Raging Bull

Title – Raging Bull

Year – 1980

Director – Martin Scorsese

Main actor – Robert De Niro

Genre – Biopic

Walking to the ring

Camera work: The camera height is kept at eye level to make the effect of “walking together with the character” and see the situation from his point of view. This able us to be not just as voyeur but also through the perspective of the protagonist. The distance is used here is medium-long shot and medium shot because we see human figures from knees and up and somewhere from waist and up. It makes us be more connected with the character and be involved in the situation. When we see figures more closer to viewers, we notice their feelings, emotions and gestures (everything that will be important to understand their characters). The movement of the camera reveal information in a dramatic way and emphasize continuously of time and space. 

Focus: Director used deep focus on this episode (all the frame is in focus), we clearly see settings and figures in the background as well as in the foreground, because they both important to be more engaged to viewers in what is happening.

Entrance to the ring

Lenses: I think there has been used 2 types of lenses like: normal, because we see in some parts of the scene, where people figure and space appear in normal human angle of view, also wide angle is used, because we see figures in foreground more larger than they really are, while figure in background seem proportionally small.

CU/MCU: The effect of those shots is to have more intimacy and focus on emotions of characters.

The fight

Camera angles and shot types: The director used huge variety of different angles and shots to give us opportunity see clearly emotions of boxers, understand the atmosphere there and what both characters feel: be involved and go through their feelings. There is worm’s eye angle is usually used to make the dominant of the shot and impulse between them. Also there is high angle, which able to see the fight from different positions and understand different power and level of boxers. I have noticed two shot that creates “bridge” between boxers.

End of the fight

Canted angle: There are two times when the canted angle is used in the scene. The first time we see an opponent in this angle. It is clearly his through his face expressions that he is tired and wants to finish the fight while the second time see the mains character’s body in that angle, which signifies of energy, that he has power and strength to win the fight.

Slow motion: The slow motion used in the part when the opponent says that he can not more continue the fight and gives up. It used to make the scene more dramatic (focused on face and reactions).

Celebration

Tilt shot: The tilt movement is used when the protagonist won the fight and stranded on the center on the ring with many people who were around him and also were cheerful. The tilt exaggerate the dimensions of the character. The boxer appeared more powerful and makes us happy that he won.

ECU: It makes significant of the part of the body and to grab our attention.

Camera angles: Eye level, low and warm’s eye angles are used. The effect are making the character dominant, powerful and strong. It has dramatic effect of winning. We feel that he won because he was more strong and prepared for the fight than the opponent.