NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (June 2022): Criterion have transferred Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull to Blu-ray and a 4K UHD transfer - the latter presented with an HDR pass. We won't be able to obtain 4K 2160P captures, probably, till after the release date - a function of the encode. This is presently true of almost all 4K UHD transfers. We will add them here when accessible. The 1080P should give you an idea of the rendering as it will be from the same source - cited as being from a "New 4K digital master, approved by director Martin Scorsese".

Criterion produced a Laserdisc (Pioneer USA) of Raging Bull in December 1990, but this new Blu-ray and 4K UHD will be their first digital edition of the film since then. Raging Bull was part of 'The Martin Scorsese Film Collection' DVD set from 2005 (reviewed HERE) and was released on Blu-ray by MGM in 2009. We compared to DVD editions HERE. We've matched captures from all of these editions, comparing to Criterion's new 1080P below.

The captures can attest to the improved contrast - brighter and more detailed in spots - and it has a tighter, more accurate ratio within the frame. It has fine consistent grain. Raging Bull's cinematographically captured a certain period utilizing a heavier stock and presenting the film in black and white (for all but the colored Polaroid-ey /16mm flashbacks of happier times. These are purposely damaged with prominent scratches.) It hence produces a more subtle visual improvement via the new 4K digital master. This style is more indicative of the period representation than any of the digital editions to date. The new Blu-ray has superior detail beyond MGM's 1080P. It is clean but there are instances where it can look marginally green. This is not true of the 4K UHD that has exceptional contrast and very fine texture - wiggling throughout the image in a highly film-like appearance. I can relate that this 2160P looks absolutely flawless on my system. The most pristine Raging Bull has ever appeared digitally. The 4K UHD visuals are brilliantly notable in every facet of the film from the kinetic moving camera - purposely hazy within the ring and still frames to the outdoor pool sequences and indoor darker nightclubs.

NOTE: We have added 88 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray and 4K UHD disc, Criterion use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel stereo track (24-bit) in the original English language. Raging Bull is rife with aggressive effects that usually centre around pugilism and crowd enthusiasm (early fight in the audience) although Joey (Joe Pesci) has quite a dust-up as well - in and outside of a club. Punches, grunts etc. are impacting in the lossless - with perfectly balanced dialogue. Raging Bull is notable for the poetic music of Pietro Mascagni used by Scorsese (Frank Warner’s sound design); specifically Intermezzo's Cavalleria rusticana and Guglielmo Ratcliff plus Silvano: Barcarolle conducted by Arturo Basile. There is also a cornucopia of music sampling representative of the era by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, The Ink Spots, Louis Jordan, The Mills Brothers, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra (Come Fly with Me,) Nat 'King' Cole (Mona Lisa,) Perry Como, Ray Charles, Frankie Laine, Gene Krupa's Drum Boogie and others. It sounds wonderful and flawless in the lossless. Criterion offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray, and Region FREE 4K UHD disc.

The Criterion Blu-ray and 4K UHD disc offers three previously released commentaries. The first, recorded by the Criterion Collection in 1990 for their Laserdisc (also found on the last MGM Blu-ray), features director Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker. The second, recorded in 2004 for MGM, features director of photography Michael Chapman, producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, casting director Cis Corman, music consultant Robbie Robertson, actors Teresa Saldana and John Turturro, and supervising sound-effects editor Frank Warner. The third, also recorded in 2004 for MGM, features boxer Jake La Motta with his nephew Jason Lustig and screenwriters Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader. It was great to revisit Scorsese / Schoonmaker, and in the second -  Chapman and writer Schrader in the third. Despite being quite old these commentaries still hold valuable, and varied insight into the production, wring, direction, camerawork and performances as well as a another window on Jake La Motta. The rest of the package's supplements are on the second disc Blu-ray - which also has the feature in 1080P.

There are two video essays. The first is written and narrated by film critic and poet Geoffrey O'Brien, exploring director Martin Scorsese's mastery of formal cinematic techniques in Raging Bull and the layers of aesthetic choices on display in the film. The second, written and narrated by film critic Sheila O'Malley, observes the film's triumvirate of Jake La Motta, his brother Joey, and his second wife, Vickie, and how actors Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Cathy Moriarty gave the characters everything they had. Criterion include the previous four-part making-of documentary ('Before the Fight' - 'Inside the Ring' - 'Outside the Ring' and 'After the Fight') produced by MGM in 2004 featuring director Martin Scorsese, producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler; actors Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, and Frank Vincent; director of photography Michael Chapman; editor Thelma Schoonmaker; screenwriters Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader; and sound-effects supervising editor Frank Warner. They run shy of 1.5 hours in total and examine the writing, casting, and preproduction of the film including in-depth look at the choreography and the shooting of the fight scenes, behind-the-scenes stories and the last is a featurette on how the sound design, music impact the film. There are three short programs (Marty and Bobby, Marty on Film and Robert De Niro on Acting) that highlight director Martin Scorsese and actor Robert De Niro's longtime friendship, collaboration, and mutual dedication to their craft. The first two were produced for MGM in 2010; the third features audio excerpts from a 'Harold Lloyd Master Seminar' recorded in 1980 at the American Film Institute. In total they run about 40-minutes. Included is an 8-minute interview with Cathy Moriarty and Vikki La Motta, on whom Moriarty's character in Raging Bull is based, recorded in 1981 for Belgian television. There is also a 5-minute interview with Jake La Motta from 1990 and a 10-minute program from 2004 featuring veteran boxers reminiscing about La Motta. Lastly is a trailer and the package has a liner notes booklet with essays by poet Robin Robertson and film critic Glenn Kenny.     

Martin Scorsese's magnum opus Raging Bull is a pure example of the great American tragedy - a searing biographical sports drama. No film, before or since, has come close to its visceral impacting level on boxing or any other sport. Yes, Chapman’s 'extraordinarily tactile black-and-white cinematography' and Schoonmaker distinctive editing buoy the exceptional performances (casting many lesser-known actors and actresses - ex. Pesci was a struggling actor was working at an Italian restaurant in New Jersey) of a brilliantly written and magnificently realized story. Undeniably spoken with The Godfather as the greatest American film ever made in the last 1/2 of the 20th Century. De Niro read the La Motta autobiography on the set of The Godfather Part II and became fascinated by the character. He loaned the book to Martin Scorsese. The rest is cinematic history. Raging Bull in 4K UHD is the preeminent reason to adopt the new format for those serious home theatre aficionados who have delayed, what is, inevitable for them. We can't give a higher recommendation.

Gary Tooze