Product Description

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 violent as 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 boxer whose psychological and sexual complexities erupt into violence both in and out of the ring. Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty are unforgettable as the brother who falls prey to Jake's mounting paranoia and jealousy and the fifteen-year-old girl who becomes his most prized trophy. A "brilliantly photographed film of extraordinary power and rare distinction" (The Wall Street Journal) Raging Bull is filmmaking at its riveting best.*1980: Best Picture Director Supporting Actor (Pesci) Supporting Actress (Moriarty) Cinematography Sound Editing (won)System Requirements:Running Time: 129 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 027616915122 Manufacturer No: 1007431

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3934 in DVD
• Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
• Released on: 2005-02-08
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Black & White, Collector's Edition, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 129 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Martin Scorsese's brutal black-and-white biography of self-destructive boxer Jake LaMotta was chosen as the best film of the 1980s in a major critics' poll at the end of the decade, and it's a knockout piece of filmmaking. Robert De Niro plays LaMotta (famously putting on 50 pounds for the later scenes), a man tormented by demons he doesn't understand and prone to uncontrollably violent temper tantrums and fits of irrational jealousy. He marries a striking young blond (Cathy Moriarty), his sexual ideal, and then terrorizes her with never-ending accusations of infidelity. Jake is as frightening as he is pathetic, unable to control or comprehend the baser instincts that periodically, and without warning, turn him into the rampaging beast of the title. But as Roman Catholic Scorsese sees it, he works off his sins in the boxing ring, where his greatest athletic talent is his ability to withstand punishment. The fight scenes are astounding; they're like barbaric ritual dance numbers. Images smash into one another--a flashbulb, a spray of sweat, a fist, a geyser of blood--until you feel dazed from the pummeling. Nominated for a handful of Academy Awards (including best picture and director), Raging Bull won only two, for De Niro and for editor Thelma Schoonmacher. --Jim Emerson

DVD features
This handsome two-disc edition is a must for Scorsese fans. There are three worthwhile commentary tracks, including Scorsese's track with editor Thelma Schoonmaker originally recorded for the Criterion Laser Disc. There's a track from the various writers who worked on the film including Jake La Motta himself, but the best is by a collection of talent from walk-on actor John Turturro to expert cinematographer Michael Chapman (who talks as fast as the director talks and is just as interesting). The major stars don't participate in the tracks, but since Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are quite reserved about their mechanics, it's not needed. The new four-part documentary (produced by DVD extras savant Laurent Bouzereau) has new interviews with all the major players and completes this comprehensive look at this touchstone film. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews

This movie was stupid.
I'm a boxing fan and train often but I have no idea why people like this movie. It's a story about a cocky, arrogant jerk who likes to abuse the people around him both mentally and physically. Most of the movie is of him degrading women, screaming profanities to them and hitting them. In one scene he beats his own brother badly in a jealous rage, stomping him and then slugs his own 20 year old wife. The only thing I learned from this movie is that Jake Lamotta was one horrible person. This movie does nothing for boxing. It basically just shows boxers as violent wife beaters who can take punches. Even the fight scenes do nothing to showcase the art of boxing.

A Well Shot and acted movie about an unworthy individual.
Alright the guy could take a punch and even give a few back but he beat women, was an overall f-up, and basically contributed nothing to society which should be remembered. The direction and acting are top notch but without a worthy individual to tell about the end result is a big "so what?" I know I'll piss off all the Italians who view this guy as some sort of hero but he represents everything that was wrong with this subculture during this time in American history. BRAVO for the realism!!

Scorcese and DeNiro's Best Work - How can a film about such ugly people be so beautiful?
This definitely isn't your average feel-good, stereotypical, underdog boxing movie. After all, Sly Stallone was the sole owner to the keys to that kingdom four years prior w/ his beloved "Rocky". In fact, this film really isn't about boxing at all (although there's a plethora of savage, short fight scenes throughout), its intentions and focus are much more intricate. "Raging Bull" is a powerful, provocative, realistic work of art, a character study about an emotionally-disturbed, self-destructive boxer, who's indocile and violent nature take him to the top of his profession while at the same time completely destroying his personal life outside of the ring. Yes, sometimes a man's greatest strengths can be his own worst enemy.

Bobby DeNiro gives the performance of the century as the infamous, pugnacious pugilist Jake La Motta, a raging bull(y) if there ever was one. It was definitely a no-brainer the following year when DeNiro took home the coveted Oscar for best actor. The film also introduced us to Cathy Moriarty (Vickie Thailer, La Motta's wife) and Joe Pesci (Joey La Motta, Jake's older and wiser brother and manager), who both gave outstanding Oscar nominated performances as well. According to Hollywood folklore, Pesci was on the brink of quitting acting all together when De Niro, who had seen his only performance up to that point in the 1976 B-movie mafia debacle "The Death Collector", decided he wanted Pesci for this important role. A decision that turned out to be brilliant, for can anyone imagine "Goodfellas" and "Casino" without little Joe? Two other notable actors deserve mention here for their fine performances as well - Frank Vincent (Salvy Batts) most famous for his role as Phil Leotardo in "The Soprano's" and Nicholas Colasanto (Tommy Como) who of course we all remember fondly as "Coach" in the hit T.V. series "Cheers".

Martin Scorcese and DeNiro would again call upon writer Paul Schrader whom they teamed up with four years prior in the avant-garde classic "Taxi Driver" and the results were obviously duplicated. This collaboration once again produced an intense, gritty, often times seedy portrait of a lost, lonely, paranoid anti-hero, just another lost soul ensnared in the underbelly of New York society. Splendidly shot in black & white in order to enhance the malaise and misery of the turbulent era in which La Motta reigned, this violent and disturbing film pulls no punches. Although "Goodfellas" may be my favorite of all Scorcese's films, I would still have to say that overall, this was his magnum opus.

If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing this one yet, rent it today. Odds are that if you do, you'll be placing your order w/ Amazon as soon as the credits start rolling.