Raging Bull (1980)

In my book, this is Robert De Niro at his absolute peak—hands down his finest performance—and easily one of the greatest sports dramas ever made.

All in all, it’s just an incredibly solid piece of filmmaking.

Once you watch Raging Bull, you realize the search is over; you've finally found "your" movie for life. Some might point to Taxi Driver or The Godfather, but at this stage, those differences are just mere nuances or minor matters of personal taste. This is truly it—the absolute pinnacle of modern American cinema.

When it comes to Robert De Niro, I’m with you. For me, paired with Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt and Pacino in Dog Afternoon, it’s easily the best male lead performance of the last 30 years or so.

As for the realism you mentioned, there’s a lot we could dig into there. How much "reality" is actually in it? That’s a big question, maybe for another time.

Regarding quality, honestly, everything has already been said about this movie. It’s an undisputed classic, most critics call it Marty's finest work, and personally, it’s easily in my top five (even if the great Taxi Driver isn't).

It was a massive turning point in Marty's life and career, too.

That's all from me.

And here’s my little contribution. Even though people treat certain copies like crown jewels on a shelf, I hear it’s nearly impossible or insanely expensive to find a decent copy nowadays—I think a friend mentioned seeing them for $100 on Amazon. So, I dug through my stash and found a Cambridge Film Handbook from their "The films of..." series—some of the absolute best film literature out there—and uploaded it for all you pathetic fans of our favorite El Toro:
http://rapidshare.com/files/25048309...books.pdf.html

Enjoy.

Zachary Turner6 said:...one of the best "sports" movies ever.

Anyway, there's this one interesting—almost cliché at this point—fact about "sports" flicks, specifically boxing movies, and Martin Scorsese.

When Martin Scorsese made Taxi Driver, Rocky took the Oscar. Then, a few years later, when Martin Scorsese made that boxing masterpiece (and what a masterpiece it was!) Raging Bull, the statuette went to Robert Redford's Ordinary Man.

(Also, slightly less interesting but follows the same pattern: Martin Scorsese actually lost two Oscars because of debut performances from future legends. He lost with "Raging Bull" to Redford, then again with his next stuff to Kevin Costner's "Guys."
But I won't turn this entire thread into a deep dive on Martin Scorsese, so let's leave it at that.)

Robert De Niro’s performance is truly staggering. A transformation so profound he becomes virtually unrecognizable.🙏 He packed on at least 45 pounds for the role. It is quite possibly the greatest piece of acting ever captured on film, which easily cements the movie as a masterpiece.

I’m totally with everything you guys just said. Seriously, what an absolute masterpiece of a movie!

But wait, does anyone else feel like we haven't talked enough about Cathy Moriarty? Honestly, she was one of the most stunning women I've ever seen on screen in that film.

This is an absolute timeless classic. Honestly, one of the biggest snubs in Academy history was passing over Raging Bull for Best Picture—I mean, Ordinary People isn't a bad movie by any stretch, but it doesn't even come close to this masterpiece. Even though Robert De Niro took home Best Actor, it still feels like it wasn't enough. The reality is that they've overlooked Martin Scorsese many times before, starting all the way back with Taxi Driver.
Marty actually put together a wonderful documentary series about cinema back in 1994 (a personal journey with Martin Scorsese through American film) spread across three parts. I’d definitely recommend checking it out.

Seriously, this movie is just absolute perfection, and I’m telling you right now, if you haven't seen it yet, you're seriously missing out.

Mark Wood79 said:Martin Scorsese made this gorgeous three-part documentary about movies back in '94—it's called "a personal journey with Martin Scorsese through American film." You really have to see it.

He also did "My Trip to Italy," which honestly? I’d recommend even more.

Arthur Garcia59 said:He also made My Trip to Italy, which is actually slightly more worth watching.

I get that. I’ve always been a huge fan of Italian Neorealism, and that documentary is great too. But honestly, looking back, his take on American film feels even better to me. When I really sit down and think about it, they're pretty much equal. They just tackle two completely different subjects.
What really gets me about Marty, though, is how much he loves cinema; it's so pure and obvious, almost like watching a kid in awe. I genuinely consider Martin Scorsese one of the greatest directors of all time.
Heh, if it weren't for him, I might have actually respected the Oscars when I was younger... they passed him over in 1976, 1980, and I'll go ahead and add 2002 to that list.
Anyway, the thread isn't supposed to be solely about him, it's about Raging Bull, but I feel like there isn't much left to say about the movie itself. Everything's been covered. We could maybe dive into some specific technical details if anyone wants...

Man, when Joe Pesci absolutely loses his mind and slams that guy with a car door... honestly, that’s one of the most brilliant scenes I have ever seen in a movie! Can you even imagine the intensity? Just pure cinematic gold!

I’ve been lurking on this forum for two or three years now without ever actually starting a thread, but since I haven't come across this particular movie yet, I figured it was finally time to jump in. If a discussion on this already exists, please feel free to delete this or merge it.

So, what are your thoughts on the film? What did you make of Robert De Niro's performance?
Amongst a sea of great performances, I personally found this one to be the most powerful.
That heated argument right before he shoots his brother for no reason—that scene is absolutely legendary.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing your takes! hehehe

Maybe the best performance I've ever seen in a movie. It's one of those rare moments where an actor stops playing a part and just becomes the character. Robert De Niro at his absolute peak, a level of acting I guess he could never replicate, let alone anyone else trying to top it.

🙏 masterpiece. I’ve probably only seen it three times... he's actually my favorite actor, though I don't think he ever quite topped his performance in this specific film 🙏

especially the way he portrays someone so obsessed—it was impressive 😉 Joe Pesci was equally brilliant in his role, too.

Daniel Booth37 said:Best performance I've seen in a movie so far. It’s that moment where an actor stops playing a part and just becomes the character. Robert De Niro at his absolute peak—something he probably couldn't even replicate himself, let alone anyone else.

I think you're exaggerating quite a bit. It was a great performance, sure, but calling it the best role ever? Probably not. The movie's good, but that's about it.

Ashley Kern said:I think you're exaggerating quite a bit. While his performance was certainly excellent, I wouldn't say it stands out as the absolute best role in the entire movie. It’s a solid film, but nothing more than that.

In my estimation, this is undoubtedly his finest work—surpassing even Taxi Driver—and if we're looking at his entire career, he is likely sitting right at the very top. While it is nearly impossible to definitively rank every single legendary performance in cinematic history, claiming this isn't one of his best simply isn't accurate.
Personally, when I look at his filmography, pairing this with Kevin Spacey in *The Vortex of Life* and Jack Nicholson in *Flight Above* completes my personal top three.

That wild opening scene is just something else.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBjvJpo-EM8

Chris Ortiz said:his best role is definitely this (better than his taxi driver part), and honestly, he’s probably at the very top of the list. It's impossible to say what his absolute best performance is, but saying this isn't one of them just isn't true.
For me, putting him with Kevin Spacey in Life of a Star and Jack Nicholson in Flight Above completes my top three.

that crazy scene from the start
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBjvJpo-EM8

Well, it's not for me, I guess. But hey, everyone has tastes. 😉

His best work for me was in The Deer Hunter. I think that's his best movie, too. Ironically, it's not a Scorsese's film. 😁

He's a great actor, but I wouldn't put him among the all-time greats. He's done way too many roles based on that one thing over the last 20 years. I agree about Jack Nicholson in Flight Above 👍 though I'd also add his part in Heat, and maybe Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird. Kevin Spacey killed his role, but I wouldn't call it one of the best ever either. Just personal preference, I suppose. 🙂

Chris Ortiz said:his best performance has gotta be that one—way better than his Taxi Driver days, too—and honestly, he’s probably sitting right at the top of the mountain when you look at the greats, and while trying to pick a single "best" role in cinema history is a fool's errand, saying this one isn't near the peak is just plain wrong.
For me, pairing that with Kevin Spacey in Life of a King and Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest pretty much rounds out my top three.

that wild scene at the start
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBjvJpo-EM8

that bit right at the end by the mirror was actually insanely good
maybe even unbeatable 😁

if I really sit here and chew on it, I think Robert De Niro is actually onto something there

and if you're forcing a choice, I'm definitely leaning towards Once Upon a Time in America and New York, New York for sure

(and man, he fit so perfectly into The Mission and Heat, I can't quite put my finger on why)

Arthur Anderson49 said:That moment where Joe Pesci absolutely loses it and starts beating that guy with the car door... honestly, one of the most brilliant cinematic sequences I have ever witnessed.

It’s just like when he stabs that guy with the pen in Casino, too.

Ashley Kern said:Well, personally, I wouldn't say that's my favorite. But hey, everyone has their own taste. 😉

For me, his standout performance is actually in The Deer Hunter. In fact, I consider that to be his absolute best work, which is quite ironic considering it isn't a Scorsese film. 😁

The Deer Hunter is certainly a great film, though I find it a bit slow at certain points. For me, Christopher Walken is really the one who steals the show there.🤷

Maria Lopez said:Personally, I thought that scene right at the end by the mirror was incredibly intense.
Maybe even beyond anything else. 😁

What about this one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLNft6cO0I4
It's excellent, much like everything else in the movie. However, I still think the confrontation with his brother right before the physical altercation is the highlight for me. That is pure theater.🤣🤣 He is such a terrifying character.