Raging+Bull

Lighting plays a much larger role in the movie towards the end of the movie. As Jake becomes increasingly troubled, a shift in the way the scenes are lit begins to occur. As the front half of Jake’s story is relatively untroubled, it is mostly lit with **high key lighting**. Although during the darker parts of Jake’s story there is a **very strong low key lighting to contrast with happier times**. To fit the theme of meteoric rise and eventual fall, the scene in which Jake sits on the couch in regret is lit with extremere side lighting so half of his face is obscured, implying his two “sides”. This is especially fitting as it creates a much more serious tone for the consequences of Jake’s actions after punching his wife. A similar situation occurs when he is thrown into jail, where he is bathed completely in darkness. Only a single strobe of light is seen. For a good part of that scene, he lies in complete “darkness”, much like his life at that point.

For the most part, cinematography in the story is not overtly complex. Most scenes of the movie just depict Jake’s life outside the ring, which depicted through simple shots. However within the boxing ring, the cinematography creates a wild but also energetic tone to each scene. As the **cinematography is always moving** in every shot, and the type of shot always unpredictable, this translates directly to the tone of the fights. The boxing fights become more believable and engaging meanwhile showing visually his “wild side”. Unfortunately it’s the same wild side that gets out of control outside of the ring.

I think you miss some very key elements of how cinematography is used in this film- you did address one of the most notable scenes, but did not go into detail about how this was accomplished using various camera techniques. The bolded phrase above makes no sense. Cinematography does not move. This is not a nitpicking comment, you **must** be able to talk fluently in film language. You reference the theme and mood here, but don't go into enough detail, you also tell very little about what specifically the camera is doing to elicit these responses so effectively.

Editing also plays a role in creating tone during specific scenes, with the most obvious being the fast cuts during fight scenes. During boxing matches, the unpredictable cinematography is also accompanied by the fast cuts creating a energetic tone for the fight scenes. This is essential to show the energy the boxers have during the hardcore beat down. However during the essential moment when Jake is defeated, the editing of the scene produces an almost dream-like sequence that marks the beginning of his decline (a component of the main theme). Shots of Sugar Ray Robinson are edited to be long and slow, in a sort of dramatization of the calm before the storm. Or in other words mimicking that real life sensation where time seems to slow down during a adrenaline pumping moment.

Again, you touch //lightly// on one of the most critical scenes in the film, one that is recognized as one of the greatest cinematic moments of all time- but you don't dig deep enough.