"Raging Bull" was released. Martin Scorsese asked his teaching assistant to give everyone movie tickets in class. "I'm sorry that I missed a lot of classes this year because of this movie. Please tell me what you think after watching it."
how?"
In order to catch up with this year's Oscar selection and make up the required screening time to participate in the awards, "Raging Bull" was released in art theaters across the country in the last two weeks of 1980.
"Is it good to watch?" Ronald asked Leon and Spike Lee, who had already gone to see it. The three students named Li hit it off immediately and always sat together to discuss movies.
"An art classic, this may be Scorsese and Bobby De Niro's best film," Spike said.
"Yes, it tells the life of Italian-born boxing champion Jake LaMotta. The boxing scenes were shot very wonderfully, and the camera scheduling is unparalleled. It may be the best boxing scene in history." When talking about the movie, Li Ang spoke English well.
He got a little better and spoke longer sentences.
"Oh?" Ronald raised his eyebrows, he couldn't miss it. "I want to take my cousin to see what you said."
"That might not be suitable."
"Why? Because it's an R-rated movie?"
"Not only is the boxing scene a bit bloody, but it's also a black and white film, which kids won't like."
Black and white? Ronald thought to himself, Scorsese really knows how to play.
"Ronald, this may really be my swan voice. It will be difficult for me to make movies in Hollywood after that. I plan to go to Italy with Isabella later. There are some people in Europe who like my movies. Maybe I
You can also apply for government funding and make some art films."
When Scorsese saw Ronald who came specifically to express his gratitude, he felt emotional and said a few more words to him.
"I've been writing scripts for the past six weeks and haven't seen your work yet, Marty. Why are you so pessimistic? But I heard a lot of New York film critics swearing to say good things about your new film."
"United Arts spent little money on marketing the movie, Ronald. They were going through a change at the top. President Andy Albeck was fired from the parent company and replaced by an accountant from the parent company, Pan American, who only knew
Settle accounts.
This time Raging Bull can only be shown in 180 art theaters. If it cannot win some Oscars, the total box office will not be very good.
And there are rumors in the industry that Pan American, the parent company of United Artists, intends to sell United Artists as a whole. The last major artist-led studio in Hollywood is about to... ugh."
“Why, because Heaven’s Gate failed at the box office?
"The production cost was 44 million, and the box office was less than 1 million after being released for more than a month.
Pan Am has long been dissatisfied with the management of United Artists, especially the two films "Midnight Cowboy" and "Barry's Last Tango". Despite Pan Am's objections, United Artists insisted on not cutting out the controversial scenes, which were rated x-rated by the MPAA.
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After that, Pan American removed the words "Pan American Corporation" from the title of United Artists, and fired several executives who adhered to artistic principles, and they went to establish a new company, Orion Pictures.
Although President Andy Albeck is ridiculed as a salesman, United Artists under his leadership last year had four films: Rocky 2,007: Iron Man, Manhattan, and The Dark Knight, all of which achieved box office success. However,
Who knew Cimino could shoot 'Heaven's Gate' with an original budget of 6 million and overspend it so much?
Pan Am has long since given up on the idea of using United Artists for publicity. The failure of Heaven’s Gate made them completely lose their patience..."
"If Hollywood has taught me anything? It is that you have to keep making money to stay in this industry. I have made two consecutive movies that have not made money, and it is difficult to convince producers to invest in my movies." Scorsese concluded.
arrive.
"Hey, it's all caused by Heaven's Gate..." Ronald sighed.
The three-hour and forty-minute "Heaven's Gate" received rave reviews after its release, especially Vincent Canby, a senior film critic of the New York Times, who compared it to "being forced to walk in circles for four hours in your own living room."
Hours", even viciously said that fat boy Michael Cimino sold his soul to the devil Mephisto in "The Deer Hunter", and now Mephisto is here to collect the debt.
Of course, Ronald doesn't think the film critics are right. Although Heaven's Gate is terrible, The Deer Hunter is not that good and is not worth the "selling your soul for" evaluation.
"Yeah, did you know? United Artists is going to withdraw the release of 'Heaven's Gate' and re-edit it."
"Ah? What kind of operation is this?"
"Michael Cimino published a signed letter in the newspaper requesting that United Artists allow him to withdraw the three-hour and forty-minute version, re-edit it to two and a half hours, and re-release it next year."
"So United Artists agreed?" Ronald thought for a while and felt that it was a bit stupid for United Artists to agree to withdraw the already released movie. The newly appointed president may not be familiar with movies, which will only lead to more intense criticism from film critics.
"Look, we were right. The director has admitted his mistake and needs to re-edit. Then they will pounce even more fiercely."
"What else? If he doesn't agree, Michael Cimino has even more reason to say that United Artists ruined his movie. After all, he is the Oscar winner for Best Director."
Ronald thought of Martin Scorsese in front of him, who had not yet been nominated for an Oscar for Best Director. His "Taxi Driver" was well-received and received a Golden Globe and Directors Guild nomination for Best Director.
, but was not nominated for an Oscar.
"But Cimino's film is difficult to edit, isn't it?" Ronald said.
Michael Cimino is the kind of director who is good at creating atmosphere. It is difficult to edit out excess film in his movies. It seems that cutting out any section is wrong and can only keep a lengthy narrative.
"This is where he is smart. Directors and artists in the film industry are always suppressed by producers and forced to cut short films. Cimino took advantage of this. Now some people in the film industry are talking about whether to
The new president of the Arts forced Cimino to cut the film by a third."
"He obviously asked for it himself, this fat boy is very cunning in what he does." Ronald thought to himself.
"I see you have also been nominated for Best Director by the Golden Globe Awards. Marty, will you go to the awards dinner then?"
"I won't go. Bobby De Niro is pursuing the Best Actor award this awards season, and I have no chance. United Artists' financial situation makes it impossible for me to do anything in the awards season.
You know the tradition of the Golden Globe Awards. They like celebrities to be present. This year, the big star Robert Redford will make his directorial debut. He will definitely go, so there is no need for me to go..."
"By the way, why did you say so? Ronald, has your screenplay been nominated as well?" Scorsese reacted and asked Ronald if he had also been nominated.
"No, it's the best original song. I'm the lyricist. I want to gain some knowledge." Ronald chuckled.
"Good luck to you, young man."
The next day, Ronald went to the cinema to watch "Raging Bull". Sure enough, this black and white film was very powerful, with wonderful use of black and white light and shadow. Especially the last scene in the boxing ring with Jake LaMotta.
Contest.
Scorsese uses magic-like light and shadow to show the strength of the boxing champion's opponent very powerfully. When the opponent approaches, the light and shadow suddenly cover it, giving people a great sense of oppression. The audience seems to be immersed in the scene.
Just like facing that black boxer with exploding muscles in the boxing ring.
This kind of scene also fully expresses the feeling of the hero of the faded boxing champion Jake LaMotta.
The entire film is in black and white, except for the images taken by Jake LaMotta himself with a home camera, which are in color. This part of the family warmth has a very documentary quality.
Contrary to usual treatment, the narrative portion of the film is in black and white, while the "mockumentary" style footage cited is in color.
Ronald didn’t know why Scorsese handled it this way. Maybe it was because Scorsese wanted to make a classic black and white film like Old Hollywood?
The photography level of this movie is not inferior to those old Hollywood classics. Ronald is a photographer himself and knows that black and white photography and color photography can be regarded as almost two kinds of art. Black and white photography only has one variable: grayscale, which depends entirely on light and
Use shadows to create image effects and convey emotions to the audience.
Among directors of this generation, only Scorsese and Peter Bogdanovich, who was involved in the murder of female model Stratten some time ago, are still able to direct black and white films.
It just so happens that both of them are also loyal fans of old Hollywood movies. Scorsese teaches classic film appreciation at New York University, and Bogdanovich also interviewed a series of old Hollywood directors and earned a lot of royalties from publishing books.
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Only fans can shoot black and white films, which is a lost art in Hollywood.
The entertainment media, while praising Raging Bull, continues to attack Heaven's Gate.
Ronald turned on the TV and looked at the entertainment news. There were interviews with passers-by.
"The music is great, the photography is top-notch, but the story is just terrible."
"I can't understand what the director is telling me. It's a terrible movie."
"I think the movie needs a good edit, to be honest."
Finally, a beautiful woman was interviewed, "I think the movie is too long and too boring. I feel like I will fall asleep halfway through watching it."
"Look, it has nothing to do with me at all. It's just that Cimino's photography was so bad that he fell asleep." When Ronald saw this, he shouted at Donna and Diane Lane.
The two little girls collapsed on the sofa with giggles. They had both heard of the nickname "Sleepy Lo" because they yawned during interviews while watching Michael Cimino's movies.
"Raging Bull, with a box office of 649,000 this weekend, ranked fourth, with an average box office of 3,600 US dollars per theater, and the total box office so far is 1.51 million..."
"Hey, have TV stations started to broadcast the box office rankings of movies now?" Ronald found two newspapers from the table: The Hollywood Reporter and the Daily Variety Show. Sure enough, the newspapers also opened a column to report the weekly box office of movies.
and total box office are listed.
"Is this putting directors in a boxing ring and letting them fight each other?" Ronald didn't like this approach very much.
"I think it's great. Film critics always tell the truth. I'd rather look at the box office numbers before deciding which movie to watch. This way I won't be easily fooled." Aunt Karen said. She was tidying up the living room, New Year's Day was about to happen.
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The film review columns in the New York media all gave Marty "Raging Bull" high praise. Ronald browsed several newspapers.
The New York Film Critics Circle awards announcement gave Raging Bull a high rating, a bellwether for the Oscars.
At the upcoming New York Film Critics Circle Film Awards, Martin Scorsese is nominated for Best Director, Robert De Niro is nominated for Best Actor, and Joe Pesci is nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
These film critic circle awards, as well as the Directors Guild Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards, will be awarded one after another from now until the Oscar nominations are announced.
The judges for these awards are highly overlapped with those for the Oscars, so they are very much like a bellwether. It seems that "Raging Bull" has a good chance of being nominated for an Oscar, or even winning.
Moreover, Scorsese and the two actors are both of Italian descent, and now Italians are very influential in the film industry. Thanks to Francis Coppola’s The Godfather Part I and Part II, which reflect the life of Italians.
The movie was a hit, and Italians' influence in the film industry was growing.