Boxer Raging Bull Film and True Story

The 1980 film Raging Bull is a biographical drama about the life of boxer Jake LaMotta, played by Robert De Niro. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and won several Academy Awards.

Jake LaMotta was a professional boxer who fought from 1941 to 1954, with a record of 83 wins and 19 losses. He was known for his aggressive fighting style.

LaMotta's life was marked by personal struggles, including a tumultuous marriage to Vickie LaMotta, who was also his manager. The couple had two children together.

The film Raging Bull is a raw and unflinching portrayal of LaMotta's life, both in and out of the ring.

The story of Raging Bull is a fascinating one, and it's a testament to the collaborative spirit of the filmmakers involved. Mardik Martin was initially tasked with writing the screenplay under the guidance of Chartoff and Winkler.

The script was based on journalist Pete Hamill's vision of a 1930s and 1940s style boxing era, which De Niro was initially unimpressed with. United Artists saw a significant improvement in the script when Paul Schrader came on board to make some major changes.

Schrader's rewrites included adding the character of LaMotta's brother, Joey, and making the scene with the undercooked steak a pivotal moment in the film.

The screenplay for Raging Bull was a collaborative effort, but it wasn't without its challenges. Mardik Martin was initially asked to write the screenplay, but his draft didn't impress Robert De Niro, who read it.

Under the guidance of Chartoff and Winkler, Martin was brought in to start writing the screenplay, but United Artists wouldn't accept his script. The story was based on journalist Pete Hamill's vision of a 1930s and 1940s style, when boxing was known as "the great dark prince of sports."

Paul Schrader was swiftly brought in to rewrite the script around August 1978, making significant changes, including a rewrite of the scene with the undercooked steak and the inclusion of LaMotta seen masturbating in a Florida cell. This improved the quality of the script, but United Artists' executives were still concerned about its content.

The script was left to Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, who spent two and a half weeks re-building the content of the film on the island of Saint Martin. They made significant changes, including the removal of Jake and Joey's father and a major re-write of LaMotta's fight with Tony Janiro.

The end sequence, where LaMotta is all alone in his dressing room quoting the "I could have been a contender" scene from On the Waterfront, was a result of their work.

Principal photography for Raging Bull began on April 16, 1979, at the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium.

The film's production mixer, Michael Evje, mentioned that huge curtains of black duvetyne were hung on all four sides of the ring area to contain artificial smoke used for visual effects.

Scorsese insisted on placing a single camera inside the ring, operated by Director of Photography Michael Chapman, to capture the emotions of the fighters, including Jake LaMotta.

This approach was a departure from the traditional way of showing fights from the spectators' view in films.

The initial five-week schedule for shooting the boxing scenes took longer than expected, putting Scorsese under pressure.

The crew was paid while production was closed down for around four months, allowing Robert De Niro to go on a binge eating trip to northern Italy and France.

This break was necessary to accommodate De Niro's weight gain, which increased from 145 to 215 pounds, making it difficult for him to perform some scenes.

The scenes with De Niro's heavier weight, including his retirement from boxing and his time in a Florida cell, were completed in seven to eight weeks before Christmas 1979.

The jail cell head-banging scene was shot on a constructed set with minimal crew, including no boom operator.

The final sequence, where Jake LaMotta is in front of his mirror, was filmed on the last day of shooting, requiring 19 takes, with only the 13th being used for the film.

The cast of Raging Bull is a talented bunch, with many actors making their film debut in the movie. Robert De Niro stars as Jake LaMotta, a role he was already committed to play.

The role of Joey LaMotta, Jake's brother, was the first to be cast, and Joe Pesci was chosen for the part after De Niro saw him in a low-budget television film called The Death Collector. Pesci had not worked in film for four years prior to being cast in Raging Bull.

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Cathy Moriarty plays Vickie LaMotta, Jake's second wife, and was chosen for the role after De Niro and Scorsese met with her on several occasions and noticed her husky voice and physical maturity. Charles Scorsese, the director's father, made his film debut as Tommy Como's cousin, Charlie.

Here's the main cast of Raging Bull:

The cast of Raging Bull is a talented group of actors and actresses who brought the true story of Jake LaMotta to life. Robert De Niro played the lead role of Jake LaMotta, a boxer whose life was marked by violence and self-destruction.

Joe Pesci, a relatively unknown actor at the time, was cast as Joey LaMotta, Jake's on-screen brother. Pesci was discovered by De Niro while working at an Italian restaurant in New Jersey, where he had been struggling to make a name for himself in the film industry.

Cathy Moriarty, who was just 18 years old when she was cast as Vickie LaMotta, Jake's second wife, was suggested by Joe Pesci after he saw a picture of her at a New Jersey disco. Moriarty's husky voice and physical maturity made her a great fit for the role.

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The cast also included Theresa Saldana as Lenora LaMotta, Joey's second wife, and Frank Vincent as Salvatore "Salvy Batts". Charles Scorsese, the director's father, made his film debut as Tommy Como's cousin, Charlie.

Here's a list of the main cast members:

De Niro's preparation for the role was intense, and he even met with the real Jake LaMotta and his ex-wife, Vikki, to get a better understanding of their lives.

LaMotta's Opponents were a talented group of actors who brought to life the boxing world of the 1940s and 50s.

Johnny Barnes played the iconic role of Sugar Ray Robinson, one of LaMotta's most notable opponents.

Bill Hanrahan took on the role of Eddie Eagan, a boxer who was also an Olympic gold medalist.

Kevin Mahon portrayed Tony Janiro, another formidable opponent of LaMotta's.

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad brought to life the character of Billy Fox, a boxer known for his aggressive fighting style.

The cast also included Floyd Anderson as Jimmy Reeves, a boxer who fought LaMotta several times.

LaMotta faced off against many talented boxers during his career, and these actors did an excellent job of portraying them on screen.

Here are the actors who played LaMotta's opponents: