Category: Rocky

“Rocky” All Time Favorite Again

Craig / / 2009, Honors, Rocky

On July 26, 2009, Nathan Dominitz of Savanah Now.com posted his All Time Top Ten Favorite Sports Movies.  “Rocky” came in 3rd and here’s what he had to say:

3. Rocky (1976)

Hero: Boxer Robert “Rocky” Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)

Plot: Balboa, a palooka fighter/inept loanshark muscle, has few career options until heavyweight champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) needs a hand-picked tomato can for a Philadelphia bout. Enter the Italian Stallion to prove that underdogs, through earnest training and guts, can go toe-to-toe with superior talent, speed, experience and size. It’s often forgotten by politicians and the like adopting the underdog “Rocky” persona that he lost (by 15-round split decision) in the original. Oscars went to “Rocky” in 1977 for best picture and director.

Quotable: “Yo, Adrian!” “Cut me, Mick.” Anything uttered by Balboa’s crusty trainer, Mickey Goldmill.

Backstory: The story goes that Stallone, a broke actor/screenwriter, sold his screenplay for $350,000, contingent that he star as Balboa. He did, but made scale as the lead actor and nothing more for writing. Studio United Artists wanted a big name (Burt Reynolds? Robert Redford?) but was contractually stuck with Stallone. The rest, including numerous sequels, is cinematic history.

You can read the complete list by clicking here.

“Rocky” All-Time Favorite Again

Craig / / 2009, Honors, Rocky

Larry Phillips of the Mansfield News-Journal.com posted his all-time favorite sports films.  “Rocky” came in third and here’s what he had to say:

3. Rocky (1976)

Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire. Supposedly, Stallone was inspired to write this picture after watching a 1975 fight in Cleveland when Muhammad Ali struggled to put away Chuck Wepner. Rocky Balboa is the quintessential palooka, a southpaw with a Philly left hook as his only weapon against the world. The brilliance of this film, which won the Oscar for Best Picture, is captured in the final seconds. One has to listen closely to discover who won the big fight. Of course by that time we all know a winner isn’t judged by a scorecard.

You can read the full piece by clicking here.

Why “Rocky Balboa” Works

Craig / / 2009, Rocky, Rocky 2, Rocky 3, Rocky 4, Rocky 5, Rocky Balboa

On June 27, 2009, Christopher Crespo at the Orlando Movie Examiner posted an article titled “Why Rocky Balboa Works Where the Other Rocky Sequels Failed”.  Crespo actually has some good things to say about “Rocky II” and “Rocky III” but focuses his attention on how “Rocky Balboa” (like the original “Rocky”) mirrors what was happening in Sly’s life and “Stallone (didn’t) pretend things (were) different from what they (were).” You can read the full piece by clicking here.

Rocky Statue Documentary

Craig / / 2009, Rocky

Hey SZoners,

I just received word from Cynthia Shomberg about some exciting news that could put lucky SZoners in a documentary film about the famous Tom Shomberg statue that appeared in “Rocky III.” Here’s the deal:

An Urgent Call To All ROCKY Sculpture Collectors… If you have a personal story as to why ROCKY means so much to you, please send in  your story to schombergstudios@att.net.   Tom Schomberg, the sculptor
of the original statue, would greatly appreciate receiving comments for a possible film documentary that is being done on the history of the ROCKY statue.   One of the major issues that will be talked about will
be how the symbolic ROCKY affected people at a critical point in their lives.   Your assistance will be highly appreciated and of great value in the documentary.  Any photos you could send along would also be appreciated.

Please also note whether or not you would like to be kept anonymous and this will be honored.  Thank you in advance for you assistance.

Over the years I’ve heard from SZoners about how the statue has provided them a source of inspiration.  Now is the chance for the world to possibly hear your story.  Send ’em in SZoners!  The e-mail again is schombergstudios@att.net.

“Victory” for “Rocky”

Craig / / 2009, Honors, Rocky, Victory

On April 17, 2009, The National Post listed their choices for the Top Ten Sports Movies of All Time. Any guesses who had two films make the list?  That’s right, Sly.  “Victory” came in at number 8 and “Rocky” was #1.  Here’s what they had to say about each film:

8. Victory!

Pele and Sylvester Stallone in the same movie? Count me in, though what I mostly remember about this is trying to watch it on HBO with my father as his snoring pretty much drowned out everything that either men said.

1. Rocky

His whole life was a million to one shot. This movie was so good that they tried making it a million more times. I heard Stallone wrote nearly 100 drafts of the original Rocky script. There’s a reason it one best picture, I guess.

You can read the who article by clicking here.

Sly Battles for Bollywood

Craig / / 2009, Kambakkht Ishq, Rambo, Rocky, Rocky Balboa

The Times of India posted the photo above with a piece called “Sly Battles for Bollywood.” Kareena Kapoor, the female lead of the movie had this to say about Sly:

“He drove to the studio himself, without a bodyguard, valet, make-up person or anybody — and he carried his food basket and the papers — very cool and charming… As for that body — rock solid even at 60, and to die for!”

Sounds like Sly has another fan.  You can read the full article here.

“Rocky” Essential Viewing

Craig / / 2009, Honors, Rocky

Starting on March 7th, once a week, Alec Baldwin will join TCM’s Robert Osborne to introduce classic movies that every film buff should see.  The series is called “The Essentials.” On March 14th, the movie classic that will be shown is “Rocky” and here are some “fun facts” that the web site lists:

MARCH 14  Rocky (1976)
Inspired by the 1975 championship fight between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Weber, Sylvester Stallone wrote the Rocky screenplay.  It was the second highest-grossing film of 1977, behind Star Wars.  Robert Redford, James Caan and Burt Reynolds were considered for the role of “Rocky,” but Stallone refused to sell the rights to the film unless he was the lead.  Bette Midler was offered the role of “Adrian” but turned it down.

You can read the entire piece which includes a mini-interview with Alec Baldwin and the entire year’s listing of the classic movies that they’ll introduce simply by clicking here.

Rocky & Philly

Craig / / 2009, Rocky

On February 9, 2009, Mercury News.com posted “Let Freedom Ring: See Philadelphia on a Budget.” They ran the photo above with tips on what to see in the city without spending a fortune.  Of course, this included places made famous by Sly/Rocky.  You can read the whole piece here.