Raging Bullcrap

I didn´t find the character or story interesting enough for this film to be considered a classic.

Jake was nothing but an insecure bully who got lucky at getting the title.

There really was nothing that fascinating about the guy or his life as far as making a film about him.

I found the entire film boring. The acting and directing of course was excellent.



If it harms none, do what thou wilt.

I am truly perplexed by the OP's correlation between RB being a bad film and the fact that La Motta is not a likeable man. And uzielis and others seem to sympathize with the OP by inserting that RB has been re-termed as Raging Fool, etc, etc, etc.

Since when does a great film need a heroic, sympathetic, sane, or likeable main character?

This is not Rocky. Nobody gets a moral victory here.

This is not Taxi Driver. There is no bloodbath that gives one an adrenaline rush.

This is Raging Bull. It is the disintegrating life of a flawed man. I think that makes it fascinating.


If you need a hero or a villain and an airtight conclusion watch cartoons.

The movie is considered classic because it has experimented with certain cinematic elements which was quite novel and profound.For example the movie is in B/W because it wanted to recreate the 40s period. The boxing ring contracts and expands in size as per the mood of La Motta thus depicting maximalism which is a strong cinematic tool. There is a lot of symbolism in the movie, for example La Motta can be considered as Jesus with the ring ropes as the crucification cross and the brigth light as the voice from heaven.In one shot La Motta is blood soaked thus symbolising Christ crucified.In earlier times boxing mmatches in films were rarely visualized by employing the totality of expressive film grammar to transform them from the form in which the boxing events were historically televised.Sound effects were very aptly used to project La Motta's psyche tortured by demons, unrelenting rage, severe paranoia and a crippling anger.The aural stretches during the matches, the transformation from diegetic sounds to fight bell, camera explosion, to a distorted cacophany is a symbol of he depths of La Motta's mental deterioration. La Motta;s journey into a life of debauchery after retiring can be compared to Dante's Hell. When La Motta says " I am not the animal",it is a sad plea for redemption. To repent for other's sins is a centrepiece of Catholic Theology. Redemption can be attained by prayer, but for Scorsese, the sins of life must be exorcised not just spiritually but physically as is symbolised by La Motta's self torture in the cell as well as inside boxing ring during the bout with sugar Ray.His insane jealousy and suicidal attitude makes him spritually bankrupt."Raging Bull" is a case study in psychology which brilliantly explores subtext in personal expression.Scorsese made this movie not for the entertainment of the general audience but as a magnum opus of his own cinematic vision, for a director's artistic self actualisation. Hence it is quite natural that normal audience might find the movie not interesting. There are many more aspects to Raging Bull which can be discussed at greater length, that takes this film definitely quite a few notches higher that other contemporary biopics.

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LaMotta was supposed to be unlikable, but maybe he viewed himself that way and thus realism enters the film. You have to give JLM props, because he allowed a portrayal of himself as one of the biggest *beep* on Earth