Raging Bull currently dominates E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 69–31
Scorsese’s punishment outweighs Spielberg’s comfort.
Who do you think should win?
The Verdict Genre Clash
De Niro gained sixty pounds and Scorsese shot the boxing in black-and-white slow motion — each punch landing with a sound design that makes the audience flinch — because Raging Bull isn’t interested in making the violence look like anything other than what it is. E.T.’s Spielberg is interested in the opposite: making the impossible look like it could happen in your backyard. The bicycles, the Reese’s Pieces, the shed where a child hides an alien from the government. the film that refuses comfort is edging the one that offers it. In a Spielberg-Scorsese bracket, the audience that showed up knows both registers and is reaching for the harder one.
The Numbers
| E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | Raging Bull | |
|---|---|---|
| Head-to-Head | 31% | 69% |
| Overall Win Rate | 41% | 44% |
| Championships | 16 | 17 |
| Avg Decision | 2.9s | 2.8s |
| Budget | $11M | $18M |
| Box Office | $797M | $23M |
Where This Matchup Sits
Among 27 films from the 1980s on BingeBracket, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is in the bottom quarter and Raging Bull is in the lower half.
Against shared opponents, Jaws splits them: Raging Bull wins that matchup comfortably, while E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial can't get past it.
Despite the lopsided head-to-head, the tournament records are competitive: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial with 16 titles, Raging Bull with 17. The broader record is tighter than this specific matchup.
The box office gap is clear: $797M for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, $23M for Raging Bull. But Raging Bull wins head-to-head despite earning less.
Where to Watch
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