Raging Bull (1980), directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro as boxer Jake LaMotta, is a black-and-white portrait of a man who destroys everyone who loves him through jealousy, violence, and self-loathing. De Niro gained 60 pounds for the film's later scenes.

Why It Matters

• Named the greatest film of the 1980s by Sight and Sound — and frequently the greatest American film of its decade
• The boxing sequences — shot by Michael Chapman with extreme slow motion and violent sound design — are unlike any fight scenes before or since
• De Niro's commitment remains the benchmark for physical actor transformation

Scorsese made the film during a period of personal crisis and drug addiction, channeling his self-destructive energy into LaMotta's story. He has called it the film that saved his life. It lost the Best Picture Oscar to Ordinary People — a decision still disputed by critics.

Reference:

Wikipedia: Raging Bull

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raging_Bull