Category: Rocky

“Rocky” Makes Another All Time Best List

Craig / / 2006, Honors, Rocky

The staff of the Winnipeg Sun decided to come up with a list of the All Time Best Sports Movies. “Rocky” came in 3rd and here’s what they had to say:

3. ROCKY

Yo Adrian, Sly Stallone scored a knockout with his breakout role and his first writing gig. Rocky is not only an uplifting sports movie but it actually won three Academy Awards, including best picture. Now, if only Sly had stopped there and never met Mr. T or made a single Rocky sequel or Rambo movie. Then there’s his other foray into the sports world, the arm-wrestling flick Over the Top. We pity the fools who had to watch that.

STALLONEZONE EXCLUSIVE: SZoner, Joseph Vaglica’s “Philly Loves Rocky” Experience

Craig / / 2006, Frank Stallone, Rocky, Sly Fan

\My name is Joseph Vaglica. I’m a big Rocky/Sylvester Stallone fan. I recently attended the “Philly Loves Rocky Week” celebration. Here’s my story…

I traveled to Philadelphia all the way from Edgewater, Florida. I couldn’t get the entire week off work so I decided to go for two days: Thursday for the Rocky and Adrian look alike contest and Friday for the statue rededication. There were some problems in my plans. In order to get Friday off I needed to find someone to cover my shift. I also was unsure if I wanted to spend the $360.00 it would cost to fly to Philly for only two days. I really needed a sign to tell me if I should go or not. While in the men’s shirt department at Target I saw the sign I was looking for! It was a shirt with Rocky on top of the steps of the art museum facing Philly wearing the outfit that I had planned on wearing in the look alike contest. I instantly had goosebumps.

I arrived in Philly at 10:00 Thursday morning and rented a car. I got to Love Park in my costume all ready to enter the look alike contest and discovered that the contest was already set and the five finalists were pre-selected (which was not explained in the article that I saw on the internet).

I was upset and discouraged. I told the organizers that I had just flown in from Florida. I guess I hit a nerve when I talked to a city representative because he began to spread my story to all the press. The contest officials felt bad and were also amazed at how dedicated I was to jump on a plane with such short notice. They decided to put me in the contest as an unofficial finalist! This was the best thing that could have happened because after the contest the city representative invited me to the press box on Friday for the Rocky statue Rededication! The catch was that I had to be dressed as Rocky. I excitedly agreed.

Than I started to walk back to the car as lots of people said I looked good. I walked passed a booth that had a raffle for the new Jakks Pacific limited edition Rocky action figure. The representative at the booth said that the outfit looked good and he invited me to a Rocky figure promotion! I went to the promotion dressed as Rocky and after it was over they gave me 4 of the limited edition action figures!

The next day was the statue rededication which didn’t start until 6:00. I walked around the art museum and met new friends (Joy, Mike, Steven, Abe, and John). About two hours before the rededication I had an interview with Channel 6 news. They also videoed me running up the stairs and jumping up and throwing punches at the top of the steps like Rocky. Then I had another interview inside the press area.

Finally Sly came down from top of the museum to the statue. It was unbelievable! I had never seen Sly in person and it was my goal to meet him. I have to admit that I was a little nervous videoing the ceremony . After the rededication I went to Sly’s party! I was able to get his autograph and Frank’s. I also got a picture with Frank.

What a great story! Your dedication paid off big time. Thanks for sharing! – Craig

StalloneZone Exclusive: Bill Pruitt’s Rocky & “The Contender’s” Peter Manfredo!

Craig / / 2006, Rocky, Sly Fan, The Contender, TV

SZoner, Bill Pruitt checked in with the attached pics and this:

Hi Craig,

Here’s the new re-make of an old caricature I did. This oil on canvas is 30″x39″. “SLY” is hidden somewhere in it as usual.

Also, enclosed is a pic from last weekend with Peter Manfredo who is in town with his dad. He is training with Freddie Roach for a fight on Oct. 14th in Providence, RI and will be aired on ESPN. Thanks a lot.

– Bill

As always, thanks to Bill for sharing his talents with us! Check out Bill’s web site with brand new art posted regularly! – Craig

Rocky: The Ultimate Guide

Craig / / 2006, Rocky, Rocky 2, Rocky 3, Rocky 4, Rocky 5, Rocky 6, Rocky Balboa, Sly Fan

Here’s a StalloneZone Exclusive first look at a book that all Sly and Rocky fans will want to own – Rocky: The Ultimate Guide. Jam-packed with over 1,000 stills and digitally remastered photos bringing together moments from the original “Rocky” through the first five films as well as details on the final installment, “Rocky Balboa.”

To Pre-Order the Hardback click HERE

Paperback Orders can click HERE

– Craig

“Rocky” Collector Memorabilia

Craig / / 2006, Rocky

I recently received an e-mail from Marisa from Diamond Select Toys. Here’s part of what she had to say:

Hi there Craig,

I’m writing to you on behalf of Diamond Select Toys, a manufacturer of toys, statues and other pop culture memorabilia. I’m quite impressed by your website and it really is the one stop place for info on Stallone.

As you may or may not have heard, DST recently acquired the license for movie prop replicas from Rocky. I was hoping you’d be able to announce this news on your website to your fellow Stallone fans.

The first in the line are the Rocky gloves, which will be followed by the Italian Stallion robe and two different boxing trunks styles. We’ll also be doing a line of Minimates, which are small figures, for each of the Rocky movies. Please let your readers know that they can preorder the Rocky gloves now through their local comic book store. If they don’t know where that is, they can use the Comic Shop Locator service (www.comicshoplocator.com or 1-888-COMICBOOK) to find one.

I appreciate all your help. Thank you, Marisa Santiago

Sly Stallone and Rocky fans should start letting friends and family know what they want for Christmas. You just KNOW that SZoners are going to want something from DST. I’m leaning towards the robe myself… or the trunks… or the gloves… – Craig

Sly and Wepner Settle

Craig / / 2006, Celebs, Rocky
Sly Stallone and former heavyweight contender Chuck Wepner have reached a settlement in Wepner’s suit against Stallone for using Wepner as inspiration for ‘Rocky’. Lawyers for Wepner and Stallone
filed in U.S. District Court that the 2003 lawsuit was settled for undisclosed terms.– Craig

“Rocky” Makes Another “All-Time” Best List

Craig / / 2006, Honors, Rocky

Daniel Neman of The Richmond Times Dispatch in his August 4, 2006 column takes a look at his “All-Time Best” sports movies. Neman lists five movies and “Rocky” makes the cut. Here’s what he says:

“Rocky,” 1976. The ultimate underdog story is told with a seemingly limitless reserve of heart. Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote the script, skillfully wrung every dram of emotion out of the story and made a feel-good movie about a guy who actually loses the big fight. It is only when he started winning them, in the sequels, that the character became less interesting.

Thirty years later and “Rocky” is still getting props. And rightly so. For the full report, click HERE. – Craig