“Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out.” – Martin Scorsese

The greatest boxing film to have ever been made is, actually, not even about boxing at all. Raging Bull is often cited as Martin Scorsese’s comeback film, the manifestation of his artistic genius after the poor reception of New York, New York in 1977 and nearly dying of a cocaine overdose. Although 40 years have passed since it was first released, does Raging Bull still have something important to say?

“It’s not a comeback movie. I’ve been here all the time, waiting for Godot,” Scorsese clarified in a 1981 interview when he was asked about the impact of his masterpiece, a legacy which he couldn’t have fathomed at the time. After all, it was a film that he never wanted to make in the first place.