Raging Bull (Single Disc Edition)

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Martin Scorsese's brutal black-and-white biography of self-destructive boxer Jake LaMotta was chosen as the best film of the 1980s in a major critics' poll at the end of the decade, and it's a knockout piece of filmmaking. Robert De Niro plays LaMotta (famously putting on 50 pounds for the later scenes), a man tormented by demons he doesn't understand and prone to uncontrollably violent temper tantrums and fits of irrational jealousy. He marries a striking young blond (Cathy Moriarty), his sexual ideal, and then terrorizes her with never-ending accusations of infidelity. Jake is as frightening as he is pathetic, unable to control or comprehend the baser instincts that periodically, and without warning, turn him into the rampaging beast of the title. But as Roman Catholic Scorsese sees it, he works off his sins in the boxing ring, where his greatest athletic talent is his ability to withstand punishment. The fight scenes are astounding; they're like barbaric ritual dance numbers. Images smash into one another--a flashbulb, a spray of sweat, a fist, a geyser of blood--until you feel dazed from the pummeling. Nominated for a handful of Academy Awards (including best picture and director), Raging Bull won only two, for De Niro and for editor Thelma Schoonmacher. --Jim Emerson

Description

Robert De Niro teams with director Martin Scorsese in this "extraordinarily compelling" (Leonard Maltin) film that introduced unflinching realism to stunned audiences in 1980. An "exceedingly violentas well as poetic" fight picture that maps "the landscape of the soul" (The New York Times),Raging Bull garnered eight OscarÂ(r) nominations* and won two, including Best Actor for De Niro. De Niro gives the performance of his career as Jake La Motta, a boxer whose psychological and sexual complexities erupt into violence both in and out of the ring. Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty are unforgettable as the brother who falls prey to Jake's mounting paranoia and jealousy, and the fifteen-year-old girl who becomes his most prized trophy. A "brilliantly photographed film of extraordinary power and rare distinction" (The Wall Street Journal), Raging Bullis filmmaking at its riveting best. *1980: Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Pesci), Supporting Actress (Moriarty), Cinematography, Sound, Editing (won)

Customer Reviews:

Raging Bull My Review.......2007-08-20

Raging Bull, is a good period piece, it shows why Boxing lost popularity. From the kitchen scene near the start till the end Raging Bull is emotional and believable. The worst beating doesnt come in the ring. The way the fights went made me hate the promoters and Ray Robinson. Its hard to like Jake but....

The Greatest Film of the Decade.......2007-08-20

If there was ever a better film to be included in AFI's 10th Anniversary Top Ten list, I wouldn't believe it. This is filmmaking at it's best. Let me begin with the greatest actor working today.

Whenever Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese get together it's cinematic gold. Only years prior they created the iconic character of Travis Bickle. Now, in 1980, they create another iconic screen character: Jake La Motta. Jake La Motta was a New York boxer known as The Raging Bull and Scorsese and De Niro brought him to screen better than any other boxing character in history. Robert De Niro's dedication to this role really shows as, even to this day, I look past the actor, as legendary as he is, and only see Jake La Motta, a troubled but talented man.

I highly recommend this movie. It shows a character study second to almost none. Each one of Scorsese/De Niro's characters leave you with a different feeling. For eight movies now, (Mean Streets (Special Edition), Taxi Driver (Two-Disc Collector's Edition), New York, New York, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, GoodFellas (Two-Disc Special Edition), Cape Fear (10th Anniversary Edition), and Casino), Scorsese and De Niro have created memorable characters. Jake La Motta just may well top the list.

Plus, you can't go wrong with this DVD. Just as with the Two Disc Edition to Goodfellas, there's a commentary with Jake La Motta himself. And the featurettes are wonderful. Higly recommended

Excellent!.......2007-08-16

This is more than a 'sports' movie. Robert De Niro's Oscar performance as Jake LaMotta is still one of the best movies made. Scorsese helped bring out a very human side of a temperamental boxer who can't keep it together. The trouble in his personal life soon spills over into the ring. Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci also give wonderful talent to this story. The crumbling relationship between the brothers is especially heartbreaking when we realize Joey seems to be the last thin thread keeping LaMotta from unraveling. When that thread is lost, all hope for the brother's emotional recovery is lost as well.

Chrissy K. McVay - Author

Raging Bull.......2007-07-09

Based on LaMotta's memoirs and filmed in gorgeous black-and-white, Martin Scorsese's gritty, no-holds-barred drama--possibly his greatest--tackles the familiar theme of redemption with blunt force. Oscar winner De Niro, who famously packed on 50 pounds to do the "fat" scenes, is riveting as the brutish Jake, whose primary talent lies in the amount of punishment he can take in the ring. The fight sequences--raw, sweaty, and savage--are bravura pieces of filmmaking. "Raging Bull" may be hard for some viewers to sit through, but Scorsese ultimately leads his protagonist, and us, to a state of grace.

That's Entertainment.......2007-04-15

I don't think I could say a single thing about "Raging Bull" that someone else hasn't said before me. Even though it's acclaimed frequently as one of the greatest films of all time (rightfully so), it's unjustly billed as a sports film. A boxing movie. It's because of this that it took me so long to see it in the first place. Sure, it's a biopic about a boxer and boxing plays a big part in the film but it's not a sports film. It's a film about a troubled man and his sexual insecurities disguised as a boxing movie. Robert DeNiro (who won the Oscar for the role) plays boxer Jake La Motta; a man who lost a few matches but was never knocked out. A man who would take hundreds of punches just to land one. La Motta, who is vying for the championship, soon meets the 15-year-old blonde bombshell Vickie (Cathy Moriarty) whom he soon marries. Problem is, Jake doesn't trust her (or really anyone around him) and is constantly paranoid about what his wife does. In one pivotal scene, when Vickie mentions that a boxer Jake is about to fight is cute, he beats the boy to a pulp causing a man to lean over to his friend in the audience and say "he ain't pretty no more." Even Jake's brother Joey (Joe Pesci, who should've beat Timothy Hutton for the Oscar) falls prey to Jake's paranoia. Anyone who says DeNiro's performance is incredible is understating it massively. This film displays the best performance I've ever seen by DeNiro and, easily, one of the best performances ever. The things he does for this role are absolutely incredible; From the way he makes his body look from the beginning of the film to the end of the film, to his fake nose, just everything about it...Tour de force has never been a used more appropriately than to describe his performance. Martin Scorsese is a magnificent director who has a long filmography filled with masterpieces, but I wouldn't be stretching the truth by suggesting that "Raging Bull" may very well be his best film. It's no wonder The American Film Institute ranks it as the 24th best film of all time and the reason it is still talked about today. It seems that even though "Ordinary People" beat it out for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, I'm almost positive that years from now "Raging Bull" will most be remembered. If you've never considered seeing "Raging Bull" because it doesn't seem like your type of movie, than you have no idea what you're missing. If you hadn't had a chance to see it yet, but want to, you should see it not. It's a masterpiece of cinema and truly deserves to be called one of the one hundred best films of all time.

GRADE: A

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Raging Bull My Review
The Greatest Film of the Decade
Excellent!
Raging Bull
That's Entertainment

Raging Bull (Special Edition)
Starring: Frank Adonis , Bernie Allen , Floyd Anderson (II) , Rita Bennett (III) , and Joseph Bono
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00062IVKS
Release Date: 2005-02-08

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Description

Customer Reviews:

Raging Bull My Review.......2007-08-20

The Greatest Film of the Decade.......2007-08-20

Excellent!.......2007-08-16

Raging Bull.......2007-07-09

That's Entertainment.......2007-04-15

The Martin Scorsese Film Collection (New York, New York / Raging Bull Special Edition / The Last Waltz / Boxcar Bertha)

Average customer rating:

A classic and a few gems
Very good film collection.
Worth it, but be careful where your tastes lie.
Fantastic Box Set!
A must for Scorsese fans

The Martin Scorsese Film Collection (New York, New York / Raging Bull Special Edition / The Last Waltz / Boxcar Bertha)
Starring: Martin Scorsese Film Collection
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00062IVL2
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Amazon.com

Two major collections of Martin Scorsese DVDs were released within a year. While the Warner set contains more popular films, this MGM set digs deeper. It combines a new, knockout two-disc edition of Raging Bull, the concert film The Last Waltz, and two Scorsese curios--Boxcar Bertha and, making its DVD debut, New York, New York. Bertha (1972) is Scorsese's first Hollywood film, a low-budget Roger Corman film adding sex to a Bonnie and Clyde formula of train-robbing outlaws starring Barbara Hershey and David Carradine. After seeing the film, John Cassavetes told Scorsese what he already knew--"make a movie about something you really care about"--thus providing the spark for Scorsese to make Mean Streets and turn his career around.

After Taxi Driver, Scorsese went musical. The Last Waltz (1978), a record of the Band's 1976 farewell performance is a solid candidate for the best-ever concert film. Using the lessons learned as assistant director/editor on Woodstock, Scorsese storyboarded as much of the live concert as he could and relied on expert cinematographers to handle the tough shoot (big cameras needing constant attention for the live event). Scorsese's earthy interview segments were parodied in This Is Spinal Tap a few years later. New York, New York (1977) was Scorsese's attempt to recreate the musicals of his youth. He added the realistic flair of a modern film, but re-created the vintage look and style, with mixed results. The design and music are lavishly produced, but the story involving Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro doesn't click. This "director's cut" has been around for years on home video. The new commentary by Scorsese is interesting, but there's too much dry by-the-facts talk from film critic Carrie Rickey. The DVD extras are plentiful and far more engaging with the new edition of Raging Bull (1979), a Scorsese masterpiece of design and effect following the tumultuous times of prizefighter Jake La Motta (Robert De Niro in an Oscar-winning performance). --Doug Thomas

Description

Disc 1: NEW YORK, NEW YORK Disc 2: BOXCAR BERTHA Disc 3: THE LAST WALTZ Disc 4: RAGING BULL SPECIAL EDITION

Customer Reviews:

A classic and a few gems.......2007-03-23

For a Scorsese fan, this is an excellent box set. The two-disk special edition of Raging Bull is fantastic and it has a beautiful transfer as well. New York,New York is one of Scorsese's most underrated films, Scorsese speaks about the film on the special features and it is very insightful and informative. The Last Waltz is a very nice dvd, not as strong of a documentary as I would like but the Joni Mitchell performance alone makes it a worthwhile dvd plus it has some excellent special features as well. Boxcar Bertha is a great dvd to have for any film enthusiast, in Boxcar Bertha you can see the makings of a great director and how Scorsese took a rather generic script and breathed a bit of life into it.

Overall this is a very nice box set for a Scorsese fan or Film Enthusiast

Very good film collection........2006-05-17

Being a huge Scorsese fan I was excited when I ordered this boxset from Amazon and I definetely thought that it was worth it cause I haven't seen his first rare film Boxcar Bertha and New York, New York. I didn't care if any of the films had a ton of special features just as long as I got the films themselves and this collection boxset was a great deal. Boxcar Bertha was definetely the weakest film in the collection but this being Martin's debut film it didn't matter cause he is one of the greatest and highly respected directors of all time.

Boxcar Bertha is the story of a life of crime of a young girl (Barbara Hershey) who after watching her father die in an horrific crash gains revenge on his boss. On the run she joins up with gangsters and train robbers in a remoreseless campaign of crime 2/5 stars.

New York, New York is known to be one of Scorsese lost films and the reason was because it was a failure. The film is a musical taking place after WWII where Robert Deniro plays a lounge performer saxiphonist named Jimmy Doyle who's sucesful career is fustrating his relationship with a talented singer played by Liza Minnelli and yet they seem to try and make things better, the film was average if you can handle a 3 hour musical then you might like it more 3/5 stars.

The last waltz is a very good concert documentary that was filmed during the farewell concert of 'The band' on Thanksgiving day in 1976 and also features performaces from some of the most influential bands of that time like Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Joni Mitchel etc. a phenomenal concert film that unless you like the music then your going to love it but if not then forget it 5/5 stars.

Raging Bull is one of Scorsese's masterpiece, shot beautifuly in black and white the story is based on the true life of heavyweight boxer Jake La Motta and how he rised to fame but then quickly fell and became an almost unrecognisable person and his failing marriage which failed because of his constant paranoia and jealosy for his wife. This film is excellent and comes with a ton of extras on the 20th anniversary eddition 2 disc set, Deniro won his second oscar in this film which was well deserved I highly recomend this great drama/sports film 5/5 stars.

Worth it, but be careful where your tastes lie........2005-09-07

This collection might as well be called "Scorsese's Collection of Twos." It has two PG movies, two R movies. It has two music-based movies, two non-music based movies. It has two good movies, two not-so-good movies. It has two special editions and a two-disc collector's edition. Two movies are biopics.

Despite the seemingly arbitrariness of the details above, they're actually very important when it comes to defining and refining your tastes. If you're not much of a musical fan, why buy something that's fifty-percent what you don't like? If you're wanting some extreme Scorsese-dom, why get fifty percent PG movies? All told it's a matter of what you want to get out of this set.

When it comes to price, it's largely worth it merely for the edition of Raging Bull it includes and The Last Waltz, which I found to be a largely underappreciated movie. Boxcar Bertha is actually quite terrible and should only be viewed by people who are looking for Bonnie and Clyde-like stories. New York, New York is really good but very difficult to watch.

Considering price-versus-outcome analysis, it'd probably be better to get the Raging Bull collector's edition by itself and maybe one of the other films if you're interested. The cost would roughly come out the same and it wouldn't take as much space. However, if you have the space, why not get two other films basically as a bonus and have a rather nice case to hold them all in?

What I'm saying is that if you're a Raging Bull fan, get that. If you're a Scorsese fan, get this. Whatever the case, it's definitely important to know quite what you're getting, so if any of the films in this collection are something of a blind-buy to you, read separate reviews for them specifically to figure out how much you're really paying for what you want.

--PolarisDiB

Fantastic Box Set!.......2005-02-14

If you bought this Martin Scorsese Film Collection & The Martin Scorsese Collection (released last year), you would have a definitive overview of the greatest American film director ever. This box set contains three of Scorsese's more underappreciated films and quite possibly the best film ever made, Raging Bull. The 2 disc edition of Raging Bull is a monumental release. The original DVD had been out of print for years, and it contained no special features, bu this release is packed with great features. There are 4! documentaries on the making of the film, which have new interviews with everyone involved, even the elusive Robert Deniro. The picture & sound are both improvements over the original DVD as well as he packaging. In fact the packaging for the entire box set is probably the most sturdy and easy to handle packaging of any box set that I own (and that is quite a few), especially when comparing it to the flimsy packaging of the other Scorsese box set. So, if your consider yourself a film buff of any kind, this set is essential. Buy this box set & the other Scorsese box set, then pick up Last Temptation of Christ, Casino, King of Comedy, & Gangs of New York and then you can bask in the glory of one of the true geniuses of modern cinema.

A must for Scorsese fans.......2005-02-11

Martin Scorsese is one of the world's greatest filmmakers living today. At first, this may seem like so much over-inflated hype, and to be sure, he would be the first to avoid this title, but think, for a moment, about a handful of the films this man has done: Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, and GoodFellas. All of these films have received numerous awards, they are studied extensively in film classes all over the world, and have been well-received critically, while also gradually developing a loyal following of admirers consisting of not only of discerning cineastes but other filmmakers who are inspired by both the content of his films and the style in which they are presented. Scorsese has made several films that are generally regarded as landmark works that continue to entertain and inspire future generations.

Included with each DVD is a theatrical trailer for its corresponding movie.

New York, New York features a fine collection of extras, including an audio commentary by Scorsese and film critic Carrie Rickey, who proceeds to put the movie into context and gives a brief run-down of the down-beat musical sub-genre. Scorsese is a great talker with an encyclopedic knowledge of film, making this a must-listen for fans.

Scorsese introduces the movie and describes it as a love affair between two creative people. He wanted to recreate the artifice of old Hollywood movies but with realistically behaving characters a la the films of John Cassavetes.

Also included are 15 alternate takes/deleted scenes totaling 19 minutes that involved a lot of improvising between the actors.

There is a "Photo Gallery" that contains a decent collection on the set pictures, French lobby cards, posters, storyboards and stills of the cast and crew.

There are two audio commentaries for The Last Waltz. The first one features Scorsese and Robbie Robertson. The veteran musician's comments are screen-specific as he offers fantastic observations about the music and the musicians in a conversational tone that is very engaging as if you are sitting in his living room watching it with him over drinks. The second track features a number of participants: journalist/screenwriter Jay Cocks, music critic Greil Marcus, the film's executive producer Jonathan Taplin and others. Taplin talks about how he got Scorsese and Robertson together while the former was making New York, New York, while Marcus examines the songs and their significance on this informative track.

"Archival Outtakes: Jam 2" is 12 minute informal jam session that occurred towards the end of the concert with members of The Band, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Neil Young and others. It's great to see these legends rockin' out together.

"Revisiting The Last Waltz" is an excellent 22 minute retrospective featurette that includes new interviews with Scorsese and Robertson. It shows how meticulously Scorsese storyboarded and planned out the entire concert. One really gets an appreciation of how much work went into this film.

There is also a photo gallery with concert, studio and New York City premiere pictures as well as posters.

Raging Bull has the most impressive selection of extras. First up are three audio commentaries. The first one is with Scorsese and his long-time editor Thelma Schoonmaker (taken from the Criterion laser disc). Their comments are often screen-specific as they talk about how certain scenes were put together in this engaging, informative track. The second commentary features cast and crew, including producer Irwin Winkler, cinematographer Michael Chapman and others. Chapman dominates the track, talking about the effects of lighting and camera movements in given scenes. Finally, the last track features screenwriters Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader and the Raging Bull himself, Jake La Motta. The aging boxer recounts childhood memories and how he learned to fight, providing fascinating insight into the mentality of a boxer.

There are four featurettes, made specifically for this DVD, that cover various aspects of the movie and include new interviews with all the major cast and crew members, including Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarity, Joe Pesci, Paul Schrader and Frank Vincent. They vary in length but are all quite substantial and provide incredible insight into how this important film was made.

"The Bronx Bull" features various contemporary British film critics who talk about why Raging Bull is such a great movie and how it was savaged by reviewers in its day.

"De Niro vs. La Motta" is a shot for shot comparison of Scorsese's film with actual pictures and footage of La Motta. It's amazing to see how well De Niro resembled the real person and how closely Scorsese recreated some of his fights.

"La Motta Defends Title" is vintage newsreel footage of one of La Motta's actual fights.

Average customer rating:

How the Sex, Drugs & Rock n' Roll Generation nearly killed Hollywood...
Intro. to 1970's Independent Film
A Glance at the Second Golden Age of Cinema
Glad I recorded it from TV.
Good documentary with some teeth missing

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls
Starring: Michael Phillips , Mike Medavoy , Tony Bill , Monte Hellman , and Sylvia Miles
Director: Kenneth Bowser
Manufacturer: Shout Factory Theatr
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001MDQ9E
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Amazon.com

This BBC production is a companion to Peter Biskind's 1998 book by the same name, an excellent dish on the 1970s American movie scene. It roughly follows the same path, tracing how maverick filmmakers revitalized Hollywood, from Dennis Hopper's Easy Rider to the triumphant quartet of Coppola/Lucas/Spielberg/Scorsese. Any fan will want to listen in as nearly 50 actors and artists remember the day. However, the star meter is on low wattage, with today's most successful directors only talked about, and seen in often bemusingly vintage clips. The better-produced, higher-star-wattage A Decade Under the Influence covers much of the same ground. An on-screen Biskind would have helped matters, but he is nowhere to be seen. Yet there are moments from the book that come to life, be it grainy home movies from Jennifer Salt and Margot Kidder's notorious beach house or Roman Polanski's emotional press conference after the murder of his wife Sharon Tate. The DVD boasts a second disc of extended interviews on numerous subjects, many of which were not covered in the 119-minute film. --Doug Thomas

Description

This 2-DVD set is Kenneth Bowser's BBC-produced documentary of Peter Biskind's controversial, best-selling book. It chronicles the evolution of a new breed of filmmaker who, in the late '60s and '70s, exploded old Hollywood, in the process redefining the very nature of movies. The results were edgy, impressionistic pictures—The Godfather, Easy Rider, Mean Streets, Midnight Cowboy, Rosemary's Baby, Taxi Driver—by maverick, now-legendary directors: Scorsese, Coppola, Lucas, Altman, Polanski, Peckinpah.

In bringing the celebrated book to the screen, director Bowser employed some adventurous filmmaking of his own. Narrated by William H. Macy, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls features vintage clips of the directors who defined the movement; original interviews with such directors as Arthur Penn and John Milius, actors such as Peter Fonda and Richard Dreyfus and more.

• Over 1.5 additional hours of deleted and extended footage. • Narrated by critically acclaimed actor William H. Macy.

• Features vintage clips of Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Warren Beatty, George Lucas, Sam Peckinpah, Roman Polanski, and others. • Bonus disc offers "mini-docs" featuring Dennis Hopper, Richard Dreyfuss, Ellen Burstyn, Cybil Shepherd, Peter Bogdanovich, Paul Schrader, John Milius, Peter Bart and others. • Official Selection of Festival de Cannes 2003 and Deauville 2003 Festival du Cinema American.

Customer Reviews:

How the Sex, Drugs & Rock n' Roll Generation nearly killed Hollywood..........2007-05-24

As a glorification, and explanation, of the wonderful 70's Hollywood industry, it's a great little documentary. Plenty of clips from films, interviews with major players, and a decent time line of the indies that left some indelible cultural marks on the country. Sadly the people glorifying this era don't quite understand that almost ALL these efforts were merely the decaying underflesh of an industry abandoned to delinquents bent on an experimental rampage.

Anyone remember the early seventies films? The companies? Movies were crashing hard and fast, few between made a splash, and what we now know as a blockbuster didn't exist. MGM was rolling up the awning and selling off the red carpet due to the absolutely paltry turn out of money making films. And why was that? Films were lame most of the time. The memorable films of that era generally apply to those who lived through the time with fond memories or juvenile hipsters today.

Q: But what DID save the movie industry? A: STAR WARS.

Though films like Godfather, Annie Hall, and Chinatown were well visited, they didn't make the industry over and revive a business from near collapse. Jaws was the first sign of a true block buster, but was really just a well made horror film. Star Wars, though, was a family entertainment using every bit of design and technology available to put a fresh spin of archetypal classic story. And what a success it was. Despite the film industry not recognizing the reasons of success of that film for years to come, it began a flood of revitalizing public interest in Hollywood due to the upbeat entertainment being the remedy for the awful hell hole the 70's was.

Nerds saved Hollywood. And you can hear the anger and resentment in one celebrity on this documentary as she describes how disturbing it was for her that these two geeks succeeded where the 'cool people' who deserved success weren't recognized.

A great window into the excesses of a generation brought to life in low budget, generally wide release film of the time. And if you are smart enough this is a primer on the arrogance and stupidity of cliques within the Hollywood film community bent on self gratification rather then international escapist product.

Intro. to 1970's Independent Film.......2006-08-21

This is a kind of Independent Film of the Seventies 101. It's a good solid introductory course that explains just what forces conspired to make the early seventies the moment for the film artist or auteur. If you are already familiar with early seventies cinema and have seen Easy Rider, Bonnie and Clyde and Badlands plenty of times then what you need is a graduate seminar on one particular area of cinema (Marty Scorcese's MY VOYAGE TO ITALY for instance is an excellent overview of Italian cinema and Italian cinema's influence on the American independents).

Both EASY RIDERS & RAGING BULLS and that other documentary on seventies cinema A DECADE UNDER THE INFLUENCE came out at about the same time and both really cover the same ground. Film students and film buffs will already be familiar with the story of what happened to the studio system in the late sixties and just why film students like Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg and Scorcese were allowed to make the kinds of gritty realist films that they wanted to make. Both of these documentaries are good solid introductions to early seventies independent cinema but neither will be enough to satisfy the film connoisseur.

The reason these overview documentaries are unsatisfying is because they deal only in generalities and they do not have time to explore what drove each independent artist to make the films they made and so the documentaries just feel like yearbooks of the directors and stars waxing about their youth which was a time when the artist reigned supreme. It was no doubt a heady time when experiment was encouraged (by a few prescient and opportunistic producers who knew Hollywood needed new formulas for bringing young people to the theatres and who also knew that these young filmmakers just might hold the key to those new formulas). This was a generation brought up on foreign films and they were taught to believe that film could be art. A lot of them made some art but also a lot of them made a lot of money as well. The heyday of independence lasted only about seven or eight years (roughly 1967-1975) and it ended once the studios realized that the big money was in marketing the cr*p out of a new kind of blockbuster (Jaws, Star Wars, Alien)that appealed to the widest demographic possible. The other reason the era of the independents waned was because some of the independent film makers began spending vast amounts of cash on outrageous projects (Apocaplypse Now, Heaven's Gate)that didn't translate into box office sales. So there were those who blamed Spielberg and Lucas for their successes in crafting a new kind of formula picture that still dominates the industry today; and there were those who blamed the end of the era on Coppola's and Cimono's excesses. But this is a story that many are already very familiar with.

The kind of documentary I would like to see is one that explores the lesser celebrated genres (horror, sci fi, exploitation, avant-garde cinema) and the lesser celeberated directors like Donald Cammell and Joseph Losey and Nic Roeg (as well as some of the stranger foreign influences on American & English directors of the seventies). This documentary is fine for those who are not yet tired of Coppola and Altman and Scorcese and the other oft celebrated bright lights of seventies cinema who will all no doubt get lifetime achievement awards. But a really good documentary tries to break new ground not just reiterate what is already common knowledge. One way to do this might have been to interview young directors and ask them about their influences and maybe even interview a group of young directors along with some of the older directors and get some interesting conversations going about where cinema has been and where its going.

As it is this documentary like A DECADE UNDER THE INFLUENCE is just a popular history. The names of the directors represented here and the list of films will surprise no one. A worthy introduction for beginners but not a very daring or groundbreaking take on a fascinating fistful of years in film history.

A Glance at the Second Golden Age of Cinema.......2005-04-27

"Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" is an orgy for movie lovers. How can anyone who loves film not be in heaven at the constant parade of landmark films and key industry figures that charges across the screen in this fast-paced documentary? If you've read the book, the movie will feel cursory, and one will find himself wishing for more detail, more insider stories. There are curious omissions here, and wonders if Bowser structured his content based on who he could get to agree to interviews. Altman is hardly mentioned, Scorsese (who shows up everywhere talking about movies) is not interviewed, and Kubrick isn't mentioned at all (save for one shot of the "2001" poster). Still, what's there is great, and if you're like me, you'll be left with a twinge of sadness that such a rich time in film artistry seems to be gone forever.

Grade: A-

Glad I recorded it from TV........2005-04-11

I haven't seen all of this, yet, but while it's an interesting look at the films and film makers - an interesting documentary - I'm glad I got it off of TV - I would't want to buy it or own it. I plan to erase it after I have seen it.

Good documentary with some teeth missing.......2005-03-04

As a subject, the explosion of creativity in 1970's cinema is absolutely bursting with possibility. And since most of the principal players are not only still alive but still working, there should be a fantastic documentary to be made about the period...but "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" is not that documentary, I'm sorry to say.

There are some major figures from the era involved here (Peter Bogdanovich, Paul Schrader, Ellen Burstyn, Richard Dreyfuss, Dennis Hopper, Karen Black), but simply not enough to sustain a 2-hour film. Among the missing are Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Altman, Woody Allen, Robert Evans, Michael Douglas, Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood, Jane Fonda...oh, God, the list goes on. We're presented with a vague background, the collapse of the studio system and the rise of the counter-culture and European cinema, but we see precious little of it onscreen. The participants are filmed against a black background, they talk, we see a short film clip, and back to the black talking. Considering the astonishing originality of the period being discussed you'd think some of it would leak into the documentary. No go.

To be sure, what's here is decent and interesting, but this decade deserves a real, hands-on exploration. How about somebody who was THERE getting on the job? Surely Dennis Hopper could put together a spectacular piece of cinematic art on the Seventies...and who'd turn down the man who directed "Easy Rider", freeing Hollywood from the dust of old men and launching the second Golden Age of American movies? C'mon, Dennis, let's go! While we're young!

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Raging Bull My Review
The Greatest Film of the Decade
Excellent!
Raging Bull
That's Entertainment

Raging Bull
Starring: Frank Adonis , Bernie Allen , Floyd Anderson (II) , Rita Bennett (III) , and Joseph Bono
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0792833236
Release Date: 2000-01-01

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Customer Reviews:

Raging Bull My Review.......2007-08-20

The Greatest Film of the Decade.......2007-08-20

Excellent!.......2007-08-16

Raging Bull.......2007-07-09

That's Entertainment.......2007-04-15

Sports Giftset (Bull Durham / Hoosiers / Raging Bull / Rocky )

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Sports Giftset (Bull Durham / Hoosiers / Raging Bull / Rocky )
Starring: Norris , Lynch , Prophet , Zale , and Colo
Manufacturer: ANTOnline
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000O17B2U
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Charlie Rose with Martin Scorsese (January 16, 1998)

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Charlie Rose with Martin Scorsese (January 16, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Charlie Rose with Martin Scorsese; Barbara De Fina (November 17, 1995)

ASIN: B000IU34FA
Release Date: 2006-09-18

Description

Charlie talks to Martin Scorsese for the hour. Scorsese began his career at NYU film school, where he drew notice for his gritty realism and inventive camera work. His filmography features some of the classics of contemporary cinema, including Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas. He has challenged the medium with such diverse films as The Last Temptation of Christ and The Age of Innocence. Tonight, Scorsese is on to discuss his life, a new book, A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies, and a new film, Kundun.

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Raging Bull

ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0006ZXTRU

Description

Robert De Niro teams with director Martin Scorsese in this "extraordinarily compelling" (Leonard Maltin) film that introduced unflinching realism to stunned audiences in 1980. An "exceedingly violentas well as poetic" fight picture that maps "the landscape of the soul" (The New York Times),Raging Bull garnered eight Oscar® nominations* and won two, including Best Actor for De Niro. De Niro gives the performance of his career as Jake La Motta, a boxer whose psychological and sexual complexities erupt into violence both in and out of the ring. Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty are unforgettable as the brother who falls prey to Jake's mounting paranoia and jealousy, and the fifteen-year-old girl who becomes his most prized trophy. A "brilliantly photographed film of extraordinary power and rare distinction" (The Wall Street Journal), Raging Bullis filmmaking at its riveting best. *1980: Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Pesci), Supporting Actress (Moriarty), Cinematography, Sound, Editing (won)

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Combines two other sports movie giftsets plus 8 additional films

The Ultimate Sports Giftset

Manufacturer: MGM
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NSGUKS
Release Date: 2007-04-10

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Combines two other sports movie giftsets plus 8 additional films.......2007-03-17

This bundle combines two very good sports giftsets:
The Grand Slam Giftset -(Bull Durham/Pride of the Yankees/Eight Men Out/Jackie Robinson Story)
Sports Giftset - (Bull Durham / Hoosiers / Raging Bull / Rocky )
This total of seven movies are five star films, and if your interests are mainly baseball, or you prefer the finest films from several sports, you might be better off getting just one of these two giftsets. However, this Ultimate Sports Giftset also has several good films not included in these other two giftsets, such as the more watchable sequels in the Rocky series - Rocky II and Rocky III, along with That Championship Season, and Diggstown, which is an unusual vehicle for James Woods and Lou Gossett Jr. that did end up working well for both of them. Also included is a rarely seen documentary film from 1970 entitled "AKA Cassius Clay", which has Ali talking about his career with his usual verbal wit along with some great footage of Ali's early career fights.

Finally, there are three films in the turkey category that get slipped into the total package. "Monkey on My Back" is a 1957 film that was supposed to be about fighter Barney Ross. The movie is bad, but the accuracy must have been even worse, because Ross sued the producers of this film over the content and won. "Body and Soul" is not the classic version starring John Garfield. Instead this is the poor 1998 pseudo-remake. There's plenty of bad acting to go around in this movie, and even the good actors seem to think they're all performing in different films. Worst of the pack is the 2002 version of Rollerball. Like many of the 23-year-olds that make today's films, the producers of this remake of the 1975 classic just don't get that the original was great because of its portrayal of futuristic society, not because of violent action scenes. Weighing the good with the bad, this set is probably worth purchasing for the 12 good films in the bunch.

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Raging Bull [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004VY3D

DVD:

DVD

DVD