Watch Raging Bull

Raging Bull tells the biographical story of Jake LaMotta, an Italian American boxer who suffered from explosive irritability throughout the remainder of his life. This movie was one of Robert DeNiro’s and Martin Scorcese’s first and most renowned films, nominated for many academy awards including best picture and best actor, the latter won by DeNiro.

To complement its 1950s time and feel, Raging Bull was partly shot in black and white, with the exception of a family picture montage that suggested a happier moment in LaMotta’s life before he went downhill due to his temperamental problems. DeNiro was also known to have gained up to 60 pounds to take on the role of an older LaMotta. Although criticism befell it at first due to heavy violence, the film went on to become an acclaimed staple of Scorcese’s and DeNiro’s repertoire after Taxi Driver.