Raging Bull

Last night in film class we watched Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull. I really enjoyed the film, which was not much of a surprise considering I’m a fan of Scorsese films. You could then ask why this is the first time I’ve seen Raging Bull, but you won’t…

I definitely through the editing in Raging Bull was exceptional. I loved the way slow motion shots were used to enhance the boxing sequences. I also loved the way Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker styled the boxing to look like black and white photographs out of Life Magazine. There’s something very romantic and nostalgic about 1940s style boxing.

However, I think that I would like to watch this film again in order to focus solely on the editing. Last night, I found myself taken by the other elements of the film such as the [largely] improvisational dialogue and the cinematography. I know that Raging Bull is a biographical film but both these elements made the story even more believable and intimate.

It’s important to mention, however, that I was much more enchanted by the first half of the film. While Jake LaMotta’s personal life was far from perfect, I found the latter half—where Jake really starts to degenerate—almost too sad to enjoy the rest of the film. Nevertheless, I would have to say that, in the end, the editing, dialogue, cinematography, and overall engaging story win out, making Raging Bull a film worth watching again and again.


Image from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29185076@N05/2735155855/