FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: Raging Bull - Definitive Edition [DVD] [1980]

Raging Bull - Definitive Edition [DVD] [1980]
enlarge	Artist: Robert De Niro Director: Martin Scorsese Actors: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, Cathy Moriarty Studio: 20th Century Fox Category: DVD List Price: ~~£12.99~~ Buy New: £3.74 as of 23/11/2009 14:27 GMT details You Save: £9.25 (71%) New (15) Used (4) Collectible (4) from £3.74 Seller: twentyfiveorless Rating: 4 reviews Sales Rank: 7398 Format: Anamorphic, Box set, Black White, PAL Language: English (Original Language) Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over Region: 2 Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Number Of Discs: 2 Running Time: 124 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3 Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 5039036031578 ASIN: B000M34222 Theatrical Release Date: 1980 Release Date: March 5, 2007 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


Similar Items: Taxi Driver (2 Disc Special Edition) [1976] [DVD] Mean Streets (Special Edition) [DVD] [1973] A Bronx Tale [DVD] [1993] Scarface [DVD] [1983] Goodfellas (2 Disc Special Edition) [1990] [DVD]


Editorial Reviews: Amazon.co.uk Review 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), iRaging Bull/i won only two, for De Niro and for editor Thelma Schoonmacher. i--Jim Emerson/i

Customer Reviews: The Bull raides for his dignity and soul April 7, 2008 I. Thomson (Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland) 1 out of 7 found this review helpful (Warning: Raging Bull has a depressing theme as well as the violence getting out-of-hand in a couple of scenes, including one landmark scene. I suggest that sensitive people avoid this Scorsese film) br / br /Based on the memoir of his shunned and controversial boxing career by Jake LaMotta with support from Peter Savage. The film adaption, Raging Bull is the more well-known today of his story which Scorsese reculantly agreed to direct. br / br /A self-proclaimed loser, a boxer known as Jake LaMotta, wants a life in the ring, but can only survive on the boundary of the ring. His temper and frequent bust-ups as well as ludurious behaviour in the ring doesn't give him much respect by his own brother, who serves as his trainer. A relationship with a young moody girl follows and the zest of a middleweight championship belt lingers...... br / br /The film's deep violence and camoflashed colours was a symbol of Scorsese's pain and forgivance of the blurry visions of losing sight of his life when LaMotta thinks he can outdo his opponents in the ring. Raging Bull is also not really much of a boxing film, it is about a man trying to come to terms with himself and his career, plagued with demons, who thinks he's no good-which mirrored Scorsese's position at the time. This is why Raging Bull was not understood back in 1980. This is Scorsese's most personal work-even if he loathed the sport. br / br /Scorsese managed to find his voice again, by exploring what exactly goes on inside the brain of a boxer, what is their position and how do they fight. Scorsese emphases on harsh snappy closeups of punching fists, desperate and scary and the wobbliness of the boxers eager to strive to win, subjeed to fight in the hazardous ring. The term, Raging Bull emphasises Jake LaMotta's behaviour of his opponents in the ring seen as punching bags, which he claims don't have the skill to match his is a metaphor. LaMotta is seen as a couch potato who uses violence as his weapon to keep people away from him who threaten and his lack of interest in the matches or even the desire of objection to hard work show in his ignorance in the ring. br / br /DeNiro examines the power of the character, making him look fearless, when he is only being scared and how he always feels he is still fighting for nothing, alas helpless. DeNiro also observes the character of LaMotta, mood swings and anger that shoots across as a spearhead, motiviating, physical and for bitter revenge, just like in the ring. DeNiro even was a spitting image of Jake LaMotta in my opinion when in the full costume! Joe Pesci plays his first main role as Joey LaMotta, the inpatient brother-trainer who doesn't have much time for the concerns of his brother, he seeks the judgment of others to react to his behaviour. Pesci, who is best know for his vulgar language in later Scorsese flicks like Casino and Goodfellas, has during the most part, not much. Pesci gives him heartache in how to deal with his brother, also a sort of queashiness. Cathy Moriaty plays the naive, repellant and moody at best, Vicki who's sworn over by LaMotta's supposebly hardness like a shell. Vicky is played as tough, a strong willed, argumentive, also showing a sense of keeping from deep contact as a way to allow some freedom and flexibility, but enough desire to give LaMotta his raw power. Other characters like Salvy Batts by Frank Vincent and a small role for the director's father, Charles make their prominance and stand strong against the main players. br / br /The Cinematography is picture perfect with the deep grey outlines forming as steam used especially in each of the fight sequences but most importantly the Sugar Ray Robinson fight with the slow revolving punch and continuous hits. The editing is careful, delicate and precise and incredibly moving with the Italian score. br / br /Raging Bull is a clear cut masterpiece. A film about the man in and behind the ring whose tenture proved continuous agony. I should also point out that the dark and slow moving story may frustate some viewers looking for some hard action, patience is essential as well as an open mind. br / Stunning Biopic of Jake LaMotta June 20, 2008 R. Mullaney (Leeds, UK) Middleweight boxer Jake LaMotta (Robert DeNiro) was known for his particularly ferocious fighting style as well as his ability to withstand a huge amount of physical punishment in the ring, attributes that led to his moniker, 'Raging Bull.' Whilst Jake was undoubtedly a talented boxer, he couldn't leave his rage in the ring and he punished friends, family, loved ones and himself over a lifetime of self destruction. br / br /Martin Scorsese arguably made the finest sports film of all time with Raging Bull but really, this film is not about boxing. Whilst a huge amount of care went into recreating and re-enacting LaMotta's fights, Raging Bull is ultimately about the human condition and self-destruction. DeNiro won an oscar for his powerful performance as the sometimes terrifying, sometimes pathetic LaMotta, a man consumed by jealousy and paranoia. LaMotta's long suffering wife is repeatedly abused and beaten for imagined infidelity whilst Jake himself womanises and drinks. The only person keeping Jake from going off the rails is devoted brother and manager Joey (Joe Pesci) who is also abused and eventually pushed away. In preparation for Raging Bull, DeNiro took his method acting to the extreme when he actually stepped in the ring for several professional fights before gorging himself on ice cream to gain weight for the later scenes. br / br /The real triumph of Raging Bull is not just the fine acting from all involved or the fight choreography but the cinematography itself. The opening scenes of Jake warming up in the ring in slow motion to Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana with camera flashes in the background is typical of Scorsese's brilliant vision of cinema. The decision to shoot in black and white paid off with moments like these and make the splashes of blood and sweat look somehow beautiful. Unfortunately, Jake went on to become an overweight, heavy drinking, pathetic shadow of his former self, alienating everyone who ever loved him which makes this fascinating study of self-destruction difficult to watch at times. br / br /Raging Bull is a classic movie that genuinely is as remarkable as it's made out to be. Arguably the finest film of the 1980's, this definitive edition belongs in every cinema lovers collection. br / br /Like this? Try: Goodfellas De Niro Pesci Together For The First Time September 18, 2009 Da Parsons (West Country Boy) 0 out of 1 found this review helpful A brutal film about a brutal man and how he started a slim and lithe sportsman to an overweight cabaret act, the fights he had in the ring and outside with his wife and brother. Robert De Niro and Joe pesci are outstanding as is Cathy Moriarty who plays Vickie the wife of Jake La Motta. Even if you don't like sporting films, the drama is well played by first class acting right raging film October 9, 2009 Mr. R. Tomlinson (Nottingham, England) After reading the Robert De Niro biography. Raging Bull gets quite a few mentions and 'packs plenty of punch' (see what i did there!) in the making of De Niro's acting career and his future performances. br / br /Raging Bull, as I watched it again from a purely acting point of view, is sensational. De Niro's performance lights up the black and white shot film. Knowing a bit more of what went on during the shooting of the movie only adds to the film itself. br / br /Well worth a watch even more so after reading the biography.

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON EU S.à.r.l. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.