Just by looking at the box, you know you're in for something great with Raging Bull. There's no better pairing of actor and director that DeNiro and Scorsese. Raging Bull details the life of Jake "The Bronx Bull" La Motta, from his rise in the ring to his fall outside. Yes, it's a boxing movie, but the duo manages to find a way to push the idea of a boxing match and translate it onto something much bigger, but still relatable.
At the heart of the movie is the relationship between Jake (De Niro) and his brother, Joey (Joe Pesci). We first meet a much older, and heavier, Jake rehearsing jokes for his nightclub comedy act. This scene quickly transitions to Jake in the ring. It's twenty years earlier and Jake has just suffered his first in-ring loss. This is the first of many used throughout the film to bookend and illustrate Jake's out-of-the-ring struggles. The fight sequences are absolutely amazing and the subject of the featurette "DeNiro vs. La Motta," a side-by-side comparison of the two in the ring. As an added bonus, Raging Bull includes newsreel footage discussing La Motta's title defense.
Though by no means a teardown job, Scorsese offers a realistic and believable account of La Motta's life. La Motta is an interesting character. He has his faults, but at the same time is someone who isn't willing to give in to the business. During the 40's, the mafia dominated boxing. They controlled every aspect of the sport, so fighters who didn't play by their rules usually had short careers. La Motta was one such fighter, and though he eventually gave in, he was never considered trustworthy. Raging Bull also goes into La Motta's unique view of women, adding even more layers to an already complex character.
The Blu-ray transfer is perfect, particularly for a film shot in black and white. The story behind the look is one of the more interesting stories to come out of the included commentary. According to Scorsese, the test footage was originally filmed in color but the color of the gloves was deemed too distracting. The commentary is full of small bits of information like this. Scorsese is joined by editor Thelma Schoonmaker, who won an Oscar for Raging Bull (as well as The Aviator and The Departed). If you have any interest in film, their track is a must listen.
Raging Bull features two additional commentary tracks. The first features assorted cast and crew. It's okay, though nothing jumped out as particularly interesting. However, the next one, "Storytellers" is another must listen, if only to hear the real Jake La Motta's thoughts on the film.
Once you're done with the commentary, make time for the feature-length "Raging Bull - Fight Night," an extensive behind-the-scenes documentary that manages to cover just about everything you'd ever want to know about the movie. "The Bronx Bull," a sort of retrospective, is an excellent follow-up.
New to the 30th Anniversary Edition (the previously mentioned extras shipped with the original Blu-ray release) are four short featurettes. "Marty and Bobby" details the duo's working relationship and the making of Raging Bull. Scorsese also appears in "Marty on Film," where he discusses how he got started. This is real highlight and almost makes a repurchase mandatory - at least if you're a serious film buff.
Directors Kimberly Pace (Boys Don't Cry), Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), Neil LeBute (In the Company of Men) and Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) team up in "Raging Bull - Reflections on a Classic." All four discuss the film as well as the impact it had on their own careers. Finally, there's "Remembering Jake." Here members of the Veteran Boxers Association have a roundtable discussion about Jake La Motta.
The entire package is wrapped up with a trailer and Cathy Moriarty's appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. A DVD copy is also included.
Until the next big film format comes along, Raging Bull: 30th Anniversary Edition is the definitive version of the film. The four new features may not be enough to sway owners into a re-purchase (but the "Marty on Film" does make for an excellent "re-purchase" argument), but everyone else should add it to their collection.
