white. As in Schindler's List, the usage of this feature really dramatized the effects used and the entirety of the sadness depicted from Scorsese's masterful interpretation and the events that were happening. As I have always said, in black-and-white movies, there are some things that can be seen that cannot be seen in color films. The acting seems to soak in more, and the intentions of the director and writer are more intense. Possibly, it's because we see in "black-and-white", and this brings us to another reality that only we can see.

Scorsese's shots are very clean, and use his typical dynamics. When LaMotta is losing to Sugar Robinson about half way through the movie, LaMotta sits down, and Scorsese, as if moving the camera himself with his hands, zooms up to LaMotta from the other side of the boxing ring. It's beautifully perfect and holds a clean and steady shot that lasts in my memory.

The writing for the film was exceptional, and it was really well crafted. The dialogue was believable and was not as heavy as let's say, Woody Allen's 1977 romantic comedy, Annie Hall. The film held to itself, speaking only for itself, and there has yet to be another movie like it to date, except for as I stated earlier, Schindler's List.

Robert De Niro's acting was superb in this film in his role as Jake LaMotta. Not only did he master the enormous weight gain he needed for the part, but he also mastered the intensity of the role. In the scene where LaMotta is thrown in jail, the character starts talking bad to the officers, then to himself. He then gets up off of the bench he was sitting on and continually punches the stone wall, not only with his fists but with his head too. He then sits down again with his face half lighted. De Niro's amazing emotion conquest in this scene exerts the power an actor can have over a character.

Raging Bull is hands-down my favorite movie of 1980. It is also the best boxing movie ever made, and it is a movie that will forever be remembered by American audiences. Martin Scorsese's film tells the true story of the unhinged boxer, Jake LaMotta (who passed away last year at the ripe old age of 95). He was a boxer who punched hard, harder, and hardest, and he went all out in the boxing ring. Outside of the ring, he was a vulnerable man especially when it came to women. He believed women to be precious virgins for his own making, and only he can take away their virginity. The movie really went deep with his character, and I love how the movie is not afraid to throw punches.

This was Martin Scorsese's big passion project. After the disappointment of his 1977 feature, New York, New York, he fell into a state of depression and that triggered his drug use which almost killed him. Fortunately, this movie took him away from those dark times. He was reluctant to make this movie at first because he does not like sports. With the help of Robert De Niro, Scorsese was convinced to make the movie. He made it clear that this was his movie and he was going to make it his way. We are glad he did, because this movie ended up being an all-time great that will forever be studied in film school.

Jake LaMotta (Robert De Niro) is a boxer known for obliterating his opponents in the boxing ring. Outside of the boxing ring, he treats his family and friends like garbage. He is a ticking time bomb, ready to destroy the people who love him. What could be the reasons? Is it because he is constantly jealous or paranoid? Is it because his women are cheating on him? Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin brings the true story of this very violent man to life with their hard-hitting screenplay.

In addition to Scorsese, this is Robert De Niro's movie. In a career spanning nearly half a century, this is his role you will remember him by. His convincing portrayal of Jake LaMotta is one of the best acting performances ever, and it earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor. I also loved his commitment to the role. He famously stopped production for several months so he can go on a binge-eating tour of Europe to increase his weight necessary for the role. Joe Pesci who played LaMotta's brother Joey was also great. Pesci actually gave up on acting prior to this role, but De Niro convinced him to play this role. I am glad because this also ranks as Pesci's finest performance to date.

Another component I value about the movie is the look and the editing process of the film. The film is made in black and white and it adds realism to the movie. Scorsese also changed the way boxing movies were made. He was the first director to film the fight scenes inside the ring. That allowed us to see the emotions of the fighters. It also gave us a very brutal, unflinching view of the fights. Scorsese isn't afraid to show blood. Thelma Schoonmaker's editing ranks at one of the all-time's best. You won't find a better-edited film anywhere else.

Raging Bull is one of those films that you will dissect in film school. There are layers upon layers to the film, and one could spend years trying to understand it. As much as I enjoy watching Ordinary People and its theme of PTSD, this is the film that ultimately should have won best picture. Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro crafted one of those rare films that could be defined as perfect.

My Grade: A+

Raging Bull

Yes, its smart and tense equally but also is similar to the other installments of Martin and even though De Niro works hard in it, it's just exhausting in its final act.