The Raging Bull by Martin Scorsese arguably has one of the best opening movie scenes in the history of film making. The movie was made in 1980 and is based off boxer Jake LaMotta’s memoir Raging Bull:My Story. Jake LaMotta was a self-destructive boxing legend surrounded by controversy in his personal life. The movie has gone on to be considered one of the best films ever made. Interestingly enough the movie is filmed completely in black and white.
The opening scene in the movie is approximately 2:30 minutes long. It is a wide shot in black and white of the boxing ring featuring the main character Robert De Niro shadow boxing in the corner. The sequence is accompanied by the theme Intermezzo from the Opera Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni. The theme song is significant because it fits perfectly with the scene. It is a classical song following Robert De Niro shadow boxing in slow motion.
The camera throughout the whole scene does not move and remains in a stationary position filming a wide shot of the ring. Robert De Niro throughout the scene is shadow boxing wearing his boxing hooded boxing robe with the hood over his head, covering his face adding mystery to the scene. Ultimately I get the feeling you are connecting with a boxer and not Robert De Niro specifically. The scene connects even more so with the audience by slowing down his movements and playing the classical music. Midway through the title sequence De Niro’s character approaches the close side of the ring but you are still unable to make out his face as he graciously continues pacing and shadowboxing.
The background of the scene is also faded out so that you can’t make out what is there and the focus remains on the ring and the character. The background is faded grey with the outline of figures ringside, and occasionally there are camera flashes from the crowd. Again, I believe this is done to portray the anticipation before a boxing match and to convey that once a boxer is in the ring before a fight, he is in there by himself and nobody at this point can help him. This is to say that nothing else matters but the boxer and the ring, which seems to be the case in this scene.
Ultimately this is one of my favorite movies, and by far my favorite opening scene. The music, the boxer’s slow motion movements, the black and grey filming, the smoky background, all add up to create an amazing opening to an incredible movie. I invite everybody to at least watch the first 3 minutes of this movie.
Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N4uXfnH2aA&feature=player_embedded
derekd9 