The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 25, 1981, Page Page 8, Image 8
'Ragii
violer
By David Baker
Film CHtlc
Martin Scorsese's
"Raging Bull" is as
stylistically perfect as any
movie one is apt to see. One
brilliant shot follows
another, very scene is
staged and choreographed
flawlessly ana Michael
Chapman's moody blackand-white
cinematography
is awesomely successful in
its attempt to transport the
viewer back to New York in
fhe 1940s.
But watching "Raging
Bull" is like -jntering a
hallway and finding oneself
aught in the middle of a
violent familv argument.
with the screeching wife at
one end of the hall, throwing
bric-a-brac at the furiou
husband, who's standing s
the other end of the hal
hurling vicious insults bar.,
at her
THH PICTURE cuts to the
quick of former boxing
champ Jake LaMotta's life
;<nd. in so doing, makes the
\'iewei feel like an intruder
in a real-life soap opera. As
{he movie flickers by, one
becomes more and more
embarrassed by Scorsese's
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La Motta's dirty linen.
Bui then, by all accounts,
including the autobiography
on which the film is based,
LaMotta never had a clean
sheet in his life. The man
was an animal, both in and
out of the ring. He beat his
wife, baitered his brother
;<nd alienated every friend
he ever made. He trusted no
one and no one trusted him,
and with good reason.
On orders from the Mob in
1947, he deliberately lost a
fight to Billy Fox and was
subsequently barred from
the professional boxing
circuit for two years. In 1951,
IJake
LaMotta
will be
interviewed
in Fridav's
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ngBu
Upon
Robert De Niro
ne lost tne Midaleweignr
Championship he won in
1949, and three years later he
moved to Florida and opened
a nightclub. There, he was
arrested for permitting a 14year-old
prostitute to use his
establishment as a place to
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An arrogant Jake LaMot
before a fight in "Raging
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trayal
procure tricks. I'd list the
nice things LaMotta did, but
thorp aron't nnv
IN FILMING the life story
of a man as despicable as
LaMotta, Scorsese has
created a movie that is
downright anti-commercial.
No one can sympathize with
the LaMotta portrayed in
"Raging Bull," nor can
anyone feel sorry for the
people around him. If
they're stupid enough to stay
around such a madman, they
deserve whatever they get.
Thus, the only thing the
picture has going for it, aside
from the technical expertise
that went into making it, is
the acting. As CaMotta;
Robert DeNiro delivers a
staggering portrayal, rich in
detail and rife with inventiveness.
iggjp^T \
ta parades around the ring
Bull."
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Joey (Joe Pesci), right,
dub in "Raging Bull. "
The emotions registered
on DeNiro's face in the scene
where LdMotta wins the
Middleweight Championship
alone are deserving of the
Academy Award nomination
the actor has received. The
film's much-ballyhooed final
scenes, for which DeNiro
gained 70 pounds, are
merely gravy.
CATHY MORIARTY, as
LaMotta's second wife.
Vickie, and Joe Pesci, as his
brother, Joey, give strong
performances as well, but
against DeNiro's astounding
portrayal, they tend to, ever
so grudgingly, fade into the
background. The remaining
supporting players are never
less than effective, but they
could just as well be mannequins,
given the stiff
rivalry for our attentions.
"Raging Bull" has been
nominated for a total of eight
Oscars and it's deserving of
Ann D ?t f nr rvAAnln
cvci y uuc. uut iui
who want to enjoy their visit
to the local theater, it isn't
the ticket they're looking for.
"Raging Bull" is proof
positive that art doesn't
always equal entertainment.
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