Raging Bull

In this blog, I will analysis a section of a biopic movie called ‘Raging Bull’. It is a black and whit movie.  Robert De Niro is the mainly character of this film. In this film he played a boxer. This story maybe happened in 20th century in America. Because in boxing match, some women audiences' clothing style was popular in American in 20th century. And in the scene of this film, it wrote' New York 1950' , so I guess this story happened in America. This section mainly talk about a boxer prepare for a competition. It can be divide into five parts.

Firstly, I would like to talk about the scenes of this boxer walking to the ring. It uses a large number of eye-level angle and a little high angle. During the boxer walking to the ring, the shot sizes of this part are medium shot and medium close up. It makes the audience focus on emotions of characters. The movement of this part is handheld, because this part mainly show the boxer walking to the ring, the actor change his position all the time. It uses selective focus, not all the frame is in focus and it just concentrating on the important aspect of the boxer. All of these shooting skills are make audience feel the confidence of this boxer and can feel he is very popular among people.

Secondly, next part is the boxer entrance to the ring. It use wide angle, wide angle of view exaggerates depth, figures in foreground seem larger than they really are, figures in background seem proportionately small. Movements towards camera appear faster. In this part, the panning follows a movement. It uses a large number of close up and medium close up shot sizes. This kind of shots size can more intimacy and focus on emotions of characters.

Thirdly, this scene is about the fight. It uses high angle, low angle, and canted level. These kinds of angles can show characters powerful, exaggerate size of subject and emphasise fear of panic. It also uses medium shot and close shot. More intimacy and focus on emotions of characters. It shows the fierce competition and audience. The features of boxer’s face can feel both of them are very hell-bent. The camera angle of scoreboard use low angle can make people feel more powerful.

Fourthly, it is the end of the fight. When people put water on boxer’s body, it uses canted angle, subject creates diagonal line through frame. Because canted angle can make audience feel anxious and nervous, it is indicate what will happen next. When a referee walking to another boxer, to tell that boxer he is the champion, he has won the competition. Because slow motion can highlight the details, create atmosphere and deepen the feeling of tension.

Finally, it is about celebration. When the champion put on the gold belt it uses tilt shot. Tilt shot are vertical moving up or down on tripod, simulate looking up or down and exaggerate the dimensions of a figure. Use tilt shot can feel more powerful and dominate the shot. When the boxer know he is win the competition, all of people are very excited and it uses close-up many times. It creates insight into relationship and tensions between characters, creates intimacy between characters.It uses eye-level angle, worm’s angle and low angle. Through low angle can exaggerate size of subject, feel more powerful, dominate the shot.