Category: Honors

Boxing Writers Association of America to Honor Sly Stallone

Craig / / 2006, Honors

Sylvester Stallone has been selected as the first Boxing Writers Association of America award winner for lifetime cinematic achievement. On May 5th, at their 81st Annual Awards Dinner [to be held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas], Sly will receive a specially commissioned piece from renowned Philadelphia sculptor Carl LeVotch to honor this achievement.

It’s an unprecedented award and for Sly to be chosen to be honored on what many call boxing’s “most prestigious night” clearly shows the impact that Sly’s Rocky Balboa has had.

“People accept Rocky Balboa as authentic. I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me and asked about my boxing career. It’s like they really want to believe that Rocky exists. You know, I’m amazed by all of this. At one time I thought people would get over (their fascination with the character) and move on. Didn’t happen. After 30 years, Rocky has taken hold to a degree I never could have imagined,” Stallone was quoted as saying when informed of his award.

In addition to Sly, Ricky Hatton [Fighter of the Year], Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo [Fight of the Year] and others will be honored. Many current and former World Champions will also be on hand. Tickets to the event are available to the public! Click HERE for full details.

If any Zoner attends, please send in a report! – Craig

“Rocky” Makes All-Time Greatest Screenplay List

Craig / / 2006, Honors, Rocky

“Rocky” Makes All-Time Greatest Screenplay List

In 2005, ballots were sent out asking all Writers Guild of America members to list up to ten of their favorite produced screenplays. Any film [past, present, or foreign language or otherwise] was eligible. The resulting list featured films from every decade from the 30’s on, films with big name stars that achieved blockbuster status as well as little films that went largely unnoticed by the masses. The one thing that they did have in common was a great screenplay.

“Rocky” made the list. It came in at 78. Quite an honor for a little film written by a then unknown Sylvester Stallone.

To see the list click HERE.

.Thanks to Wes for the tip. – Craig

“Rocky” USA Weekends’ Best Sports Movie

Craig / / 2006, Honors, Rocky

Rocky Balboa Teaser Hits the Net

The March 3-5, 2006 issue of USA Weekend contained an article called “Our Oscars go to…” USA Weekend opened the article with: “We asked our experts for their picks for Best Movie in the categories that you really care about, from sport and food to romance and pets.” As you’d probably guess, “Rocky” won for Best Sports Movie. Here’s what was said:

BEST SPORTS MOVIE
Rocky (1976)
The Judge: Jorge Cruise, FitSmart

OK, this one might seem a little cliche. But I think there’s a reason Rocky won for best picture: Everyone can relate! It’s about personal struggle, being the underdog and fighting the odds, which is how many people feel when they’re trying to lose weight or get fit. The fact that he doesn’t win makes it even more relatable.

Rocky makes another “Best Movie” list thirty years after it’s release! – Craig

More Praise for Sly, “Rocky” & “Rocky III”

Craig / / 2005, Honors, Rocky, Rocky 3

The November 25th issue of Entertainment Weekly contains an article rating the top 30 sports movie dvds and stars.

Sly Stallone, Rocky and Rocky III all earned top spots.

Here’s what they had to say:

4. Rocky [PG, 119 mins., 1976; MGM]
HERE’S WHY: Hard enough to take a 15-round beating from Apollo Creed [Carl Weathers], soft enough to give Adrian [Talia Shire] the bed the night before the big fight, the Philly southpaw is more character than most. With one shot to prove he’s not just another bum from the hood, Sylvester Stallone faces the champ and does the unthinkable, by Hollywood standards: He loses. But wins our hearts by going the distance [and remembering Adrian’s hat].
DID YOU KNOW? The Italian Stallion’s blow-by-blow of the bout weighed in at 32 pages. EXTRAS The 2001 special edition features commentaries detailing every decision made in the making of this Best Picture.
FINAL SCORE:  We’d all like to eat lightning and crap thunder for Mickey [Burgess Meredith]. – Mandi Bierly

24. Rocky III [PG, 100 mins., 1982; MGM]
HERE’S WHY: Because it perfected the formula. Why have one nigh-invulnerable black heavyweight when you can have two? Why have one viscerally adrenalized fight when you can have three? The story of the Italian Stallion’s defeat at the hands of and subsequent victory over Clubber Lang – the only actually scary performance of Mr. T’s career – packs all the inspirational triumph you look for in a Rocky flick [and a touch of casual racism that you don’t], but Rocky III‘s true gift to sports cinema is the anatomically fetishized, borderline homoerotic training sequence. That, and “The Eye of the Tiger.”
EXTRAS:  We pity the DVD fools who included nothing but a measly trailer. If we find them, our prediction for the encounter? Pain.
FINAL SCORE: Twenty notches below the first Rocky on our list, but the most fun installment in the whole series. – Marc Bernardin

SYLVESTER STALLONE Rocky [1976] Rocky Balboa may be an outclassed palooka, but he has the heart of a champ, a virtue that Stallone portrays so convincingly that he transformed his Philly underdog into an indellible and enduring pop-culture hero. [See #4]

– The pic above is different than the one with the article. – Craig

“Victory” is #1

Craig / / 2005, Honors, Victory

The soccer website Football.co.uk recently conducted a poll in which 4000 soccer fans picked their favorite soccer movie of all time.

As you probably guessed, Victory starring Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Pele scored the top spot.

The top 10 soccer movies are:

1. Victory (1981)
2. Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
3. Fever Pitch (1997)
4. When Saturday Comes (1996)
5. Gregory’s Girl (1981)
6. Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)
7. Mean Machine (2001)
8. The Football Factory (2004)
9. ID (1995)
10. Goal! (2005)

– Craig

Sly Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Craig / / 2005, Celebs, Honors

Sly is going to be honored with a lifetime achivement award by the Taurus World Stunt Awards Foundation. Here’s part of the press release:

Sylvester Stallone, who rose to notoriety in 1976 when he was nominated for two Golden Globes and two Oscars (for Writing/ Screenplay and for Best Actor) of the now classic, “Rocky,” will receive the Taurus Lifetime Achievement Award for an Action Star.”Stallone has been a dynamic driving force in action films creating some extremely memorable characters and moments. The stunt community is excited to present him with this honorary award for his achievement as an action film star,” stated TWSA Executive Producer, Mitch Geller.

“On top of that, Stallone fully understands the difficulty and complexity of stunt work and through his films he has endowed the stunt community with a wealth of job opportunities.”

The 2005 Taurus World Stunt Awards will be hosted by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, with such notables as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dennis Hopper, Kiefer Sutherland, Rosario Dawson, Paul Walker, Daryl Hannah, Robert Rodriguez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Michelle Rodriguez, George Eads, Gary Dourdan, Eric Szmanda, Hulk Hogan, Mr T and Lee Majors presenting awards as well. In addition, it was announced earlier this week that Quentin Tarantino will be honored with the Action Director of the Year Award for his “Kill Bill” series. The Taurus World Stunt Awards is the only show completely devoted to recognizing these behind-the-scenes heroes and their death-defying work. Winning the ‘Taurus’ has proven to be the most prestigious honor a stunt professional can take home.

The 5th Annual Taurus World Stunt Awards is set to be held this Sunday, September 25th at Paramount Pictures. The Taurus World Stunt Awards telecast, which will air domestically Thursday, October 13, 2005 on E! Entertainment Television from 8-10 PM ET/PT. Internationally, the show airs in over 100 countries reaching nearly a billion viewers.

– Craig

“Rocky” Still the Standard!

Craig / / 2005, Honors, Rocky
Now that “Cinderella Man” is out and doing well, writers are creating their lists of the best boxing  movies ever. I’m happy to say that “Rocky” is always listed and usually at the top.

Joe Holleman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ranks “Rocky” at #2 and says, “Sylvester Stallone  reinvented the underdog film with this Best Picture Oscar winner.”

Louis B. Hobson of the Winnipeg Sun writes: Stallone deserves kudos for writing and starring in a simple, time-honoured story told with style, heart and passion. Stallone made Rocky Balboa a symbol of the extraordinary things ordinary people can achieve if they have a dream and the passion to pursue it.

Nearly 30 years later, “Rocky” is still the standard! – Craig

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Sly Set to Receive CineVegas and Brenden Theaters Star Award

Craig / / 2005, Celebs, Honors

Sly Stallone along with Laurence Fishburne,Christina Ricci, Helen Mirren, and Taylor Hackford will be honored at the eighth annual CineVegas Film Festival. The festival will be held from June 9th -17th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sly is set to receive the the CineVegas and Brenden Theaters Star award. I’ll post more information as the dates near in case any SZoners want to attend.

Mr. Fishburne and Ms. Ricci will receive the “Half-Life” awards for their carrer achievements. Ms. Mirren is up for the Marquee Award for Lifetime Achievementand Mr. Hackford will receive the Vanguard Director Award.

– Craig