Category: Rocky 2

Sean Gordon Murphy: Rocky & Butkus

Craig / / 2011, Craig's Sly Art, Rocky 2

Sean Gordon Murphy is one of those artists who just seems to come out of nowhere with his own distinctive style that you can’t help but love.  I met Sean at last year’s Heroes Con.  His sketch list was full, but he said he started a new list each day and I should check back the next day.  I made sure I was first in line and ended up with this classic piece of Rocky and Butkus.

You can see more of Sean’s art at his site and his DA spot.  Sean is going to be at Heroes again this year and I’m hoping that lighting strikes twice.

Ranking the “Rocky” Movies

Craig / / 2011, Rocky, Rocky 2, Rocky 3, Rocky 4, Rocky 5, Rocky Balboa

On February 9, 2011, ChicagoNow.com posted Ranking the Rocky Movies by Kyle Trompeter.  While I don’t agree with Kyle’s rankings, he does make a good case for each choice… and there is a surprise or two in his list.

And for the record, here is how I rank them:

1.  Rocky and Rocky Balboa.  {Perfect bookends to the series]
2.  Rocky III
3.  Rocky II [Depending on my mood sometimes I flip positions on II and IV]
4.  Rocky IV
5.  Rocky V [While many fans really dislike Rocky V, I am thankful that because of it we got Rocky Balboa]

– Craig

Rocky & Rocky II: The Best Boxing Movies of All Time

Craig / / 2011, Honors, Rocky, Rocky 2

On January 30, 2011, Moviefone.co.uk posted their choices for The 15 Best Boxing Movies of All Time.  Care to guess what movies came in at…

14. Rocky II
Before the ‘Rocky’ franchise devolved into (loveable) camp with villains like Clubber Lang and Drago, star Sylvester Stallone managed to put together one of the best and most underrated sequels in modern times. Though the climactic and triumphant return to the ring and the end of the film is memorable, the best parts of this movie deal with Rocky’s efforts to retire and his inability to find a place for himself outside the squared circle. A surprisingly moving film.

and

1. Rocky
What is there to say about Rocky that hasn’t already been said? Written by an unknown actor named Sylvester Stallone who insisted he star in the film as well, Rocky was a surprise box office and critical success when it debuted in 1976, launching Stallone to superstardom and creating a worldwide franchise that has become an indelible part of pop mythology. And on top of all that it’s still a damn good movie.

To read the full article, click here.

Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky Balboa: Best of the Best

Craig / / 2010, Honors, Rocky, Rocky 2, Rocky Balboa

On December 17, 2010, Newsday posted a piece titled Actors, Fighters Weigh-in on Boxing Flicks.  As you can imagine the Rocky movies were selected as top choices several times.  Here’s what was said:

  • Frank Vincent, played Salvy, opposite Robert De Niro in “Raging Bull.”  He’s appeared in numerous other films, including “Goodfellas” and “Casino.”
    1.     Although it was a fantasy,  I have to go with “Rocky 1”, for the inspirational message.
  • Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, former WBA light heavyweight champion, played Billy Fox opposite Robert De Niro in “Raging Bull.”
    3.     “Rocky.” “The entire Rocky series was great for boxing. Even if it wasn’t real, it was an opportunity for Sly to come in and make those movies. It gave boxing a boost.”
  • A.J. Benza, played L.C. opposite Sylvester Stallone in “Rocky Balboa.”
    1.     “Although “Raging Bull” is a better film, with incredible acting and all the sacrifices Robert De Niro made to literally become Jake LaMotta, and having the great Martin Scorsese at the helm, I still have to say the greatest boxing movie of all-time is “Rocky.” Here we are 34 years later and I still drop the remote and stop whatever I’m doing whenever it’s on TV. That song is in everybody’s heart. That fight is a fight we will all face one day in our lives. Sylvester Stallone did it. Game over. Who doesn’t get the chills when they hear the trumpets?”
    3. “Rocky Balboa.” Mainly because I’m in it. But I remember being on the set, on the last day, and watching Stallone run the steps for the last time. And when he was done and it was a wrap, no one wanted to leave. Stallone just sat on the steps. And I remember telling him, “You been making us cry for over 30 years. Who does that outside of our own families?”
  • Jeff Waxman, co-producer, “The Fighter”
    1    . “Rocky”
    2    . “Rocky II”
    “I loved all those movies,” said Waxman. “I loved them not just for the boxing, but for the story. With Riocky, it was about going the distance, in this movie (“The Fighter”), Micky Ward had to go the distance, he had to win and he did.”
  • Steve Farhood, boxing analyst for Showtime:
    1.     “Rocky.” “The right movie at the right time. My friend and I saw it in the dead of winter, and we were so pumped up, we ran home two miles through the streets of New York City. By the way, not one of the 347 sequels compares.”
  • Lou DiBella, boxing promoter, played himself in “Rocky Balboa” and is a producer on “The Fighter.”
    1.     “Rocky.” “I think the character of Rocky Balboa is the greatest personafication of the underdog in movie history and it gets to the essence of why people love boixng. I think Rocky Balboa is the most iconic figure every created about boxing.”
    2.     “Rocky II.”
  • Mark Breland, Olympic gold medalist and WBA welterweight champion. Has appeared in “The Lords of Discipline,” and  “Summer of Sam.”
    2. “Rocky.”
  • Jose Rivera, former two-time world champion who played Mark Wahlberg’s sparring partner in “The Fighter.”
    1. “Rocky.”
  • Junior Jones, former world bantamweight and junior featherweight champion:
    1.     “All of the “Rocky,” movies. I liked the training scenes and the music, too. It allows you to see the hard work and the intensity of a fighter.”

To read the full piece, click here.