Day Two – Raging Bull
Raging Bull is a litmus test movie. A lot can be learned about a person by whether they’re a Rocky person or a Raging Bull person. The former wears their heart on their sleeve, sees the glass half full and are attracted to mousy women with good turtle handling skills. The latter likes confrontation, enjoys to read books with small text, and don’t mind crossing a sexual boundary or two. If their boxing movie of choice is Gladiator with James Marshall they’re fond of being fucked by carnies. The Polish have brought the world many things. Like their flag and polish sausage and a myriad of what I’m sure is interesting shit if you made the time to give a fuck. Their finest export by far has been their movie posters, bizarre and oftentimes jaw-dropping interpretations of films from all over the world. Sometimes literal examinations of their source but sometimes absolutely batshit pieces of art that almost take on a life of their own. Over the next fifteen weekdays I’ll be sharing some of the best examples of how these creative necromancers interpret American cinema. Their Raging Bull poster eschews the human story of family and sport and intensity in favor of a man literally punching a hole in another pugilist’s face, a feat that has happened in professional boxing exactly never times.
Perhaps the boxer with the void in his head is winning. Technically, he’s dodging. Though there is matter shooting out the back of his head he doesn’t seem worse for wear. Maybe that is what this artist is conveying: Boxing is a sport where a brain is an albatross. The winner is the one who exists in his fists not in his mind. On that thought the man throwing the punch is really in for a surprise when he’s declared the loser by WTFKO.
What would this movie be like?
Life inside Gaspar Noé’s guest house. A lot of sweaty heads off in the corner. The stench of punches. Mourners cleaning up spent boxers. It’d be like a delicious mix of the Depression and a handjob from an epileptic.
Who is the audience for this film?
Folks who enjoy empty areas on people. Guys who work their forearms way too much at the gym. I mean people who only work the forearms, get their bag and leave the gym immediately. These guys have no idea how strong their forearms are but how it’s really creating an unfair strain on their shoulders and biceps. They are going to have serious issues down the line but when they do they will always have their favorite movie about boxers who vortexpunch their opponents.
What the fucking fuck is fucking fucking?
Mysteries! Scary Feelings! Run from IT!
The domestic poster for Raging Bull:
Tagline vs. Tagline?
There’s no tagline on either, but with Robert DeNiro’s gritty face you couldn’t have a tagline like “Faces Become Holes on This Day”.
What other movies could effectively use this poster?
The Man Without a Face. Punch Drunk Love. The Box. Face/Off. Enchanted.
Tomorrow: The best thing ever!
Day One – Day Two – Day Three – Day Four – Day Five – Day Six – Day Seven – Day Eight – Day NineDay Ten – Day Eleven – Day Twelve – Day Thirteen – Day Fourteen – Day Fifteen
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Raging Bull (1980) 129 min
An emotionally self-destructive boxer's journey through life, as the violence and temper that leads him to the top in the ring, destroys his life outside it.
- Released
- 12.19.1980 (USA)
- Directors
- Martin Scorsese
- Writers
- Jake LaMotta
- Joseph Carter
- Actors
- Robert De Niro
- Cathy Moriarty
- Joe Pesci
- Frank Vincent
- Nicholas Colasanto
- Genres
- Biography
- Drama
- Sport
- Watch or buy now