Raging Bull Budget
DramaHistory2h 9mUpdated
Synopsis
"Raging Bull," directed by Martin Scorsese, is a biographical sports drama that chronicles the tumultuous life of Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxing champion. Set against the backdrop of the 1940s and 1950s, the film explores LaMotta's rise to fame in the boxing world, showcasing his fierce determination and relentless fighting style. However, beneath the surface of his success lies a deeply troubled man plagued by jealousy, insecurity, and self-destructive tendencies.
The narrative delves into LaMotta's tumultuous relationships, particularly with his wife, Vickie, and his brother, Joey. As his boxing career flourishes, his personal life spirals out of control, leading to devastating consequences. The film's raw and unflinching portrayal of LaMotta's struggles highlights the duality of his character—both a champion in the ring and a deeply flawed individual outside of it. With powerful performances, particularly by Robert De Niro as LaMotta, "Raging Bull" stands as a poignant exploration of the price of ambition and the complexities of human nature.
What is the budget of Raging Bull?
"Raging Bull," a drama released in 1980, was directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty. The production budget was $18,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for drama productions of the 1980s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:
- Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
- Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
- Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
- Casting: One of Scorsese's trademarks was casting many actors and actresses new to the profession.
What were the major cost factors in Raging Bull?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Raging Bull."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does Raging Bull's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $18,000,000, Raging Bull sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 127 Hours (2010): Budget $18,000,000, Worldwide Gross $35,700,000
- A Dog's Way Home (2019): Budget $18,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,643,857
- Amadeus (1984): Budget $18,000,000, Worldwide Gross $90,007,557
- And So It Goes (2014): Budget $18,000,000, Worldwide Gross $25,312,387
- Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004): Budget $18,000,000 , Gross $65,070,412
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Raging Bull Box Office Performance
"Raging Bull" earned $23,383,987 domestically and $23,380,203 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $18,000,000, the film showed modest profitability in theatrical release.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Raging Bull," that break-even threshold was roughly $36,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $23,380,203, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $18,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $23,380,203
- Net Return: $5,380,203
- ROI: approximately 29.9%
At 29.9%, "Raging Bull" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Raging Bull Production History
One of Scorsese's trademarks was casting many actors and actresses new to the profession. De Niro, who was already committed to play Jake LaMotta, began to help Scorsese track down unfamiliar names to play his on-screen brother Joey and wife Vikki. The role of Joey LaMotta was the first to be cast.
According to the sound mixer, Michael Evje, the film began shooting at the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium on April 16, 1979. Grips hung huge curtains of black duvetyne on all four sides of the ring area to contain the artificial smoke used extensively for visual effect. On May 7, the production moved to the Culver City studio, Stage 3, and filmed there until the middle of June.
Martin Scorsese decided to assemble a soundtrack made of music that was popular at the time using his personal collection of 78s. With the help of Robbie Robertson, the songs were carefully chosen so they would be the ones that a person would hear on the radio, at the pool or in bars and clubs which reflected the mood of that particular era. Some lyrics from songs would also be slipped into some dialogue.
Awards and Recognition
Won 2 Oscars. 24 wins & 28 nominations total
- Academy Award for Best Actor: Robert De Niro (53rd Academy Awards)
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award for Best Film Editing: Thelma Schoonmaker (53rd Academy Awards)
Critical Reception
When it premiered in New York City on November 14, 1980, the release of Raging Bull was met with polarized reviews, but the film would receive widespread critical acclaim, and is widely regarded as one of Scorsese's best works. Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average, gave it a score of 90 out of 100, based on 28 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on a scale of A+ to F.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Raging Bull (1980)?
The production budget was $18,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $9,000,000 - $14,400,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $27,000,000 - $32,400,000.
How much did Raging Bull (1980) earn at the box office?
Raging Bull grossed $23,383,987 domestic, $-3,784 international, totaling $23,380,203 worldwide.
Was Raging Bull (1980) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $23,380,203 against an estimated $45,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Raging Bull?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Raging Bull's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $18,000,000, Raging Bull is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 127 Hours (2010, $18,000,000); A Dog's Way Home (2019, $18,000,000); Amadeus (1984, $18,000,000).
Did Raging Bull (1980) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for Raging Bull?
The theatrical ROI was 29.9%, calculated as ($23,380,203 − $18,000,000) ÷ $18,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Raging Bull (1980) win?
Won 2 Oscars. 24 wins & 28 nominations total.
Who directed Raging Bull and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, Mardik Martin, shot by Michael Chapman, with music by Pietro Mascagni, edited by Thelma Schoonmaker.
Where was Raging Bull filmed?
Raging Bull was filmed in United States of America. According to the sound mixer, Michael Evje, the film began shooting at the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium on April 16, 1979. Grips hung huge curtains of black duvetyne on all four sides of the ring area to contain the artificial smoke used extensively for visual effect. On May 7, the production moved to the Culver City studio, Stage 3, and filmed there until the middle of June. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Raging Bull
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