The brutality of Raging Bull is intense, a mood Scorsese maintains consistently. And, connected with that, is the director's search for, if not beauty, then poetry, within that vivid viciousness. He succeeds in that search.

De Niro playing La Motta in Raging Bull is beyond mere typecasting. It is an apotheosis. With La Motta as technical adviser, De Niro, an actor with a passion for authenticity, has found the ideal outlet for his singular talent.

Even if Scorsese and De Niro have created a movie that defies categories, the sports film will never seem quite the same, and the boxing division has a new heavyweight against which past and future efforts will be measured.

There's just something about Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro -- when they get on screen together, it's just magical.