Raging Bull Study Guide

Raging Bull (1980)

Released by: United Artists

Director: Martin Scorsese

Screenwriters: Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin

Historical Context

Following the disappointment of New York, New York (1977), Martin Scorsese’s personal life hit rock bottom as his cocaine abuse landed him in a hospital. At this low point, his friend and colleague Robert De Niro finally managed to persuade Scorsese to take on a production that had been a pet project of De Niro’s for years – a film adaptation of the autobiography of professional boxer Jake La Motta. Scorsese, seriously concerned that this might turn out to be his last film, poured every ounce of passion and skill he could muster into the work, dedicating it to his beloved NYU cinema teacher and mentor, Haig Manoogian, who died just before the film’s release. Raging Bull was not Scorsese’s last film, but many people believe that it remains his best. It would also prove to be the final masterpiece of the American cinema renaissance of the 1970s.

Narrative Context

What drives the character of Jake La Motta? What attributes define his character? How are these attributes disclosed by the film?

How would you describe the character of Vickie La Motta? What is her function in the narrative?

What is the nature of the relationship between Jake and his brother Joey?

How is the narrative structured? How does it differ from the structure of a typical biographical film?

In what way(s) does Jake change during the course of the narrative?

Is this a story about boxing?

How do you interpret the explicit allusion to On the Waterfront, another classic film featuring a former boxer?

Aesthetic Context

How is religious iconography used throughout the film?

How is water imagery used in the film?

How is mirror imagery used?

How is cross cutting used?

Why do you think the film was shot in black and white? How does this choice affect the viewer’s perception of the film?

How would you describe the fight scenes stylistically?

In what ways is the soundtrack manipulated for creative purposes? How is music used?

What specific stylistic influences can you point to in the film?

Genre Context

How does Raging Bull differ from other examples of the boxing film genre? In particular, how does it differ from Rocky (1976), which was also produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff?

Rhetorical Context

In what way(s) does the film comment on Jake’s lifestyle?

In what way(s) does the film comment on Jake’s chosen profession?

In what way(s) does the film comment on the urban Italian-American community in the early to mid-20th century?