Raging Bull

Saw an amazing movie "Raging bull", a biopic on one of the greatest middle-weight boxers of the 50's Jake La Motta, the role was splendidly performed by RobertDeNiro , top drawer stuff, the acme of his career. Movie alternates between black/white and color. With some realistic boxing match scenes, puts to shade others like the Rocky series. Also Sly Stallone could have learnt some acting skills from the thespian DeNiro. Joe Pesci playing the role of Lamotta's brother also churns up a moving portrayal.
The movie showcases the life of LaMotta , his consummate boxing skills, his temperamental and unpredictable nature, his predilection to violence, the domestic pressures and pangs of celebrityhood. The end is somewhat tragic as he gets estranged from his wife and brother, and leads a lonely life as a NightClub entertainer.
Martin Scorcese as director has really directed a masterpiece.
Some interesting facts about the movie that I culled from the Internet.
1)The Superb Sound effects for punches landing were made by squashing melons and tomatoes. Sound effects for camera flashes going off were sounds of gunshots. The original tapes were purposely destroyed by the sound recordiing team to prevent then being used again.

2) Robert De Niro accidentally broke Joe Pesci’’’’s rib in one scene.

3) Robert De Niro gained over 25 KG by eating lots of pasta to play the older La Motta, and Pesci lost weight for the same scene. This was the best method acting in the history of World Cinema and till date people refer to it.

4) Director Martin Scorsese makes an appearance asking Jake to go on stage.

5) To Prepare for this role, Robert De Niro went through an exhaustive boxing training and even entered in 3 local boxing matches in New York. He Won two of them.

6) To show up better on black and white film, Hershey’’’’s chocolate was used for blood. This was first started by Alfred Hitchcock for his classic shower bath scene in Psycho (1960).

7) Although only a few minutes of boxing scenes are there in the movie, it took nearly 6 weeks to shoot them.

8) While preparing to play Jake La Motta, Robert De Niro actually met Jake La Motta and became very good friends with him. They spent the entire shoot together so De Niro could portray his character accurately. La Motta said that De Niro had the ability to be a professional boxer, and that he would have been happy to be his manager and trainer.

9) Much Later Jake La Motta sued the crew of the movie.


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