Category: 2011

SZ Exclusive: Sly in Brazil

Craig / / 2009, 2011, Expendables

I received the e-mail below and these photos earlier this week from SZoner, Toni C.

  • Hello Craig!My name is Toni Coutinho (SZoner tonibalboa) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Congratulations for excellent work in StalloneZone!

    I’d like to share with all fans of Sly some pictures I took with the cast of The Expendables during filming. Ok, I know this happened in 2009, but I’m sure everyone will enjoy… I met Sylvester Stallone! Unbelievable!!

    I am a member of a group of fans called Sly Squad and I am a friend of Osmar Daou, a brazilian SZoner.  I have more new photos of Sly.

    Thanks for your attention!

    Toni Coutinho

Thanks to Toni for sharing these cool photos.  We look forward to seeing more in the future! – Craig

Brian Stelfreeze: Barney Ross

Craig / / 2011, Craig's Sly Art, Expendables

Brian Stelfreeze.  Barney Ross from The Expendables.  What else needs to be said?  Simply enjoy the genius of Brian Stelfreeze.

Ok.  For those new to the show, Brian Stelfreeze is one of the most amazing artists working today.   He can do it all… pencil, ink, color, design.  I have never seen a bad piece by Brian.  Yet, he is one of the most humble, approachable and appreciative artists you’ll ever meet.  This is my second piece by Mr. Stelfreeze. [You can see my first here. Both are “cornerstones” of my collection.]  I hope it is not my last.

Rare “First Blood” Footage

Craig / / 2011, First Blood

Earlier this week I received the following e-mail:

  • Hi Craig,

    Reegs, Scott and I,( aka the First Blood Team :), have been working on this new First Blood video that shows very rare footage that was edited for a Canadian TV version back in 1983 and never made to DVD.  It was important to preserve these footage.

    The video also includes at the end a rare photos slide show that I’m sure First Blood fans might enjoy.

    If you think this video deserves his little entry in your SZ weekly updates, Feel free to add it!

    Thanks

    Herve, Reegs and Scott.

Obviously I felt the video deserved to be posted.  It’s great footage that needs to be preserved.  Thanks to SZoners, Herve, Reegs [our own Raven] and Scott! – Craig

Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo

Craig / / 2011, Rambo

On Febraury 23, 2011, Culture Mob posted a throughtful review by Josh Katz of Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo.  Here’s a taste:

  • To call Sylvester Stallone’s 2008 action epic Rambo “frustratingly watchable” mislabels the matter somewhat—the film is compulsively watchable.  On an aesthetic level, it is a well-shot, well-cut, entertainingly-if-not-always-competently acted, and relentlessly paced piece of work.  I’ve seen it five times, and it goes down smooth every time.
  • I believe Sylvester Stallone wanted to make an important movie.  If you listen to the commentary track on the theatrical cut of Rambo or watch his Production Diaries on the extended cut (and I recommend giving these a whirl, just to get a sense of how eloquent and thoughtful Stallone can be), he seems committed to bringing the plight of the Karen genocide in Burma to light.
  • Stallone is a master of action movie filmmaking; that much is certain.  He instinctively understands where the camera needs to go to maximize visceral and spatial impact, how to split the balance of exposition and action, and how to vary action scenes while marrying them to logical narrative momentum.

You can read the whole piece here.

“Rocky” One of Oscar’s Biggest Upsets

Craig / / 2011, Honors, Rocky

On February 20, 2011, Barbara Hagen for Associated Content from Yahoo wrote a piece called 2011: Oscars Biggest Upsets.  In the piece Ms. Hagen looks at movies that seemed least likely to win the Best Picture Oscar, but did.  Here is what she has to say about “Rocky”:

  • Another example of how exceptional acting has influenced the outcome of the Academy Awards was in 1977 when “Rocky,” starring Sylvester Stallone took best picture. Moviefone.com says the performance of “Sly Stallone, [upstaged] the likes of Redford, Scorsese, and Lumet.” When I saw the movie myself, I could see the effort and the work that Stallone put into his character, and I would agree with Moviefone’s statement that Stallone outshined the other nominees for best picture.’

You can read the whole piece here.

Arnold Presents Sly’s Award

Craig / / 2011, Celebs, Honors

In this image provided by the International Cinematographers Guild, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, left, presents actor Sylvester Stallone with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 48th Annual ICG Publicist Awards at The Beverly Hilton hotel Friday Feb. 25, 2011 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/ICG, Craig T. Mathew)