The story of a self-destructive man told by a director who was hitting rock bottom results in a pinnacle of artistic achievement. The terrible reception of his previous film, New York, New York (1977), sent Martin Scorsese into a tailspin. Thankfully, his longtime star and collaborator Robert De Niro convinced him to take a shot at adapting boxer Jake LaMotta’s memoir. Backed into a corner, Scorsese poured his body and soul into making this film in what he described as ‘a kamikaze way of making movies’. The black-and-white cinematography, the intricate sound design, and remarkable editing all contribute to this masterpiece, featuring career-defining performances from De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Cathy Moriarty.

Martin Scorsese (b. 1942, United States) is a New York native and graduate of New York University. He spearheaded the New Hollywood movement with early films like Mean Streets (1973) and Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) that broke new ground for studio filmmaking. The success of Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980) made Scorsese a critical darling, while classics like Goodfellas (1990) cemented his auteur reputation in popular culture. In addition to his highly personal projects such as Kundun (1997) and Silence (2016), Scorsese is an avid documentary filmmaker whose works featuring musicians, including The Last Waltz (1978) and No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005), are among the most celebrated in the genre. As an advocate for the cinema arts, Scorsese founded The Film Foundation and World Cinema Project, both of which have contributed immensely to film preservation.