M. Knight Shyamalan Loves “Rocky”

Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes sent in the following:

This week’s [August 5, 2002] issue of NEWSWEEK contains a real cool article on M. Night Shyamalan. In it he lists his TOP 10 Films and whatta ya know Mr. Balboa’s film made da list. I agree with what he said too …:-)

Now kid Night needs to give Sly a buzz ya know what I mean?”


Jazz, I couldn’t agree with you more!

 Craig Zablo
[August 4, 2002]

“Rocky” Films Hosted by Frank Stallone

Frank Stallone will be the host of ESPN Classic’s ‘Reel Classics‘ showing of the Rocky series every Sunday night at 9pm EST/6PM Pacific – throughout the whole month of June!! Check your local listings and tune in to watch Frank share all the inside stories on these great classics, and see his vast collection of boxing memorabilia!

Rocky Sunday June 2, 2002
Rocky II Sunday June 9, 2002
Rocky III Sunday June 16, 2002
Rocky IV Sunday June 23, 2002
Rocky V Sunday June 30, 2002

It’d be worth it to tune in and see Frank’s extensive boxing memorabilia! – Craig Zablo [May 31, 2002]

Hey, Yo! Never Mix Your Drinks!

Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes checked in with…

This digital illustration by Marc Jones appears in the current issue (UK EDITION / VOLUME 3 / NUMBER 3 ) of HOTDOG in a 2 page spread
entitled ‘NEVER MIX YOUR DRINKS !’

It’s happy hour at the Hotdog hostery and there are a few of our
favorite tasty beverages as seen on TV, at the movies, or named after
screen characters. Cheers.

In case the caption above Sly is too small to read here is the text…

ROCKY BALBOA
SYLVESTER STALLONE

IN ROCKY

5 raw eggs
Wake up at 4am, crack five eggs into a glass then down them in one. If
you can keep it down, shout ” Yo Adrian !” then go for a run and fight.

Thanks to Jazz for sharing! – Craig Zablo (April 13, 2002)

SLY ALL OVER ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Entertainment Weekly’s February 22, 2002 issue contains two articles which Sly fans will want to check out.

“25 Years Ago” by Steve Wolf presents an overview of the ceremonies held on March 28, 1977 when “Rocky” and “Network” duked it out at the 1976 Oscars…”

Here’s a Stallone-related excerpt:

Cindefella

On his way into the Oscars, Sylvester Stallone told the crowd outside, ” My pumpkin is waiting. I’ll see you later. ” With his nominations for Best Actor and screenplay, though, Sly had already written himself a happy ending. The only two men to pull off that qyuiniela in the same year were Charlie Chaplin ( 1940, The Great Dictator) and Orson Welles ( 1941, Citizen Kane ).

There is also mention of Ali’s surprise appearance when Sly was announcing Best Supporting Actress.

“I may not win anything here in the form of an Oscar, ” said the actor, ” but I really feel it’s a privilege to be standing next to a living legend, and it’s something I’ll always treasure for the rest of my life .”
“The Right Hook,” by Chris Nashawaty is a five and one-half page article (with seven pictures) about “Rocky”: “the only Cinderella story more rousing than ‘Rocky’ is the tale of its unlikely route to Best Picture.

– Craig Zablo (February 17, 2002)

Yo Adrian! Rocky, Other Films May Be MGM Musicals

Wednesday January 30 3:49 PM ET

Yo Adrian! Rocky, Other Films May Be MGM Musicals
By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES [Reuters] – Move over MEL BROOKS.

If film studio MGM has its way, “Rocky: the Musical” may just be Broadway‘s next big hit, rivaling BROOKS‘ current smash ”The Producers” as the hottest ticket in town.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. said on Wednesday it has launched a new initiative under long-time business and legal executive Darcie Denkert to develop new products, starting with Broadway shows, from its huge library of old films.

Already in development, the studio said, are stage plays based on comedies like “The Pink Panther” films from the 1960s and 1970s, which will be produced by BLAKE EDWARDS . Actor JOHN LITHGOW is set to star in a version of 1957’s “Sweet Smell of Success,” and stage versions of romances “Marty” and ”Moonstruck” are being worked on, an MGM spokeswoman said.

On the horizon could be any one of the roughly 4,100 titles MGM holds in its library of films billed as the world’s largest catalog of modern movies. Off the list, are the MGM musicals of the 1930’s and 1940’s, whose rights were sold years ago.

Still, rags-to-riches boxer Rocky, portrayed in the movies by action hero SYLVESTER STALLONE and owned by MGM, could be tromping the boards on The Great White Way sometime soon.

No doubt, key lyrics to any song in “Rocky: the Musical” would be, ``Yo!” and the wailing “Adrian.”

“(Denkert‘s) ties to the Hollywood and Broadway creative and business communities provide us with the ideal blend of resources to help energize our renowned library properties,” MGM Vice Chairman Chris McGurk said in a statement.

Denkert takes the job of President, MGM Entertainment Business Group, which will focus on creating new products from old library titles across all of MGM‘s businesses, including film, television, home video and music.

But her first effort will be spearheading the efforts of the new MGM on Stage business unit, which MGM has created to develop stage plays from its old films.

MGM is not the first studio to look to Broadway for new business. The Walt Disney Co. has turned hit animated movies such as “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast” into stage plays both on Broadway and in touring companies.

BROOKS wrote and directed “The Producers,” the 1968 film about a washed-up theater producer and his accountant who set out to bilk money from investors by making a Broadway flop.

The director of such classic film comedies as “Blazing Saddles” put the story on stage, and it became one of Broadway‘s biggest recent hits, starring MATTHEW BRODERICK and NATHAN LANE.

Denkert began her career as a theatrical lawyer involved in Broadway and off-Broadway productions, and subsequently has worked for MGM and its United Artists film unit for a total of 25 years, joining UA‘s legal department in 1977.

In addition to naming Denkert as head of the new entertainment business group, MGM is decentralizing its entire business affairs operations, shifting reporting to its various divisions in film, television, home video and music.

MGM is 81 percent owned by billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, and is currently looking for merger partners in order to expand its distribution platforms.


Craig Zablo


Yo Adrian! “Rocky” May Become an MGM Musical

Bob Tourtellotte of Reuters reports…

If film studio MGM has its way, “Rocky: the Musical” may just be Broadway’s next big hit, rivaling (Mel) BROOKS’ current smash ”The Producers” as the hottest ticket in town.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. said on Wednesday it has launched a new initiative under long-time business and legal executive Darcie Denkert to develop new products, starting with Broadway shows, from its huge library of old films.

Stallone would love to bring back “Rambo” and “Rocky'”

Thursday January 24 1:04 PM ET
Stallone would love to bring back “Rambo” and “Rocky'”

LONDON (Reuters) Sylvester Stallone would love to bring Rocky and Rambo back to the silver screen — but at the age of 55, the Hollywood star fears his chances are slim.

“It’s unlikely either my Rocky or my Rambo picture will get made,” he told Britain’s Mirror newspaper.

Stallone confirmed he had approached Hollywood studios about reviving his military superhero Rambo and said: “What I did suggest was to have Rambo go into Afghanistan and rescue five girls.”

“It would have been too much to have Rambo go in and kill Osama bin Laden, I suppose. It would be an insult to every military guy. This time, I don’t see Rambo going it alone.”

His other great ambition is to film a “Rocky 6” about the gritty boxer he immortalized in a string of hit films.

“I would love to have one more shot at getting that right, even if people say I am a little old for it, and I know I’d have fun trying,” he told the tabloid.

Reuters/Variety

– Craig Zablo (01/27/02)