Craig Zablo’s StalloneZone

Archive for the ‘Rocky Balboa’ Category

On August 4, 2010, Hollywood News posted a piece about how difficult it was for Sly to say good bye to the character of Rocky Balboa.  Sly told…

…Britain’s GQ magazine: “It was really hard leaving that character behind… saying goodbye to the greatest character that anyone could ever dream of… I felt incredibly sad. It was like having a brother die in my arms.”

You can read the full piece here.

From Yahoo News!

Actors Sylvester Stallone (L) and Dolph Lundgren receive an award from the Guinness Book of World Records for creating the most successful sports franchise in film history with their movie “Rocky” during a news conference for the upcoming Lionsgate motion picture “The Expendables” at Comic Con in San Diego, California July 22, 2010.

REUTERS/Mike Blake

In honor of Independence Day, Cinema Blend posted their choices for the Ten Movie Heroes Who Make Us Proud to be Americans.  Making the list were:

• Scarlett (Gone with the Wind) O’Hara
• President James (Air Force One) Marshall
• Captain John H. (Saving Private Ryan) Miller
• John (Die Hard series) McClane
• Atticus (To Kill a Mockingbird) Finch
• Jason (The Bourne trilogy) Bourne
• Will (High Noon) Kane
• Sarah (Terminator series) Connor
• Bryan (Taken) Mills
• Rocky (Rocky series) Balboa

Here’s some of what they had to say about Rocky…

Everyone loves an underdog, and that’s the reason why Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa is such a great character

Balboa is a hero because of the inspiration he provides,

Rocky Balboa IS the American spirit.

Click here to read the full piece.

On June 29, 2010, CasinoReports.com posted a piece with a video demonstration about the Rocky slot machine.  The report and video make it look like a fun slot machine… although the author should know that Rocky’s wife’s name is Adrain!  Click here to check it out.

Did you know that Sly donated Adrian’s headstone (used in filming Rocky Balboa) to the cemetery where the scenes were filmed?  I didn’t.  Did you know that the headstone is now a tourist attraction?  Check out this article for all the details.

On June 22, 2010, We Are Movie Geeks.com posted their selections for the Top Ten Film Franchises.  Back to the Future; Planet of the Apes; Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter; Rocky; Alien(s); Lord of the Rings; James Bond; The Godfather and Star Wars all made the list. Here’s some of what they had to say about the Rocky series:

…you cannot dismiss the genius of the character of Rocky Balboa.

Rocky was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Screenplay that Stallone wrote, and won 3, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Rocky stole the heart of America and reminded us why we should always root for the underdog.

You can read the entire post by clicking here.

Recently the DVD rental firm Lovefilm put together a poll of the most motivating speeches given in movies.  The top 10 choices, as selected by film fans have been sent to manager Fabio Capello to help motivate England’s world cup team.  Rocky’s speech to his son from Rocky Balboa placed fifth on the list.

You can see the entire article here.

On April 7, 2010, FilmSchoolRejects.com selected Rocky Balboa for their Movies We Love column.  Here’s a taste:

Of all the sequels in one of cinema’s most popular franchises this one feels most authentic and honest to the original, or at least the most connected since the third film.  Not to diminish the entertainment value of the other installments (even the fifth…to a degree), Rocky Balboa is just more of a return to the emotional struggles of the character.

On April 2, 2010, ESPN’s Page 2, in anticipation of the Tiger Woods’ comeback to golf, posted their choices for the 50 Most Anticipated Comebacks.  Coming in at #36 Rocky Balboa.

Many thought the 2006 installment of the Sylvester Stallone franchise would only exacerbate the awful taste left by “Rocky V.” Instead, it brought closure to the greatest sports movie franchise, with the title character doing what he does best — take a beating, sure, but lose standing up.

You can discover who else made the Top 50 by clicking here.

This week we have Sly as Rambo by Tom Hodges.  I discovered Tom’s art through his DA site and then last August, Tom had a 24 Hour Draw-A-Thon live on UStream.  I got on board and commissioned a sketch of Jack Carter and this Rambo.  Tom still draws regularly on UStream and it’s always fun watching him go at it.