Raging Bull (1980)
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Wikidata Q220780, film, IMDb tt0081398, TMDB 1578: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by episode credits Martin Scorsese as director (The Color of Money with Chris Ryan); 8 more episodes agree.
What a model would be handed about it, for corpus:ask.
In the store as #151, Raging Bull (1980).
The Rewatchables' awards
Picked in other episodes
- Double feature (pick) for Rocky (1976): Offered as the best double feature choice for Rocky. unknown · 1:44:35
Who talked about it
Blank Check with Griffin & David
- David Krumholtz: 5 lines in Raging Bull with David Krumholtz
- Unattributed: 36 lines, the speaker unknown or under 0.5 sure.
Blank Check — Patreon
The Big Picture
The Rewatchables
- Chris Ryan: 2 lines in ‘The Color of Money’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
- Sean Fennessey: 2 lines in ‘Do The Right Thing’ With Sean Fennessey and Wesley Morris · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey
- Bill Simmons: 1 line in ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey
- Unattributed: 2 lines, the speaker unknown or under 0.5 sure.
Came from
What the speakers say it drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.
Annie Hall: 1 line the host's read ×1
-
unmapped (zeitgeist precedent):
Annie Hall ⇒ Raging Bull (the host's read).
Annie Hall established the late-70s map for human-frailty stories with comedy and fragile men, which Scorsese then exploited to horrify.
“part of that map is is Annie Hall.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:32:35 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Italianamerican: 1 line the host's read ×1
-
lineage (dialogue rhythm source):
Italianamerican ⇒ Raging Bull (the host's read).
Scorsese's parents fighting in Italianamerican and American Boy taught him the rhythm replicated in Raging Bull's family fight scenes.
“And so much of his parents fighting in Italian American is the feeling of the family fight scenes in this movie.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:58:33 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
New York, New York: 1 line the host's read ×1
-
career (career crisis):
New York, New York ⇒ Raging Bull (the host's read).
New York, New York's failure and bad reviews, with drugs and a collapsing marriage, pushed Scorsese toward making Raging Bull as a lifeline.
“New York, New York comes out to bad reviews.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:46:51 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
On the Waterfront: 1 line the host's read ×1
-
unmapped (meta ending):
On the Waterfront ⇒ Raging Bull (the host's read).
LaMotta recites the Waterfront monologue flat; the film swapped it in for Shakespeare, which Michael Powell vetoed.
“So they they instead go for the on the waterfront because that's kind of like that's his iconography.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:55:17 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Rocky: 1 line the maker said so ×1
-
theme (anti-genre):
Rocky ⇒ Raging Bull (the maker said so).
Scorsese shot in black and white to differentiate from Rocky-era bright red-white-and-blue boxing movies, and producer Winkler produced both.
“Number one, I want to differentiate from the Rockies and all the other sort of boxing movies right now.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:08:55 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Led to
What the speakers say drew on it, marked the same way.
The Color of Money: 1 line the host's read ×1
-
people (origin of collaboration):
Raging Bull ⇒ The Color of Money (the host's read).
Newman watched Raging Bull on Ovitz's recommendation and wanted to work with Scorsese.
“Paul Newman watches Raging Bull on, I guess Ovid's his recommendation and says, like, that's one of the best things I've ever seen.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Color of Money with Chris Ryan · 0:53:44 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
The King of Comedy: 1 line the host's read ×1
-
lineage (spiritual sequel):
Raging Bull ⇒ The King of Comedy (the host's read).
King of Comedy is a part-2 of sorts about a delusional comedian, echoing LaMotta's stand-up, and is part of a De Niro trilogy with Taxi Driver.
“There's the king of comedy, the spiritual sequel to Raging Bull.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:55:42 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them)
Connected to
Rocky: 4 lines theme ×1 verdict ×1 people ×1 programming ×1
-
verdict (verdict):
Rocky → Raging Bull.
Raging Bull is the better film aesthetically but Rocky is much more culturally significant.
“Raising Bull is better than this movie, but this movie is like much more, I think, culturally significant than Raging Bull.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:33:29 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
Taxi Driver: 3 lines unmapped ×1 contrast ×1 theme ×1
-
contrast (genre contrast):
Raging Bull → Taxi Driver.
Taxi Driver is a straight drama while Raging Bull is a brutal comedy and tragedy.
“Taxi driver is a straight drama.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:33:11 · David Krumholtz (0.50 sure it was them)
The Color of Money: 3 lines people ×2 unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (rewatchability):
The Color of Money → Raging Bull.
Chris has watched this more often than Raging Bull or The Last Temptation of Christ.
“I've watched it probably more than Raging Bull.”
The Rewatchables · ‘The Color of Money’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:17:12 · Chris Ryan (0.60 sure it was them)
New York, New York: 2 lines career ×1 unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (repetition and improv):
Raging Bull → New York, New York.
Both lean on repeated improvised dialogue, but Raging Bull's repetition is funny and drives the brothers, while New York, New York's is punishing.
“New York has the same very repetitive or cursive improvs, but it's not funny.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:31:42 · David Sims or Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
Ordinary People: 2 lines industry ×2
-
industry (Oscar upset):
Ordinary People → Raging Bull.
Raging Bull lost Best Picture to Ordinary People, which Bill still rates better than Out of Africa.
“I think for when he lost Raging Bull, 2 ordinary people, when he lost the best film.”
The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:21:01 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
The King of Comedy: 2 lines lineage ×1 unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (next Scorsese film):
Raging Bull → The King of Comedy.
King of Comedy follows Raging Bull and is when Marty starts sweating about box office again.
“The next one, king of comedy, that's the one where I feel like Marty, again, is starting to sweat”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:05:42 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
After Hours: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (tonal shift):
After Hours → Raging Bull.
Raging Bull is realistic, documentary-like black and white; After Hours is a surreal fever-nightmare with a moving camera, a shift for Scorsese.
“Raging Bull, shot in black and white, almost feels like documentaries.”
The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:29:18 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
Annie Hall: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (zeitgeist precedent):
Raging Bull → Annie Hall.
Annie Hall established the late-70s map for human-frailty stories with comedy and fragile men, which Scorsese then exploited to horrify.
“part of that map is is Annie Hall.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:32:35 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Cape Fear: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (emotion Scorsese wants):
Raging Bull → Cape Fear.
Speaker lists Cape Fear alongside panic and embarrassment as the visceral feelings Scorsese is after.
“Feel something so visceral, panic, you know, fear, cape fear, embarrassment”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:29:15 · David Krumholtz (0.40 sure it was them)
Citizen Kane: 1 line industry ×1
-
industry (misunderstood at release):
Raging Bull → Citizen Kane.
Critics like Pauline Kael panning Raging Bull is compared to audiences not getting Citizen Kane at the time.
“Yeah, people didn't get Citizen Kane at the time.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:02:33 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them)
Do the Right Thing: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (decade bookend):
Raging Bull → Do the Right Thing.
Raging Bull (1980) and Do the Right Thing (1989) bookend the decade as New York movies.
“Raging Bull, 1980. Do the right thing, 1989.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Do The Right Thing’ With Sean Fennessey and Wesley Morris · 0:32:57 · Sean Fennessey (0.70 sure it was them)
Goodfellas: 1 line verdict ×1
-
verdict (Scorsese repeats himself better):
Raging Bull → Goodfellas.
Frank Vincent keeps getting beaten in Scorsese movies, and Goodfellas does the same thing a second time better.
“Scorsese going, I can do this twice and no one's, and it'll be better the 2nd time.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:49:34 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.35 sure it was them)
Grudge Match: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (joke counter-reference):
Raging Bull → Grudge Match.
Trump's complaint that De Niro made one too many boxing pictures is corrected: De Niro made Raging Bull and Grudge Match, versus Stallone.
“He made Raging Bull.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:42:08 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them)
Inglourious Basterds: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (meta ending):
Raging Bull → Inglourious Basterds.
Raging Bull's ending where Scorsese says it is his masterpiece resembles Tarantino's closing line in Inglourious Basterds.
“It's it's akin to what Tarantino later did in inglorious Bastards.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:11:18 · David Krumholtz (0.60 sure it was them)
Italianamerican: 1 line lineage ×1
-
lineage (dialogue rhythm source):
Raging Bull → Italianamerican.
Scorsese's parents fighting in Italianamerican and American Boy taught him the rhythm replicated in Raging Bull's family fight scenes.
“And so much of his parents fighting in Italian American is the feeling of the family fight scenes in this movie.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:58:33 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Killers of the Flower Moon: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (dim protagonist):
Killers of the Flower Moon → Raging Bull.
Jake LaMotta cited as an earlier dim Scorsese protagonist.
“You could say this is true of Jake Lamata.”
The Big Picture · ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Is Astounding · 0:24:25 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)
Mean Streets: 1 line people ×1
-
people (director in love with a star):
Raging Bull → Mean Streets.
Mean Streets feels like a director falling in love with De Niro, which carries through to this film.
“Well, you watch Mean Streets and it feels like watching a director fall in love.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:56:08 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Michael Powell: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (mentor advice):
Michael Powell → Raging Bull.
Powell noted the gloves would not have been red in that era and rejected Shakespeare for the ending.
“the gloves wouldn't be red back then, because he had, like, red boxing gloves.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:08:39 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Midnight Cowboy: 1 line craft ×1
-
craft (anti-hero structure):
Raging Bull → Midnight Cowboy.
Midnight Cowboy has an innocent at the center to balance Ratso; Raging Bull is the Rizzo movie with no such cushion.
“But this is the Razzo Rizzo movie, sort of, and again, another reason, they don't they can't make this today.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:33:33 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
On the Waterfront: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (meta ending):
Raging Bull → On the Waterfront.
LaMotta recites the Waterfront monologue flat; the film swapped it in for Shakespeare, which Michael Powell vetoed.
“So they they instead go for the on the waterfront because that's kind of like that's his iconography.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:55:17 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Private Benjamin: 1 line industry ×1
-
industry (same box-office weekend):
Private Benjamin → Raging Bull.
Private Benjamin was number one while Raging Bull limped to number 10 in its opening release.
“Is it Private Benjamin?”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:06:48 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Rupert Pupkin / The King of Comedy: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (unlikeable protagonist):
Raging Bull → Rupert Pupkin / The King of Comedy.
The hosts compare how date-able Scorsese-De Niro characters are: LaMotta has some swagger, Pupkin is annoying, Jimmy Doyle is worst.
“But La Mata is similar, but I guess he has some swagger to him initially he sort of can, like, you can see.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:08:08 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Scent of a Woman: 1 line people ×1
-
people (Mount Rushmore of performances):
Raging Bull → Scent of a Woman.
Compared as top male leading performances; Raging Bull placed alongside Pacino's Godfather work and Scent of a Woman as a joke number one.
“No, I think I think it's like it's Raging Bull.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:21:02 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back: 1 line industry ×1
-
industry (Oscar rival):
Raging Bull → Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.
Best Sound went to Empire rather than Raging Bull, with a joke about the high bar.
“Look, it did go to the Empire Strikes Back, which does have pretty good sound.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:14:48 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Tess: 1 line industry ×1
-
industry (Oscar rival):
Raging Bull → Tess.
Tess won cinematography over Raging Bull, which the speakers find shocking.
“What did Tess, the Polanski film, which I'm sure Jeffrey Unsworth?”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:25:54 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Vincent D'Onofrio: 1 line unmapped ×1
-
unmapped (weight-gain record):
Raging Bull → Vincent D'Onofrio.
D'Onofrio's weight gain is claimed to top De Niro's in Raging Bull.
“There was sort of the victory lap of like he gained 10 more pounds than De Niro in Raging Bull.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Full Metal Jacket with Jon Gabrus (Ad-Free) · 1:21:09 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story: 1 line craft ×1
-
craft (biopic structure):
Raging Bull → Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
Schrader's draft intercut a whole life like the later Dewey Cox style that many biopics now follow, before Raging Bull used bookends and one flashback.
“Dewey Cox style originally was more the structure of the movie.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:59:47 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Where it came up
- passing in Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie, first at 0:11:10, 2 times
- compared in Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Color of Money with Chris Ryan, first at 0:33:25, 6 times
- subject in Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz, first at 0:03:03, 60 times
- compared in The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey, first at 0:14:03, 5 times
- compared in The Rewatchables · ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan, first at 1:33:18, 9 times
- compared in The Rewatchables · ‘The Color of Money’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey, first at 0:17:12, 1 time
- compared in The Rewatchables · ‘Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood’ Live From Sundance With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan, first at 0:04:40, 1 time
- compared in The Rewatchables · ‘Do The Right Thing’ With Sean Fennessey and Wesley Morris, first at 0:32:57, 2 times
- compared in The Rewatchables · ‘The Departed’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan, first at 0:12:00, 1 time
- compared in The Big Picture · ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Is Astounding, first at 0:24:25, 1 time
- passing in Blank Check — Patreon · Panic Room with Eva Anderson (Ad-Free), first at 1:20:54, 1 time
- passing in Blank Check — Patreon · Full Metal Jacket with Jon Gabrus (Ad-Free), first at 1:21:09, 1 time
- anecdote in Blank Check — Patreon · 2001: A Space Odyssey with Jordan Hoffman (Ad-Free), first at 1:46:38, 1 time
What was said about it, by kind
career (1)
-
career (career crisis):
New York, New York → Raging Bull.
New York, New York's failure and bad reviews, with drugs and a collapsing marriage, pushed Scorsese toward making Raging Bull as a lifeline.
“New York, New York comes out to bad reviews.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:46:51 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
contrast (1)
-
contrast (genre contrast):
Raging Bull → Taxi Driver.
Taxi Driver is a straight drama while Raging Bull is a brutal comedy and tragedy.
“Taxi driver is a straight drama.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:33:11 · David Krumholtz (0.50 sure it was them)
craft (2)
-
craft (biopic structure):
Raging Bull → Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
Schrader's draft intercut a whole life like the later Dewey Cox style that many biopics now follow, before Raging Bull used bookends and one flashback.
“Dewey Cox style originally was more the structure of the movie.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:59:47 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
craft (anti-hero structure):
Raging Bull → Midnight Cowboy.
Midnight Cowboy has an innocent at the center to balance Ratso; Raging Bull is the Rizzo movie with no such cushion.
“But this is the Razzo Rizzo movie, sort of, and again, another reason, they don't they can't make this today.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:33:33 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
industry (6)
-
industry (Oscar rival):
Raging Bull → Tess.
Tess won cinematography over Raging Bull, which the speakers find shocking.
“What did Tess, the Polanski film, which I'm sure Jeffrey Unsworth?”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:25:54 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
industry (Oscar rival):
Raging Bull → Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.
Best Sound went to Empire rather than Raging Bull, with a joke about the high bar.
“Look, it did go to the Empire Strikes Back, which does have pretty good sound.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:14:48 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
industry (Oscar rival):
Raging Bull → Ordinary People.
Ordinary People won best picture over Raging Bull; it was a new kind of film that ended in catharsis, while Raging Bull was subversive and funny.
“This is the ordinary people year, obviously.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:15:52 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
industry (misunderstood at release):
Raging Bull → Citizen Kane.
Critics like Pauline Kael panning Raging Bull is compared to audiences not getting Citizen Kane at the time.
“Yeah, people didn't get Citizen Kane at the time.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:02:33 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them) -
industry (same box-office weekend):
Private Benjamin → Raging Bull.
Private Benjamin was number one while Raging Bull limped to number 10 in its opening release.
“Is it Private Benjamin?”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:06:48 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
industry (Oscar upset):
Ordinary People → Raging Bull.
Raging Bull lost Best Picture to Ordinary People, which Bill still rates better than Out of Africa.
“I think for when he lost Raging Bull, 2 ordinary people, when he lost the best film.”
The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:21:01 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
lineage (2)
-
lineage (spiritual sequel):
The King of Comedy → Raging Bull.
King of Comedy is a part-2 of sorts about a delusional comedian, echoing LaMotta's stand-up, and is part of a De Niro trilogy with Taxi Driver.
“There's the king of comedy, the spiritual sequel to Raging Bull.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:55:42 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them) -
lineage (dialogue rhythm source):
Raging Bull → Italianamerican.
Scorsese's parents fighting in Italianamerican and American Boy taught him the rhythm replicated in Raging Bull's family fight scenes.
“And so much of his parents fighting in Italian American is the feeling of the family fight scenes in this movie.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:58:33 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
people (5)
-
people (origin of collaboration):
Raging Bull → The Color of Money.
Newman watched Raging Bull on Ovitz's recommendation and wanted to work with Scorsese.
“Paul Newman watches Raging Bull on, I guess Ovid's his recommendation and says, like, that's one of the best things I've ever seen.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Color of Money with Chris Ryan · 0:53:44 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them) -
people (boxing/pool cinematography):
The Color of Money → Raging Bull.
Boxing is the most cinematic sport because it is contained; billiards is an even tinier version of that.
“A thing, I'm sure we've talked about extensively, on a raging bull episode, but billiards is like an even tinier version of that.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Color of Money with Chris Ryan · 1:23:06 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them) -
people (Mount Rushmore of performances):
Raging Bull → Scent of a Woman.
Compared as top male leading performances; Raging Bull placed alongside Pacino's Godfather work and Scent of a Woman as a joke number one.
“No, I think I think it's like it's Raging Bull.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:21:02 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
people (director in love with a star):
Raging Bull → Mean Streets.
Mean Streets feels like a director falling in love with De Niro, which carries through to this film.
“Well, you watch Mean Streets and it feels like watching a director fall in love.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:56:08 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
people (people):
Raging Bull → Rocky.
Raging Bull maps onto Rocky's cast: Pesci as the Burt Young figure, Moriarty as the Adrian.
“Then you get Pesci kind of playing the Burt Young.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:34:02 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
programming (1)
-
programming (programming):
Rocky → Raging Bull.
Another double-feature choice, Raging Bull, picked by one host.
“I go Raging Bull.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:44:35 · Van Lathan (0.45 sure it was them)
theme (2)
-
theme (anti-genre):
Raging Bull → Rocky.
Scorsese shot in black and white to differentiate from Rocky-era bright red-white-and-blue boxing movies, and producer Winkler produced both.
“Number one, I want to differentiate from the Rockies and all the other sort of boxing movies right now.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:08:55 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
theme (character study trilogy):
Raging Bull → Taxi Driver.
The speaker groups Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and King of Comedy as De Niro plumbing damaged psychologies.
“It's part of a trilogy with Taxi Driver.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:55:47 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them)
unmapped (15)
-
unmapped (unlikeable protagonist):
Raging Bull → Rupert Pupkin / The King of Comedy.
The hosts compare how date-able Scorsese-De Niro characters are: LaMotta has some swagger, Pupkin is annoying, Jimmy Doyle is worst.
“But La Mata is similar, but I guess he has some swagger to him initially he sort of can, like, you can see.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:08:08 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
unmapped (meta ending):
Raging Bull → Inglourious Basterds.
Raging Bull's ending where Scorsese says it is his masterpiece resembles Tarantino's closing line in Inglourious Basterds.
“It's it's akin to what Tarantino later did in inglorious Bastards.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:11:18 · David Krumholtz (0.60 sure it was them) -
unmapped (audience empathy):
Raging Bull → Taxi Driver.
Both make you find something to relate to in a despicable man.
“which is true taxi driver too.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:31:16 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
unmapped (meta ending):
Raging Bull → On the Waterfront.
LaMotta recites the Waterfront monologue flat; the film swapped it in for Shakespeare, which Michael Powell vetoed.
“So they they instead go for the on the waterfront because that's kind of like that's his iconography.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:55:17 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
unmapped (mentor advice):
Michael Powell → Raging Bull.
Powell noted the gloves would not have been red in that era and rejected Shakespeare for the ending.
“the gloves wouldn't be red back then, because he had, like, red boxing gloves.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:08:39 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
unmapped (emotion Scorsese wants):
Raging Bull → Cape Fear.
Speaker lists Cape Fear alongside panic and embarrassment as the visceral feelings Scorsese is after.
“Feel something so visceral, panic, you know, fear, cape fear, embarrassment”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:29:15 · David Krumholtz (0.40 sure it was them) -
unmapped (repetition and improv):
Raging Bull → New York, New York.
Both lean on repeated improvised dialogue, but Raging Bull's repetition is funny and drives the brothers, while New York, New York's is punishing.
“New York has the same very repetitive or cursive improvs, but it's not funny.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:31:42 · David Sims or Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them) -
unmapped (zeitgeist precedent):
Raging Bull → Annie Hall.
Annie Hall established the late-70s map for human-frailty stories with comedy and fragile men, which Scorsese then exploited to horrify.
“part of that map is is Annie Hall.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:32:35 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
unmapped (joke counter-reference):
Raging Bull → Grudge Match.
Trump's complaint that De Niro made one too many boxing pictures is corrected: De Niro made Raging Bull and Grudge Match, versus Stallone.
“He made Raging Bull.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:42:08 · unknown host (0.30 sure it was them) -
unmapped (next Scorsese film):
Raging Bull → The King of Comedy.
King of Comedy follows Raging Bull and is when Marty starts sweating about box office again.
“The next one, king of comedy, that's the one where I feel like Marty, again, is starting to sweat”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:05:42 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
unmapped (tonal shift):
After Hours → Raging Bull.
Raging Bull is realistic, documentary-like black and white; After Hours is a surreal fever-nightmare with a moving camera, a shift for Scorsese.
“Raging Bull, shot in black and white, almost feels like documentaries.”
The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:29:18 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them) -
unmapped (rewatchability):
The Color of Money → Raging Bull.
Chris has watched this more often than Raging Bull or The Last Temptation of Christ.
“I've watched it probably more than Raging Bull.”
The Rewatchables · ‘The Color of Money’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:17:12 · Chris Ryan (0.60 sure it was them) -
unmapped (decade bookend):
Raging Bull → Do the Right Thing.
Raging Bull (1980) and Do the Right Thing (1989) bookend the decade as New York movies.
“Raging Bull, 1980. Do the right thing, 1989.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Do The Right Thing’ With Sean Fennessey and Wesley Morris · 0:32:57 · Sean Fennessey (0.70 sure it was them) -
unmapped (dim protagonist):
Killers of the Flower Moon → Raging Bull.
Jake LaMotta cited as an earlier dim Scorsese protagonist.
“You could say this is true of Jake Lamata.”
The Big Picture · ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Is Astounding · 0:24:25 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them) -
unmapped (weight-gain record):
Raging Bull → Vincent D'Onofrio.
D'Onofrio's weight gain is claimed to top De Niro's in Raging Bull.
“There was sort of the victory lap of like he gained 10 more pounds than De Niro in Raging Bull.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Full Metal Jacket with Jon Gabrus (Ad-Free) · 1:21:09 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)
verdict (2)
-
verdict (Scorsese repeats himself better):
Raging Bull → Goodfellas.
Frank Vincent keeps getting beaten in Scorsese movies, and Goodfellas does the same thing a second time better.
“Scorsese going, I can do this twice and no one's, and it'll be better the 2nd time.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:49:34 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.35 sure it was them) -
verdict (verdict):
Rocky → Raging Bull.
Raging Bull is the better film aesthetically but Rocky is much more culturally significant.
“Raising Bull is better than this movie, but this movie is like much more, I think, culturally significant than Raging Bull.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:33:29 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
Fun items about it
-
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Sound editing: Scorsese insisted every punch and flashbulb be a unique sound. Foley man Frank Warner fired rifles into melons. See the Miami photo scene where the first flash makes a child scream.
“Marty drove everyone crazy because he insisted that every punch, every flashbulb be a unique sound”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:24:40 · David Krumholtz (0.60 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Paul Schrader wrote a 3-page prison masturbation monologue for LaMotta that Scorsese and De Niro cut; Schrader says it was among his best writing.
“Schrader had written a long, like 3 page masturbation monologue in which La Mata is in prison trying to jerk off and failing”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:52:48 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Robert De Niro ate his way through Northern Italy and France for four months between shoots to gain the weight for older LaMotta, a pasta tour.
“He just goes to Northern Italy and France for 4 months stuffing his face to get the weight to play later, J. Cole.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:54:38 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Scorsese reportedly conceived of the Raging Bull ending as a plea: I deserve to make films. The hosts call it a pat on the back and a bold meta statement.
“I'm making more than just a film about a boxer.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:56:48 · David Krumholtz (0.50 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
The ending Bible passage, Once I was blind but now I can see, is a tribute to Scorsese's film teacher Haig Manoogian, who died shortly after; Schrader reportedly asked what the verse was about.
“It is also, you know, a tribute to his film teacher, a Hague, P. Manugian.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 0:59:09 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Black and white was chosen to differ from the bright Rocky-era boxing movies, because color stock was fading, and to look like old Daily News photos. Black and white also softens the violence and comedy.
“if this movie were in color, it would be talked about as one of the most violent movies of all time.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:10:44 · David Krumholtz (0.50 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Frank Warner shot rifles into melons for punch sounds; Ben is told he'd have made a good Foley artist.
“Frank Warner, the Foley guy, the sound effects guy, used Melons, he would fire rifles into them and stuff.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:13:42 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.45 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
The one scene a speaker dislikes: the mini-golf date, a lost ball foreshadowing that he will lose everything. The one he loves: the champagne-glass balance, the goriest moment in a movie filled with blood.
“The only scene I don't like in this movie because it's a little on the nose foreshadowing is them at, you know, on their 1st date, mini golf.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:16:44 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Comedy in the film is behavioral and improvised, like Pesci falling when De Niro just puts his hands up, and the Mamluk line. A trainer says: Don't fight ever again. It's a free country.
“Don't fight ever again.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:25:47 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
John Turturro is an uncredited-line extra in the first club scene, his first credit; Nicholas Colasanto, Coach from Cheers, has his last movie role.
“They sit down at the table and who's sitting there, a very young John Teturo.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 1:57:16 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
In final edit, Scorsese threatened to take his name off the film because you cannot hear Cutty Sark, ordered by his father; Winkler said fine, but it was going to the lab.
“And he says, I'm gonna take my name off the film.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:01:37 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Scorsese walked into the Oscars with bodyguards dressed as tuxedoed entourage, after the Reagan shooting postponed the ceremony.
“He dressed them up and just fancy tuxedos and acted like they were just his entourage.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:02:59 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them) -
fun, about
Raging Bull:
Ordinary People beat Raging Bull for best picture; Raging Bull was the most nominated film that year, tied with The Elephant Man, and opened at number 10 with a huge per-screen average.
“It was the most nominated film that year.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Raging Bull with David Krumholtz · 2:05:31 · Griffin Newman or David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
Who the speakers said made it
As said on the shows, not checked against the real credits.
- Martin Scorsese: director (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Color of Money with Chris Ryan)
- Martin Scorsese: director (The Rewatchables, ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey)
- Martin Scorsese: director (The Rewatchables, ‘The Color of Money’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey)
- Martin Scorsese: director (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Martin Scorsese: director (The Rewatchables, ‘The Departed’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan)
- Martin Scorsese: director (The Rewatchables, ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan)
- Robert De Niro: actor (The Rewatchables, ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey)
- Robert De Niro: actor (Jake LaMotta) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Robert De Niro: actor (Jake LaMotta) (The Rewatchables, ‘Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood’ Live From Sundance With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan)
- Robert De Niro: lead (Blank Check — Patreon, Full Metal Jacket with Jon Gabrus (Ad-Free))
- Thelma Schoonmaker: editor (won Oscar) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Robbie Robertson: Scorsese's roommate during recovery (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Paul Schrader: writer (rewrite) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Michael Powell: Scorsese mentor; advised against Shakespeare ending and noted glove color (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Pauline Kael: critic who panned the film (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- John Turturro: extra, first credit (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Michael Chapman: cinematographer (Blank Check with Griffin & David, The Color of Money with Chris Ryan)
- Michael Chapman: cinematographer (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Irwin Winkler: producer (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Jake LaMotta: real-life subject / author of the source book (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Joe Pesci: actor (Joey LaMotta) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Joe Pesci: actor (The Rewatchables, ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan)
- Frank Vincent: actor (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Cathy Moriarty: actress (Vickie) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Cathy Moriarty: actor (the Adrian figure) (The Rewatchables, ‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan)
- Frank Warner: Foley / sound effects (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Mardik Martin: writer (first draft) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Nicholas Colasanto: actor (last movie role) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Charles Scorsese: actor (Cutty Sark drink-orderer) (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)
- Joseph Bottolucco: bit part (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Raging Bull with David Krumholtz)