FAQ for
Raging Bull (1980) More at IMDbPro »

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According to Martin Scorsese on the DVD, when first screening some test 8mm footage of Robert De Niro sparring in a ring, he felt that something was off about the image. Michael Powell, who at that time had become something of a mentor and good friend to Scorsese, suggested that it was the color of the gloves that was throwing them off. Realizing this was true, Scorsese then decided the movie had to be filmed in black and white (from trivia of imdb)

EDIT In the Taxi Driver commentary, at the end with the shootout, they said they had to change the color to a dull brownish so they could get it approved with so much blood. They also mentioned that as being one of the reasons Raging Bull was not shot in color - too much blood even for an R rating.