 When Paul Schrader (I) (qv) was working on the script, he put in  numerous shocking moments such as Jake LaMotta (qv) masturbating  and dipping his penis into a bucket of ice. Schrader later admitted  that the film held less personal significance to him than it did for  Robert De Niro (qv) and Martin Scorsese (qv) and he added the  shocking material just to see what he could get past the studio.  Ultimately, the masturbation was cut and, instead of putting his  penis into the ice, La Motta pours the ice down his underwear.