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Color vs. Black-and-White Films

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Primary Focus Regarding the Riding Bull, the primary focus of this film is the characters. Robert De Niro plays the role of Jake LaMotta and plays the character so well, it is as though Robert De Niro lived the life of Jake LaMotta. The characters in this movie were primary focus because they reflect the life of Jake LaMotta and his family; they do not play non-fiction characters. It's rare that a movie with the moniker "based on the life of..." comes across as anything more than sporadically energetic and marginally entertaining. Raging Bull is the perfect counterexample, and a brilliant argument for filmmakers to continue to work in this genre (ReelViews, 2010, para 2). The primary focus on There’s Something about Mary is the plot. The plot in this film is what makes this comedy stand out from other comedy film. The plot in this film builds curiosity to an audience, drawing in much laughter throughout scenes. Without a good plot in this film, it would have been hard to define if this film was funny or not. The sequences of events in this plot are unique and hilarious, drawing much attention to this film.

Overriding Purpose Exploring personal growth and change is the overriding purpose in the film the Riding Bull. Towards the end of the movie, Jake LaMotta reflects on his life as he is sitting in a jail cell, reflecting on the mistakes that he made with his wife, brother, and career. Initially in the film, Jake accuses his brother for a lot of his faults saying his brother should have given him some more slack, but reflecting on his life, he realizes his rage, jealousy, and crazy behavior to blame for his faults.
Regarding the film There’s Something About Mary, the overriding purpose of this film is exploring interpersonal relationships. In this film, just about every male character in this film explores their relationship with Mary. Even after just one date, Ted hires a detective to find the whereabouts of Mary and the detective eventually falls for her, causing him to pursue and explore a relation with her. Ted’s good friend Dom was even once obsessed with Mary, and after nine years and a restraining order, Dom still decides to go along with Ted to find Mary so he can pursue a relationship with her. Mary’s good friend Tucker who is an architect and disabled turns out not to be disabled or an architect and is only playing this role to be close to her.

Surface Level Subject
The surface level subjects in each of these two films depict everyday relational topics that can be considered as valid even in this modern time. In the film Raging Bull we follow the life of boxer Jake LaMotta through his highs and lows in his pursuit of a title shot and subsequent downfall both in the ring and in his relationship to his wife. We can relate to the surface level subjects both in recognition of the sport of boxing and in how our own views and opinions about relationships and marriage contrast to the extreme examples of jealousy and sexual insecurity being displayed by Jake LaMotta in this film. Likewise in the movie There’s Something About Mary we as an audience are observing the life of “average Joe” Ted Stroehmann as he deals with teenage angst, the 13yr haunting memory of his high school crush Mary, and the subsequent reuniting of Ted with Mary. The surface level subjects of the aforementioned topics of angst, crushes, and reuniting with old friends or ex girlfriends are something that the audience can easily understand and relate to quite easily whether the viewer has been experienced these things personally or has observed someone that has. The surface level subjects in both films provide a stable ground for the robust story and plot that has made these films such great successes.

Deeper Underlying Subject
Often the deeper underlying subjects in films are subtle and not recognizably apparent to the audience. Martin Scorsese perhaps understands this in his film Raging Bull and brings the deeper underlying subject to the absolute forefront by presenting the film’s final scene in which a bible quote (John IX. 24-26) containing a poignant phrase “once I was blind and now I can see” . The filmmaker, Scorsese reveals the underlying subject at the end of the film so that in retrospect the audience may see that Jake LaMotta’s exploits in the ring, namely when he allows Sugar Ray Robinson to land three hard punches to his head as a self-inflicted punishment for beating up his brother Joey in a jealous rage. The film’s underlying religious dogma exemplified by Jake’s punishment in the ring as penance for his sins outside the ring is a brilliant example of the strong but subtle message that Scorsese is trying to convey. In There’s Something About Mary the central focus seems to be always on either Ted, Mary, or both at the same time. However, when the supporting characters like Dom or Pat Healy are looked at closely it is revealed that each character is the star and consisting of equal value when it comes to revealing the limits to which people will go to follow their most prevalent of desires. The Farrelly brothers do an excellent job of exposing the overall underlying subject using comedy as a highly effective medium.

The Most Memorable Moment in the Film
The single most memorable moment of the film Raging Bull is when LaMotta went to prison. I believe this was a wake up call for him as he beat the wall with his face and hands, he began to realize the decisions he made in life and how he destroyed his career, relationship with his wife and brother and made problems with the mafia. He began to realize he could have been a contender. He struggled with his rage, jealousy, and sexual issues with under aged girls. All these things seem to surface and hit him while he is behind bars. After watching him fall apart in the prison I was given insight that this movie was more about his insecurities. He used the ring to deal with his psychological issues and frustrations about his life, more so his wife. He then realized that it wasn’t his career that caused his downfall, instead it was his fear, doubt, anxiety, distrust, and suspicion that destroyed him.

There were so many memorable moments from There’s Something About Mary that it was hard to choose just one. I chose to speak of the moment when Ted removed the headphones from Warrens ears. This signified to Mary that Ted was the one for her as her brother showed that he liked and trusted Ted. In the beginning of the film, Warren beat up Ted and anyone else who tried to touch his ears. This was because he did not know or trust them. Warren was a major part of Mary’s life so to have someone in her life that Warren felt comfortable with was important

References ReelViews. (2010). www.reelviews.net. Retrieved from http://www.reelviews.net/movies /r/raging.html
Ebert, Roger (1998). There’s Something About Mary. Retrieved from rogerebert.com: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19980715/REVIEWS/807150301/1023
Ebert, Roger (1980). Raging Bull. Retrieved from rogerebert.com: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19800101/REVIEWS/1010328/1023

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