Despite the mixed reviews, the film was nominated for eight Academy Awards at the 53rd Academy Awards (tying with The Elephant Man as the most nominated film of the ceremony), including Best Picture and Best Director, and won two: Best Actor for De Niro (his second Oscar) and Best Editing.Īfter its release, Raging Bull went on to garner high critical praise, and is now considered one of the greatest films ever made. The film received mixed reviews upon its release while De Niro's performance and the editing were widely acclaimed, it garnered criticism due to its violent content. The film had a lukewarm box office of $23.4 million against its $18 million budget. Raging Bull premiered in New York on November 14, 1980, and was released in theaters on December 19, 1980. Scorsese was exacting in the process of editing and mixing the film, expecting it to be his last major feature. During principal photography, each of the boxing scenes was choreographed for a specific visual style and De Niro gained approximately 60 pounds (27 kg) to portray LaMotta in his later post-boxing years.

Pesci was an unknown actor prior to the film, as was Moriarty, whom Pesci suggested for her role. Schrader re-wrote Martin's first screenplay, and Scorsese and De Niro together made uncredited contributions thereafter. Scorsese was initially reluctant to develop the project, though he eventually came to relate to LaMotta's story. Nicholas Colasanto, Theresa Saldana and Frank Vincent play supporting roles in the film, and John Turturro makes his film debut in an uncredited role.

Also featured in the film are Joe Pesci as LaMotta's brother Joey and Cathy Moriarty in her film debut as LaMotta's wife Vikki.

The film, distributed by United Artists, stars Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta, an Italian-American middleweight boxer whose self-destructive and obsessive rage, jealousy and animalistic appetite destroyed his relationship with his wife and family. Raging Bull is a 1980 American biographical sports drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, produced by Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler and adapted by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin from Jake LaMotta's 1970 memoir Raging Bull: My Story.

Robert deniro in raging bull