Raging Bull 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Raging Bull 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 18, 2025

Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" (1980) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include three archival audio commentaries; multiple archival programs featuring Martin Scorsese and cast members; various programs with the real Jake LaMotta; promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

To say that Jake LaMotta a.k.a. The Bronx Bull had an eventful life would be a major understatement. After growing up as a serious troublemaker in the Bronx slums (and Philadelphia), LaMotta began making ends meet as a boxer and in 1943 became a national sensation when he handed Sugar Ray Robinson his first-ever defeat. Soon after, he was crowned middleweight champion twice. On the way up, LaMotta made a lot of money -- some of it legally, some of it illegally -- but did not manage his earnings right, spent too much time with the wrong guys, and risked losing nearly everything. He retired in 1954, moved to Miami, and for a while managed a nightclub where he got into more trouble that eventually forced him to try his luck as a stand-up comedian. Throughout his life, LaMotta married multiple times and always kept an active public profile, but in the end passed away alone in a nursing home in Aventura, Florida, at the age of 95.

Marty Scorsese’s film Raging Bull enters LaMotta’s world with impressive authority, but it does not take long to figure out that even with Robert De Niro’s iconic transformation, it remains a bit too kind to the late boxer. To a certain extent, this isn’t surprising because Scorsese began shooting after Paul Schrader had adapted LaMotta’s autobiographical novel, meaning that the bulk of the original material obviously comes from it, but towards the end, the intent to present a more balanced depiction of the boxer’s deterioration becomes a bit too obvious. Is it possible that this was the only way Raging Bull could have been made? Yes. In fact, it is guaranteed that it was the only way because LaMotta was apparently consulted even after the screenplay was delivered to Scorsese and he had started shooting.

So, who was the real LaMotta?

De Niro’s terrific performance makes it very easy to guess -- he was a borderline unhinged bully hiding in the body of a gifted boxer, the type of perpetual abuser that would attack even the few people who tried to love him. It is precisely why Scorsese places as much emphasis on LaMotta’s rocky, often unusually violent relationships with his wife, Vicki (Cathy Moriarty), and brother, Joey (Joe Pesci), as he does on his wins and losses in the ring. Violence was what helped LaMotta understand the real world and remain viable in it.

But it was violence that also ruined LaMotta. In Raging Bull, the crucial moment where his downfall is initiated comes after LaMotta accuses Vicki of having an affair with Joey and then tries to hurt both. Everything changes after that because it is only a matter of time before both effectively remove him from their lives, and he begins to self-destruct. The real LaMotta apparently quickly realized his mistake and repeatedly tried to lure them back into his world, but it never worked, and he died with a broken heart.

It is said that the real LaMotta had to see Raging Bull to finally grasp what an awful person he had been over the years, but this is almost certainly one of those stories that just sound good and help with publicity. Why? Because LaMotta did not become an awful person after his boxing career took off and he met Vicki, which is where Raging Bull begins. The real LaMotta grew up surrounded by sketchy characters, spent time in a reform school, and very much enjoyed being an awful person. It is why, in 1970, after his guilt had begun consuming him, he described his life in a novel.

Raging Bull 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Imprint Films' release of Raging Bull is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray and the two Blu-ray discs are Region-Free.

Please note that all screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-23 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #29-39 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

The combo pack release brings to Australia the excellent 4K restoration of Raging Bull that Martin Scorsese supervised and Criterion introduced in America with this release in 2022. In native 4K, the 4K restoration can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with Dolby Vision.

I do not have any meaningful new comments to share about the quality of the 4K restoration, as well as how it looks in native 4K and 1080p on the Blu-ray. The native 4K presentation is leaps and bounds better than any previous presentation of the film, and the larger your screen is, the more impressive this discrepancy becomes. (I assume that you have another home video release of the film and can do comparisons). However, it is not only because there are various improvements in terms of delineation, clarity, and depth. The grayscale is vastly superior, too. This improvement is even more striking on the native 4K presentation, where the Dolby Vision significantly expands the dynamic range of the visuals. (I still have a copy of this Region-B Blu-ray release, and the 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray with the new 4K restoration make the previous presentation look almost as if it might have been sourced from an aged DVD, which is not too far off the truth because MGM's previous master was quite old). Image stability is excellent. I performed a few quick comparisons with Criterion's native 4K presentation of the film and did not see any discrepancies to mention in our review.

Raging Bull 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English LPCM 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Criterion's combo pack release did not retain the 5.1 track that has appeared on previous home video releases of Raging Bull, so it is good to have it offered here as an option. However, the 2.0 track will likely be the preferred option for many people. I chose to revisit the film in 4K with the 5.1 track, which is very nice. I thought that several fights sounded outstanding, and some of the nightclub footage was surprisingly active. I did not encounter any anomalies to report in our review.

Raging Bull 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this archival audio commentary features director Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker. It was recorded in 1990 and appeared on Criterion's LD release of Raging Bull. The bulk of the information that is shared in it addresses the genesis of Raging Bull, its stylistic appearance, and Robert De Niro's passion for the project, as well as the real Jake LaMotta and his life story.

• Commentary Two - this archival audio commentary features director of photography Michael Chapman, producer Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, casting director Cis Corman, music consultant Robbie Robertson, actors Teresa Saldana and John Turturo, and supervising sound effects editor Frank Warner. The commentary was recorded for MGM in 2004. Similar to the first commentary, it offers a wealth of information about the conception of Raging Bull, Martin Scorsese's handling of the original content from Jake LaMotta's novel, the film's gritty personality, and status as a classic.

• Commentary Three - this archival audio commentary features the real Jake LaMotta with his nephew Jason Lustig and screenwriters Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader. The commentary was recorded for MGM in 2004. It is a most fascinating commentary because LaMotta describes the real bully/boxer that became a champion and the various mistakes he made over the years.

• Trailer - presented here is a fully remastered original trailer for Raging Bull. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

BLU-RAY DISC ONE

• Commentary One - this archival audio commentary features director Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker. It was recorded in 1990 and appeared on Criterion's LD release of Raging Bull. The bulk of the information that is shared in it addresses the genesis of Raging Bull, its stylistic appearance, and Robert De Niro's passion for the project, as well as the real Jake LaMotta and his life story.

• Commentary Two - this archival audio commentary features director of photography Michael Chapman, producer Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, casting director Cis Corman, music consultant Robbie Robertson, actors Teresa Saldana and John Turturo, and supervising sound effects editor Frank Warner. The commentary was recorded for MGM in 2004. Similar to the first commentary, it offers a wealth of information about the conception of Raging Bull, Martin Scorsese's handling of the original content from Jake LaMotta's novel, the film's gritty personality, and status as a classic.

• Commentary Three - this archival audio commentary features the real Jake LaMotta with his nephew Jason Lustig and screenwriters Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader. The commentary was recorded for MGM in 2004. It is a most fascinating commentary because LaMotta describes the real bully/boxer that became a champion and the various mistakes he made over the years.

• Trailer - presented here is a fully remastered original trailer for Raging Bull. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

BLU-RAY DISC TWO

• "Raging Bull": Fight Night - this four-part documentary takes a closer look at the production of Raging Bull. Included in it are clips from interviews with Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, director of photography Michael Chapman, and screenwriter Paul Schrader, amongst others. In English, not subtitled.
  
  1. Before the Fight. (26 min).
  2. Inside the Ring. (15 min).
  3. Outside the Ring. (28 min).
  4. After the Fight. (16 min).

• The Bronx Bull: An Introduction to Raging Bull - this archival program takes a closer look at the conception, critical reception, and reputation of Raging Bull, which initially perplexed many viewers and critics, as well as the real Jake LaMotta. Included in it are clips from interviews with Jake LaMotta, Thelma Schoonmaker, and a few critics. In English, not subtitled. (28 min).

• De Niro vs. LaMotta: Shot for Shot - presented here are several comparisons between Robert DeNiro and Jake LaMotta, demonstrating Martin Scorsese's attention to detail and De Niro's commitment to accuracy. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• LaMotta Defends Title - presented here is archival newsreel footage with the real Jake LaMotta. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Marty & Bobby - this archival program takes a closer look at Marty Scorsese and Robert De Niro's professional relationship. Included in it are clips from interviews with Scorsese, De Niro, and producer Irwin Winkler. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• Raging Bull: Reflections on a Classic - in this program, Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry), Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko), Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), and Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men) discuss the visual style, atmosphere, and characters of Raging Bull. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Remembering Jake - every month, members of the Veteran Boxers Association of New York gather together to eat, drink, and reminisce. Presented here is footage from one of these meetings, where Jake LaMotta and Raging Bull are discussed. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Marty on Film - in this program, Marty Scorsese discusses his passion for cinema and explains how films of all kinds profoundly affected him at different stages of his life. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• Jake's Jokes - in this program, the real Jake LaMotta shares several hilarious, supposedly true, stories. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Trailers From Hell - in this archival program, title designer Dan Perri quickly explains why and how the titles for Raging Bull were done in color. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Book - an exclusive 80-page hardcover book featuring an essay by critic Bilge Ebiri, production notes, and reproductions of original photographs and stills.

Raging Bull 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The real Jake LaMotta was a fearless boxer who fought as hard as he could and endured some absolutely incredible matches. But when he wasn't fighting to make ends meet, he was an awful bully and perpetual abuser, and couldn't get along even with the few people who genuinely loved him and tried to have meaningful parts in his life. Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull has immortalized LaMotta thanks to a truly remarkable performance by Robert De Niro, but it has to be said that this excellent film tells only a fraction of the late boxer's story. This fantastic three-disc combo pack release brings to Australia the outstanding recent 4K restoration of Raging Bull that Scorsese approved, with several hours of great new and old supplemental features. It is unmissable. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.