8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
The story of Jake LaMotta, a former middleweight boxing champion, whose reputation for tenacity and success in the ring was offset by his troubled domestic life: full of rage, jealousy, and suspicion—particularly towards his wife and manager/brother—which, in the end, left him destitute, alone, and seeking redemption.
Starring: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, Nicholas ColasantoDrama | 100% |
Biography | 17% |
Sport | 7% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" (1980) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include three vintage audio commentaries; multiple archival programs featuring Martin Scorsese and cast members; two video essays; vintage trailer for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
The Bronx Bull
*Please note that the comments below were also used in our review of the 4K Blu-ray release of Raging Bull. They address specific similarities and discrepancies between the 1080p and native 4K presentations of the film's new 4K restoration.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
Criterion's release of Raging Bull is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack.
Please note that all screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and are downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual values and balance of the grayscale.
The only other release of Raging Bull that I have in my library is this Region-B release, which should be identical to the one MGM produced for the North American market in 2009. So, after viewing the 4K and 1080p presentations last night and today, I did plenty of direct comparisons.
First, I have to say that the old release still offers a pretty nice and healthy organic presentation of Raging Bull. I think that the visuals still hold up quite well or a larger screen as well. However, the new 4K restoration offers a range of different improvements that give the entire film an all-around superior organic appearance that is extremely similar to the one we witnessed with the 4K makeover of Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot. Obviously, Raging Bull has a different stylistic appearance, but the type of qualities we analyze in our reviews reveal the same strong organic characteristics. For example, despite the native density fluctuations the black-and-white footage reveals better grain exposure and in many areas clearly improved delineation. (The exceptions are the announcement shots and the colored 'vintage' footage). All of this footage looks sharper in native 4K as well -- not digitally sharpened, but naturally sharper. The HDR grade makes a substantial difference, too. Indeed, when compared to their counterparts from the previous release virtually all visuals now boast an overall better dynamic range, with blacks and grays looking particularly impressive. Also, these improvements in the dynamic range remain rather remarkably consistent during daylight and darker/nighttime footage. Depth is better. The boxing footage looks most impressive now because backgrounds benefit a lot from a combination of things, so the improvements are everywhere, not in a particular area. Fluidity is excellent in native 4K, but I must point out that on the 1080p presentation it is equally impressive. Rather predictably, there are absolutely no traces of age-related anomalies to report. All in all, I think that the new 4K makeover is quite striking and when experienced in native 4K it absolutely becomes the definitive presentation of Raging Bull. (Note: The 4K Blu-ray release is Region-Free).
BLU-RAY DISC
The biggest and most obvious discrepancy between the 1080p and native 4K presentations of the new 4K restoration emerges from the superior dynamic range of the visuals in native 4K. It is quite obvious. It is my personal opinion that it affects the perception of depth, clarity, and sharpness in ways that basically give Raging Bull an even more convincing organic appearance. Does the 1080p presentation still look gorgeous? Yes, absolutely, but in native 4K everything looks more finessed, perhaps even more filmic. The transitions from the boxing footage to the regular footage was where I noticed some of the most obvious 'loosening' in the 1080p presentation, but trained eyes will almost certainly identify other areas where the 4K presentation clearly performs better. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I did some random comparisons between the lossless track from the old Blu-ray release and this DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track and if there are any areas with dramatic discrepancies between the two, I clearly missed them. I think that the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track handles the original sound design of Raging Bull exceptionally well and is very healthy. Is it possible that one of these new Dolby Atmos track could have done a better job? I doubt it. On my system everything sounded as good as I think I could be.
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 who couldn't get along even with the few people that 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. Criterion's upcoming Blu-ray release of Raging Bull is sourced from an outstanding exclusive new 4K restoration that was supervised and approved by Scorsese. If you plan to add Raging Bull to your collection, please keep in mind that there is also an upcoming 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack release, which we have reviewed and listed here. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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