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Summary
Raging Bull nearly never reached audiences, despite the dedication of Robert De Niro. Initially, Martin Scorsese showed little interest in directing, but a transformative experience involving a drug overdose shifted his perspective. After facing challenges and a lackluster box office performance, Raging Bull is now celebrated as a cinematic masterpiece.
Among Robert De Niro‘s most iconic performances, the 1980 film Raging Bull, directed by Martin Scorsese, stands out. This marks their fourth collaboration, based on the life of Jake LaMotta, a former middleweight boxing champion, as chronicled in his 1970 memoir Raging Bull: My Story. Despite its initial commercial failure and mixed critical reception—earning eight Oscar nominations—the film has since been recognized as a classic and a high point in the careers of all those involved.
The journey to bring Raging Bull to life was fraught with difficulties. During the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, De Niro and Scorsese shared insights into the struggles they faced. Here’s an overview of the production’s tumultuous path, the initial reception, and a reminder that a film’s journey doesn’t end at the box office.
Martin Scorsese Didn’t Originally Want to Make Raging Bull
Raging Bull
5/5
The sports drama chronicles the rise and fall of boxer Jake LaMotta, highlighting his struggles with his destructive behavior. The film features performances from Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty, and Nicholas Colasanto.
Release Date November 14, 1980
Director Martin Scorsese
Runtime 2h 9m
Studio United Artists
Tagline Easy to Admire, Difficult to Love.
Initially, it was De Niro who expressed interest in adapting Raging Bull after encountering the memoir. He approached Scorsese, but the director was not captivated by the prospect. Scorsese recounted at the Tribeca event, “I was interested in anything he’d present to me, but… I wasn’t affected by the book at all. Having had severe asthma, I was quite sheltered from sports.”
However, a pivotal moment occurred in 1979 when Scorsese found himself in a hospital recovering from a drug overdose. During this time, De Niro visited and pitched the film again, prompting a shift in Scorsese’s approach. He identified with LaMotta’s struggles with self-destruction, allowing him to connect deeply with the material. “I was lost in a way, so I had to start all over again,” Scorsese reflected. This project would ultimately provide him with a form of redemption following the disappointing performance of New York, New York.
Martin Scorsese Believed Boxing Was Boring
As the project progressed, Scorsese grappled with the challenge of filming boxing matches. Initially dismissive of the sport, he labeled boxing as “boring.” Scorsese, as quoted in Peter Biskind’s book Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, stated that he could never fully grasp the allure of boxing. However, after deciding to tackle the film, he recognized that he needed to innovate how he shot the fight scenes. Unlike previous boxing films, which captured the action from the outside, Scorsese’s visionary idea was to place the camera within the ring, immersing audiences in the experience of boxing. This creative decision was technically demanding and took extended shooting time.
Trouble Behind the Scenes
With the film greenlit, the script underwent significant changes. Originally penned by Mardik Martin, the screenplay did not resonate with De Niro or the studio. Subsequently, Taxi Driver‘s Paul Schrader was brought in to provide a more intense and graphic rewrite.
Although this version was better received by United Artists, the executives cautioned that the content could potentially earn an X rating, limiting its audience. Consequently, Scorsese and De Niro spent two weeks refining the script, although their contributions were left uncredited.
Upon completing a small test screening, feedback was favorable—so much so that Andy Albeck of United Artists praised Scorsese as an artist. Despite this, the studio hesitated to distribute the film, and other companies also expressed disinterest during initial attempts to sell the rights. Ultimately, United Artists agreed to release the film but provided only a minimal marketing campaign, leading to Raging Bull‘s underwhelming box office outcomes. During production, Scorsese feared that this venture could be his last in Hollywood, prompting him to safeguard the integrity of the project.
Time Heals All Wounds
Today, Raging Bull is celebrated as one of the greatest films ever made. However, critics were not as enthusiastic upon its release; although it earned revenue, it did not dominate box office rankings. Following this project, Scorsese faced the disappointment of The King of Comedy, another commercial failure despite its quality. This period led to Scorsese diving into a more experimental phase, resulting in the underrated After Hours, which drew from his tumultuous experiences over the previous years.
Roger Ebert, an early advocate for Raging Bull, later named it among the finest films of the 1980s and included it in his list of the ten greatest movies ever. A decade after its release, the film was recognized for preservation in the National Film Registry, acknowledged as “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.” Over the years, various media outlets, including Time and the AFI, have echoed this sentiment, consistently ranking it among the greatest films of all time and even dubbing it the Best Sports Movie ever.
The remarkable legacy of Raging Bull serves as a testament to its resilience, transforming from a struggling production to a titan of cinematic achievement.
Source
movieweb.com