Raging Bull

Name: Raging Bull
Genre: Drama, History
Released: 1980-11-14
Duration: 2 h 9 min
Rating: 8.1
Cast: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, Nicholas Colasanto

I don’t go down for nobody.

Raging Bull (1980)

Timing: 2:9 (129 min)

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Everything about the movie

Video 13

Photo 162

Actors and characters

Video for the film Raging Bull — 4K Restoration Official Trailer

1:52

Photo 162

Release date

1980-11-14

Country

United States

Production

United Artists, Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Winkler Films, Chartoff-Winkler Productions

Genre

Drama, History

Budget

$18 000 000

Box office

$23 384 902

Website

Director

Martin Scorsese

Actors

Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, Nicholas Colasanto, Theresa Saldana, Mario Gallo, Frank Adonis, Joseph Bono, Frank Topham
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Irwin Winkler, Robert Chartoff

Camera operator

Michael Chapman

Composer

Artist

Gene Rudolf

Audition

Cis Corman

Editing

Thelma Schoonmaker
Whole Team (71)

Short description

The life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it.

What's left behind the scenes

The film includes phrases and recreates scenes from 'On the Waterfront,' as LaMotta admired Marlon Brando’s character and often quoted him.
The film marked John Turturro's acting debut. Interestingly, Turturro and De Niro later played characters named Billy Sunday in different films. Turturro played such a character in 'His Game,' and De Niro in 'The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle'.
In the scene where Jake shouts something about a steak to his first wife, a neighbor begins shouting back at him. Curiously, there was no neighbor in the script; this man appeared completely by chance, as he had not even heard about the filming and did not recognize Robert De Niro. Notably, the actor stayed in character and engaged in a verbal spat with the 'neighbor.'
While preparing for the role, Robert De Niro trained intensively and even fought three real boxing matches in Brooklyn, winning two of them.
During the filming of a fight scene, Robert De Niro accidentally broke Joe Pesci's rib.
After watching the film, LaMotta admitted that it made him realize what a terrible person he had been.
The original script included a scene in which LaMotta masturbated in his prison cell.
To create the sound of boxing punches, watermelons and tomatoes were smashed, and the sounds of gunshots were used to simulate camera flashes. The resulting recordings were destroyed by the sound engineers to prevent them from being reused.
Robert De Niro deliberately gained 60 pounds for this film. This was a record at the time. It was later broken by Vincent D'Onofrio, who gained 70 pounds to play Private Lawrence in Stanley Kubrick's 'Full Metal Jacket'.
In the scene where Jake shouts something about a steak at his first wife, a neighbor starts yelling back at him. Curiously, there was no neighbor in the script; this man appeared completely by chance, as he hadn't even heard about the filming and didn't recognize Robert De Niro. Notably, the actor, without breaking character, got into a verbal altercation with the 'neighbor.'
The music featured in the film was not written specifically for it. Scorsese borrowed it from the works of Italian composer Pietro Mascagni.
In the original version of the script, there was a scene in which La Motta masturbated in his prison cell.
The quote from the Bible ("I was blind, but now I see") is addressed to the professor whom Scorsese studied under. This man died shortly before the film's premiere. Scorsese dedicated the film to his teacher, stating in the credits that he "helped him see."
Hershey's chocolate was used as a blood substitute, as it looked effective when filming in black and white.
To better understand his character, De Niro became acquainted with LaMotta, with whom he developed a very good relationship. They remained inseparable throughout the entire filming period. LaMotta told De Niro that he had the makings of a true fighter and that he would be happy to become his manager or trainer.
After watching the film, La Motta admitted that it made him realize what a terrible person he had been.
The film marked the acting debut of John Turturro. Interestingly, Turturro and De Niro later played characters with the same name, Billy Sunday, in different films: Turturro in 'regnum' (His Game) and De Niro in 'The Men Who Stare at Goats' (or 'The War Diver').
In 1978, when Martin Scorsese nearly died from a drug overdose (he was using cocaine), Robert De Niro visited the director in the hospital and tried to convince him to never use drugs again, while expressing a wish for Scorsese to make a film about a boxer. Initially, Scorsese refused (he did not like sports movies), but De Niro eventually managed to persuade him. Many claim that De Niro saved the director's life by insisting he return to work. Incidentally, Scorsese himself shares this opinion.
To better understand his character, De Niro got to know La Motta, with whom he developed a very good relationship. They remained inseparable throughout the entire filming period. La Motta told De Niro that he had the instincts of a true fighter and that he would be happy to become his manager or trainer.
The wedding scene on the roof was directed by Martin Scorsese's father, as Martin himself fell ill during filming.
Robert De Niro specifically gained 27 kilograms for this film.
Hershey's chocolate was used as a blood substitute because it looked effective when filming on black-and-white stock.
To record the sound of boxing punches, watermelons and tomatoes were smashed, and the sound of gunshots was used for camera flashes. The resulting magnetic tapes were destroyed by the sound engineers to prevent their reuse.
Robert De Niro gained 27 kilograms specifically for this film.
The biblical quote ("I once was blind, but now I see") is addressed to a professor under whom Scorsese studied. This man passed away shortly before the film's premiere. Scorsese dedicated the movie to his teacher, noting in the credits that he had "helped him see."
In preparation for the role, Robert De Niro trained intensely and even participated in three real boxing matches in Brooklyn, winning two of them.
The rooftop wedding scene was directed by Martin Scorsese's father, as Martin himself fell ill during filming.
The film includes quotes and recreates scenes from 'On the Waterfront,' as La Motta admired Marlon Brando's character and frequently quoted him.
During the filming of the fight scene, Robert De Niro accidentally broke Joe Pesci's rib.
In 1978, when Martin Scorsese nearly died from a drug overdose (he was snorting cocaine), Robert De Niro, visiting the director in the hospital, tried to persuade him to never use drugs again and expressed a wish for Scorsese to make a film about a boxer. Scorsese initially refused (he didn't like sports films), but De Niro eventually convinced him. Many believe that De Niro saved the director's life by insisting on his return to work. Scorsese himself, incidentally, shares this opinion.