This week’s POW comes from Ernest Jazzman Resendes .
Thanks! – Craig Zablo
Category: 2004
“The Contender” is Now a Contender
NBC has signed on for The Contender, a boxing reality series developed by “Survivor” creator Mark Burnett, DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenburg and Sly Stallone. NBC reportedly has agreed to pay $2 million an episode for the 16-part series.
Stallone will serve as executive producer with Katzenberg and Burnett, as well as appear as an on-screen mentor to the young fighters.
Now this is good news! – Craig Zablo
Freddy vs Jason and the “Rocky” Influence
Here’s an interesting e-mail that came in:
Hi Craig!
This is Jason Kamasz from Australia. I am a massive ROCKY fan and have always found STALLONEZONE a site of unequalled importance and often a tip-off to ROCKY Articles etc… to complete my huge collection of ROCKY Memorabila etc….
Before I eloborate, I’ll get to the point of this email which is to let you know about an interesting piece of trivia I came across as result of recieving the (REGION 1) 2-Disc New Line Platinum Series “FREDDY Vs. JASON” DVD for my 31st birthday on AUSTRALIA DAY, JANUARY 26th, 2004.
On The second Disc in the Extras Section there is a set of featurettes entitled THE PRODUCTION. During the featurette “GENISIS : DEVELOPMENT HELL”, Director RONNY YU is interviewed and states the following brilliant lines…..ACTUAL QUOTES…(Hong Kong Accent)
“…This movie has to go back to the basic. Because we see so many of this, like, CGI movie now, and one thing that keep…in my mind when I’m shooting the movie, this movie is the film called “ROCKY” – when I first saw the “ROCKY”, the scene that really hit me, is the scene at the end , the final fight, when Apollo beat the crap out of Rocky, but then Rocky had the spirit to fight back even though his eye is all swollen and all that and he tell the trainer, ‘Cut it open, Cut it open’ and at that moment…(RONNY SQUIRMS WITH REFLECTION) …They actually cut it open and the blood just spurts out y’know, and that for me is raw, it’s raw …”
Pretty impressive eh ?
You might like to add this tidbit to your site.
As for me being a ROCKY fan, I have a huge archive of memorabilia and have created Many documents that range from a Biography Book with 500 Fight stills collected over 20 years & Original Designed Magazine Covers, (Just like the beginning of ROCKY III). I would be happy to provide scans.
Jase
+++
Jase,
Thanks for the kind words about the SZ and the info about how Rocky influenced Freddy vs Jason. We look forward to any other items that you’d like to share!
– Craig Zablo
Sly and Foreman – Back to the Ring
George Foreman, the two-time heavyweight champion and 1968 Olympic gold medalist is serious about a return to the boxing ring. In an article posted in the Houston Chronicle on February 12th, the 55-year-old Foreman, who hasn’t fought in seven years is quoted as saying, “”I’m looking to do one good boxing match, and it’s going to be a big one, too.”
Foreman isn’t interested in a fighting someone his age. He wants to fight an up-and-comer because, “The contenders are always there because they recognize it as a big payday.”
On Tuesday, Foreman talked with Sylvester Stallone, who told Foreman he was going to do another Rocky movie. “He was crazy about the idea of (me fighting again),” Foreman said. “He’s going to come in and visit.”
For the full story click HERE.
Thanks to Francis Welch from Houston for the tip! – Craig Zablo
Rambo is the Toughest!
Hey SZoners, here’s an e-mail I received…
Hello Mr. Zablo,
It’s been a while since I have E-mailed and I’m sure you don’t remember me but I wanted to let Stallone Zone fans know of this. I was at my local Wegmans and in the new issue of Men’s Journal with Mel Gibson on the cover it talks of the 25 toughest men. Although for some strange reason Mr. Stallone is not in there it does have a list of the toughest movie characters and #1 is Rambo. Just thought you and your readers would like to know. Thank you for your time and keep up the good work with the site.
Another Sly Fan,
Joe Petitto
Thanks Joe! – Craig Zablo
POW – Sly and Man’s Best Friend
This week’s POW comes from Agnes (foxy1980de) – Thanks! – Craig
Stallone in Hollywood Animal
Joe Eszterhas was, at one time, the highest paid screenwriter in Hollywood. He was also the first screenwriter to make the 100 Most Powerful People in Hollywood list.
Eszterhas’ first movie was F.I.S.T. which starred Sly Stallone. Before the movie was released Eszterhas and Sly had a few very public squabbles, although they did ultimately patch things up.
Here’s how the New York Post described it:
But when he was starting out, he and Stallone clashed after Robert De Niro wavered on playing the role of the Jimmy Hoffa-like character in “F.I.S.T.” Stallone played the part.
Stallone claimed he was writing the script, not Eszterhas, and he fought him and the director, Norman Jewison, over Eszterhas’s plot, which called for the union leader to be fatally shot.
“The public will not accept me dying,” he told Jewison.
“We’re not making Rocky,” the director replied. “Without your dying, there is no ending to the movie.”
“I’m a star,” Stallone countered.
“You’re an actor,” Jewison replied.
They compromised on shooting the scene as written – but only once.
Stallone later told Eszterhas how much he liked his work on “Jagged Edge,” and said that since “I owe you one,” he wanted to hire him for $500,000 for a quick rewrite. Stallone explained that he was directing “Staying Alive,” a sequel to “Saturday Night Fever,” and was halfway through the shooting but was having disagreements with John Travolta about the script.
Eszterhas agreed to meet with the two men in Stallone’s trailer. Travolta wanted to stress the “vulnerability” of his character, Tony Manero, but Stallone preferred to the put the stress on his being “cool.”
Eszterhas said he couldn’t help them.
“Sure you can,” Stallone said and offered to put him up in a hotel suite.
“Sly, you f – – – – d me once on ‘F.I.S.T.’ ” Eszterhas recalled saying. “What do you want to f – – – me again for, now that we’re friends?”
Travolta began to laugh, and so did Stallone, and Eszterhas left them to solve the problem
of Tony Manero’s personality on their own.
For the full article click HERE.
To order Hollywood Animal by Joe Eszterhas [and help support the SZ] click HERE.
– Craig Zablo
POW – Sly
Our POW [Picture of the Week] this week is a shot of Sly sent in by Ernest Jazzman Resendes . – Craig
Gerardo Moreno Checks In
SZoner, Gerardo Moreno recently checked in, all the way from Spain, to let us know what he’s been up to.
In addition creating this nice Stallone digital image, Gerardo has been working on other traditional art.
Gerardo is currently the official artist for Christopher Lee [Lord of the Rings].
In additional, Gerardo who is a big movie fan, created a tribute piece to honor Chuck Norris.
Gerardo promises more Stallone art in the future.
Check out his site and let him know if you appreciate his work!
– Craig Zablo
Rocky vs The World
Jorge writes:I wanted to share a link on an interesting article maybe you can post on your next batch of news or whatever. The article is about a sequel to the Rocky game that came out about two years ago. Here’s the article and the link.
Rocky Vs. The World
Internal development sources from Europe have given IGN the details on the sequel to the sleeper hit Rocky. It’s tentatively called Rocky Vs. The World, it’s online for both PS2 and Xbox (sorry, no GameCube version), and the engine is nearly identical to the first game. The new online title features more characters, stages, and upgraded visuals. Look for this to appear on PS2 and Xbox by the end of the year.
Thanks Jorge! – Craig Zablo