Martin Scorsese's Film "Raging Bull" (1980)

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, in Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull", Jake La Motta (Robert DeNiro) is constantly at odds with himself and with the people around him. The author points out Scorsese's use of the formal elements of film making to convey the visceral nature of what it is like to be in the ring and even to be one of the fighters during a fight. The paper describes, scene by scene, a pivotal sequence, the second fight between Jake La Motta and Sugar Ray Robinson, which demonstrates this visceral effect through lighting and composition for mise en scene, camera work for cinematography, editing and sound. The paper concludes that, in this sequence, Scorsese effectively plays with time, framing, light and sound to create feelings of defenselessness and power, victory and shame, during and after a pivotal and crucial fight.

From the Paper:

"The first shot of the sequence begins as a handheld, high angled close-up on Sugar Ray Robinson's feet, dancing and shifting about in the ring. We hear a commentator on the stadium speakers, and the cheering crowd as La Motta's feet enter the frame. A title appears in the bottom center of the frame: "La Motta vs Sugar Ray Robinson Detroit 1943" in true 1940s television style. The camera rises (or tilts) up to reveal the back torso of La Motta and Robinson in front of him, ready to fight. Then we see a medium close-up of Robinson, over La Motta's left shoulder."

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