Even Rocky himself, did not see himself as a threat to the champion, but things begin to come together when Mickey (Burgess Meredith) trains him and convinces him that he can be competitive. At this time, Apollo was undefeated and seen by many as unbeatable, and the bout with the lightly regarded Balboa was a foregone conclusion that he would be victorious. He is going nowhere fast and there is nothing in sight that can remove him from this situation, until the World Heavyweight Champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), is in need of an opponent and selects “The Italian Stallion” in a novelty bout and a showcase for him and the fans. Rocky Balboa is a journeyman boxer that isn’t living up to his potential and doing unsavory things to get by. The story of Rocky is a great one and one that has inspired many. The studio wanted James Caan, Ryan O’Neal, or Burt Reynolds to fill that slot, but in order to get the movie, Sly Stallone would have to be the lead, and when you look at the three mentioned choices of the studio, it’s hard to imagine any of them playing the “Italian Stallion.” The film was also a success personally, for Stallone, who had demanded that he fill the lead role as Rocky Balboa, or there would be no movie. It won three Oscars for Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Picture. In 1976, Rocky was unleashed on the public, and was a hit in many ways. I have watched all six Rocky Films and look forward to a seventh should they elect to create it. The public just didn’t see a competitive fight and they were correct, but Wepner was credited with a knockdown, which proved that you couldn’t take anyone for granted and that anything can happen in the ring.Īs the fight went on, it became clear that all Wepner wanted to do was to go the distance with the champion, and gave a spirited effort, and as Sylvester Stallone sat in a closed circuit theater, Rocky Balboa began to develop in his mind, and a bout that wasn’t incredibly notable became historic because it gave birth to a series of movie that has touched nearly everyone that has seen them. This guy was an underdog with a dream to win the Title, but the promotion was a failure. Wepner was a bouncer and a liquor salesman and with nine losses on his record, he did not belong in the ring with World Champion. The inspiration for the initial movie was a bout that had taken place on March 24th, 1975, between Muhammad Ali, and the rough and tumble underdog, Chuck Wepner, with the WBA and WBC Heavyweight Titles hanging in the balance. There is certainly not a sports-related film franchise that can claim the success or staying power of the Rocky movies. That is a remarkable achievement and there aren’t that many series that can claim that staying power. ![]() Rocky Balboa seemed to have brought back the drama that the first two films produced, and marked the 30th anniversary of the series. I think that the first two are in a class of their own and the other three are tied for a close second. ![]() I, unlike a lot of people, do not think that there is a bad Rocky movie. Now, I’m much older and I’m as excited as I was when I went to go see Rocky IV at the age of eleven, and that movie didn’t fail to impress me either. ![]() I remember seeing Rocky III, when I was eight years old and even though I did not become a boxing fan until I was twelve or so, it quickly became my favorite movie, replacing “Clash of the Titans.” The Rocky Franchise means something to many people. There is something special about Rocky and anybody that has grown up watching these films remember them and still be excited when that theme music plays. Due to the profit of Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI), there is now talk of a seventh entry in the series, and realistically, they could make one hundred of these Rocky films, and I would always be eager to see it. I don’t think that there is a better series of movies than the Rocky Saga, and the sixth entry did not disappoint the fans or at the box office.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |