The Waiting Room Research

Examples of extending real time - Raging Bull

We watched a clip from Raging bull (1980) that shows Jake Lamotta vs Sugar Ray Robinson in a boxing match. Throughout the clip, time seems to be slowed down in certain parts. For example when Ray is reaching out to hit Jake, the whole scene almost comes to a stand still as we see multiple flashes of cameras behind the character and shouting and screams coming from the audience. I think that the director, Martin Scorsese, created this effect to give a more fearsome and pronounced way of thinking, he wants the audience to hold their breath until the moment were the injured character gets beaten again. By using this method of slowing parts down were Sugar Ray Robinson is angry and against a dark background, i think Scorsese was also trying to give the audience more time to form their opinions and start to pity Jake Lamotta.
 During the fight the camera also helps to distort time by mirroring the characters movements, for example when Ray stops hitting Jake, he stands back and the scene seems to slow down, however it is still playing in real time but the camera has also pulled back and grabbed focus on Ray, making the shot long and lingering. A different example of mirrored movement is when Jake falls onto the ropes, and then a shot of a man at home watching the fight on T.V is shown as he makes the same move into his armchair, signifying defeat.

 Another example of when slow motion is used within the fight, is when Ray is continually beating Jake and we see blood slowing spraying from Jake's mouth and eyes. This gives the audience a better view of the trouble the fighter is in and therefore want the scene to end, however it forces them to watch by dragging the fighting out and making them watch all of the pain he goes through. This also will make the audience feel more connected to Jake as they have suffered alongside him and possibly make them more sympathetic later on in the movie.