Scorsese gem finally gets released

It's widely considered the greatest film of the '80s. It gathered eight Academy Award nominations including Robert De Niro's second Oscar win. It stands alongside other Scorsese masterworks such as "Goodfellas," "Taxi Driver" and most recently "The Aviator." And finally, after years of being out of print, "Raging Bull" has finally been rereleased as a two-disc collector's edition set.\n"Raging Bull," for those unfamiliar with its greatness, is the true story of middleweight boxer Jake La Motta's rise and fall over a 20-year period. La Motta (Robert De Niro) gained attention in America during the early years of World War II for his arrogance and uncompromising brutality in the boxing ring. He was an animal, the "Bronx Bull" as many called him, and fought every challenger who came his way. However, as the years progressed, La Motta's career took a turn for the worse and as an end result he became a nobody much like when he originally started.\nDe Niro's performance in "Raging Bull" is simply outstanding and a career highlight next to his role in "The Godfather: Part II." He truly embodies La Motta in every way and never once do you feel sorry for him because there is no reason to pity such a savage monster. Joe Pesci, who plays the role of La Motta's brother Joey, provides the strong wit and short-fuse temper which would reappear in other Scorsese gems such as "Goodfellas" and "Casino." And then there is Cathy Moriarty. Moriarty stars as the young love interest of Jake La Motta. While her dialogue tends to be brief and to the point throughout the movie, the scenes she shares with De Niro are some of the best ones in the entire film, for they are when we see him at his most violent and yet also most passionate.\nWhile there is a movie-only edition available on the shelves, the definitive version comes as a double-disc set fully loaded with extras. The film boasts three commentary tracks including one with Jake La Motta discussing the accuracy and effect it had upon him after the initial viewing. The supplemental disc contains a four-part behind-the-scenes featurette detailing the entire production process; "The Bronx Bull," a documentary discussing the film with Jake La Motta; shot-by-shot comparisons of old La Motta photos and newsreels against film scenes and finally a newsreel of La Motta defending his championship title for the first time. \n"Raging Bull" is the film that signaled the greatness that Martin Scorsese would go on to achieve. Scorsese's perfectionist touch and excellent direction of actors created a film that no other director of the time period could've came close to creating. It is a violent yet beautiful black and white tapestry of one man's personal journey from contender to champion and the ultimate downfall that ensued. Forget "Rocky" and any other boxing movie ever made, "Raging Bull" remains an unflinching masterpiece -- balancing brutality with sheer brilliance.