Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a small-time boxer who seems to be going nowhere in life, as he works day-in and day-out as a collector for a loan shark and fights in sleazy clubs for low pay rewards, for which Rocky is mocked and told that he's nothing but a 'bum', especially by gym trainer Mickey Goldmill ( Burgess Meredith ). [13] He also knew that producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff's contract with the studio enabled them to "greenlight" a project if the budget was kept low enough. With Donnie becoming detached from his family, Donnie's stepmother and Apollo's widow Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) contacts Rocky in helping him out of his slump. Balboa also appeared on the cover of the issue. Rocky and its theme song have become a pop-cultural phenomenon and an important part of 1970s American popular culture spawning a film series as well as a series of video games and merchandise. Channel's 101 Most Awesome Moments in Entertainment", "Rocky Says 'Yo, Adrian' to the Mobile Gaming Market", "Rocky the Musical Makes World Premiere in Germany Nov. 18; American Drew Sarich Stars", "Rocky the Musical Will Play Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre in 2014", Official: ROCKY to Open at Winter Garden Theatre on 3/13; Previews Begin 2/11, "John G. Avildsen, 'Rocky,' 'The Karate Kid' Director, Dead at 81", "John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs Director Derek Wayne Johnson", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rocky&oldid=1134335628, April 24, 2001 (DVD, also packed with the Five-Disc Boxed Set), December 14, 2004 (DVD, also packed with the Rocky Anthology box set), February 8, 2005 (DVD, also packed with the Rocky Anthology box set). As the match starts out small, Rocky begins to emote through the first couple of seconds of the fight as Cane becomes effective in hurting Tommy. Conceptualized as an epilogue story, the film is said to be about Rocky befriending a young fighter who is a foreigner, stuck illegally in the United States. Was Mickey just trying to make a name for himself? [31] Avildsen reached out to Conti without any studio help because of the film's relatively low budget. In the second film, against Apollo Creed, he comes out orthodox and Mickey intends for him to switch back to southpaw late in the last round, but Balboa refuses saying "no tricks, I ain't switching". Lawton had previously completed a spec script for a movie pitch centered around the making of the first Rocky film. After a brief exchange of punches, Dixon catches Rocky with a strong blow, knocking down Rocky for the third time. [19][20] The announcement of the spin-off movie, was met with criticism by franchise creator, Stallone. Rocky is later approached by Mickey Goldmill, a former bantamweight fighter who turned trainer and whose gym Rocky frequents, about further training. [64][65], In 2008, Rocky was chosen by British film magazine Empire as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time. It is under intensive development by the community. At first, Rocky seems to be unaffected by Creed's smear campaign, but his inexperience with money causes him to run into financial troubles. After the match, Creed changes his mind and demands a rematch under the stress of being humiliated by the press for failing to beat Rocky convincingly, as well as his own knowledge that he didn't give his best in the match. The film ends as they each throw their first punch. Rocky later travels to Vancouver where he reunites with Robert and meets his grandson Logan for the first time. In 2007, a Rocky statue was erected in the Serbian village of itiste. He then tells Donnie that he wishes he had the chance to thank Apollo after Mickey died, but it doesn't match his appreciation of Donnie's tenacity that motivated him in his battle against his illness and tells him that he admires him. Rocky entered development in March 1975, after Stallone wrote the screenplay in three days. What's the difference between the theatrical release version and the director's cut version? Robert "Rocky" Balboa (also known by his ring name The Italian Stallion) is a fictional title character and the protagonist of the Rocky film series. City Commerce Director Dick Doran claimed that Stallone and Rocky had done more for the city's image than "anyone since Ben Franklin". Rocky became the highest-grossing film of 1976, earning approximately $225 million worldwide. However, it is undetermined how well he actually speaks the language, as his responses are always in English. Seething from this insult, as well as being called by publicists as "Rocky's robot" and being told that he's "no Rocky Balboa", Tommy decides to seek out his former mentor for a final showdown. Academy members indicated that, given a second chance, they would award the 1977 Oscar for Best Picture to All the President's Men instead.[68]. Because he takes more punches than he throws, it is easy to overlook his incredible punching power. As Adrian and Robert tend to him, Rocky tells Adrian that she was right. In 2004, Presidential candidate John Kerry ended his pre-convention campaign at the foot of the steps before going to Boston to accept his party's nomination for president. Reluctantly retired from fighting, Rocky takes charge of Mickey's gym and agrees to train a young protg who's hungry for success. In the end, the two fighters go the distance and show their appreciation for each other. As the final thirty seconds unfold, Dixon manages to catch Rocky with quick punches; however, an emotional Rocky retaliates with devastating punches of his own. [78][79], Several video games have been produced based on the film. Paulie becomes jealous of Rocky's success, but Rocky placates him by agreeing to advertise the meat packing business where Paulie works as part of the upcoming fight. 1976 | Maturity Rating: PG | 1h 59m | Boxing Movies. Rocky then proceeds to punch Duke for harassing him. It is the first installment in the Rocky franchise and co-stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. [3] Stallone and Michael B. Jordan expressed mutual interest in such a character featuring in the plot of the next installment, while Stallone stated that he wasn't opposed to the casting choice. The match goes on in a bloody back-and-forth battle, with the Soviet crowd, who originally roots for Drago, beginning to cheer for Rocky, while Drago's handler becomes increasingly upset over his inability to finish Rocky. It tells the rags-to-riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but good-hearted debt collector for a loan shark in Philadelphia. After Talia Shire's ensuing audition, Chartoff and Winkler, and director John Avildsen,[2] insisted that she play the part. In the rematch, Rocky outboxes Lang, tiring the stronger fighter out and eventually knocking him out in the third round. Both combatants, battered beyond belief, agree that there would be no rematch. Even though the client, Bob, does not have all the money, Rocky does not break his thumbs, despite Gazzo ordering him to do so. Some time later, Rocky and his son run up the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Rocky gives him a valuable possession of Mickey Goldmill's that had been passed on to him by Rocky Marciano. [30] David Shire (then-husband of Talia Shire) was the first to be offered the chance to compose the music for Rocky but had to turn it down because of prior commitments. [10], At the time, Film Artists Management Enterprises (FAME), a joint venture between Hollywood talent agents Craig T. Rumar and Larry Kubik, represented Stallone. Rocky Balboa is a struggling boxer trying to make the big time, working as a debt collector for a pittance. With his back against a gate, Rocky dodges several hooks from Tommy and manages to push him towards the gate, shoving him with brute force and a powerful left hook knocking Tommy down again. Donnie and Rocky make amends, and Rocky accompanies Donnie as Bianca gives birth to their daughter, Amara. Creed soon realizes that, although Rocky does not have his level of skills, he has crippling, sledgehammer-like power and is determined to keep fighting. As Dixon is announced the winner by split decision [3]), Rocky thanks each and every one of his group and, with Robert and Paulie by his side, they turn Rocky around and raise his arms as the audience gives him a heartfelt standing ovation. ASAP Rocky has shared the studio version of the recently teased track Same Problems?, taken from his soon-to-be-released new album. Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Joe toyline, as they had with wrestler Sgt. [14] By May 2020, Stallone said that he is still working on the film, though it has not yet been officially green-lit by the studio. The movie was released on Sunday, November 21, 1976, by United Artists at Cinema II in New York City. As the final bell sounds, with both fighters embracing each other, they promise each other there will be no rematch. The character was created by Sylvester Stallone, who has also portrayed him in all eight films in the franchise. Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a struggling Philadelphia boxer who is scorned by his gym's owner, patronized by a local loan shark and rebuffed by a shy "plain-Jane," whose butcher brother keeps engineering a romantic match. Donnie persuades Rocky to seek treatment and continues training while Rocky recovers. Rocky IV is a 1985 American sports drama film written, directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone. Upon returning to the United States (in a Soviet airplane), his press conference is interrupted by promoter George Washington Duke and Union Cane (Michael Williams). As the neighborhood gathers round to witness the fight, Tommy's punches begin to slow Rocky in his tracks due to his condition and he is knocked down, disoriented with Paulie at his side. Marvel ran a retraction in the third issue of the limited-run series indicating that the character was not, and never had been, a part of G.I. The pair welcomed a son together in May 2022, PEOPLE confirmed at the time. Paulie insults Tommy back and is sucker-punched by Tommy. ", On January 1, 1976, at the Philadelphia Spectrum, Rocky has his match with Creed, who did not take the fight seriously during training. Balboa's best attribute is without question his near-superhuman ability to absorb a multitude of the hardest hits without falling an attribute he often employs on purpose to wear down his opponents, sacrificing defensive strategy to land his own punches. Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young. In the first round, Rocky knocks Creed down, the first time he had ever been knocked down in his career and Creed responds by breaking Rocky's nose, the first time in his career. When heavyweight champion Apollo Creed visits Philadelphia, his managers want to set up an exhibition match between Creed and a struggling boxer, touting the fight as a chance for a "nobody" to become a "somebody". ASAP Rocky has shared the studio version of the recently teased track Same Problems?, taken from his soon-to-be-released new album. Rocky (1976) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. In addition, his statue has been re-installed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art at the very bottom of the steps. In the meantime, Stallone's agents made a deal with Coleco to produce Rambo figures in order to compete with the G.I. Visibly proud of Tommy, Rocky is surprised that Tommy credited his success to Duke instead of Rocky. Rocky was proud that he never had his nose broken in any of his amateur fighting career. Lang, who has trained with ruthless vigor, recovers and easily knocks out Rocky in the second round, causing Rocky to lose his title. [7] Additionally, he was ranked No. Rocky has also appeared on several of the American Film Institute's 100 Years lists. But I had so many ideas in my head, I couldn't focus on any one. Menu. The musical premiered in Hamburg, Germany in October 2012. Wepner was knocked out in the 15th and final round, almost lasting the distance. It is the first installment in the Rocky franchise and co-stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. Rocky wants his eye to be cut due to heavy swelling from Apollo Creed's attack. Donnie notices an old picture of Rocky and his son, Robert (an actual picture of Sylvester Stallone and a young Sage Stallone), Rocky reveals that Robert had moved to Vancouver with his girlfriend, because of the difficulties he faced trying to be independent in Philadelphia, but does check on his father every now and then. After Rocky goes the distance with heavyweight champ Apollo Creed he is forced too retire due to injuries. In all, approximately 38 minutes of previously unreleased footage were added to the film, including significant extensions of both fight scenes and the Apollo Creed funeral scene. This is because only 50 extras could be afforded for the scenes, and despite cinematographer. Rocky Balboa Robert "Rocky" Balboa (also known by his ring name The Italian Stallion ), is a fictional title character and the protagonist of the Rocky film series. [17], This article is about the fictional character. Edit . Rocky visits Adrian's graveside regularly and each year, on the anniversary of her death, takes a tour of the old places, where their relationship began and blossomed: the now-closed J&M Tropical Fish pet shop where Adrian worked, the former site of the ice skating rink where they had their first date and Rocky's old apartment, where they fell in love. Tommy gains the upper hand and tackles Rocky through a steel door into the street. Unavailable on Basic with ads plan due to licensing restrictions. Trending. Despite Adrian's objections, and after Creed insults Rocky on national television and the newspaper, he agrees to the rematch. Rocky walks home, frustrated how nothing is going right in his life. Additionally, Stallone was awarded the Boxing Writers Association of America award for "Lifetime Cinematic Achievement in Boxing. When Adonis's wife, Bianca, gave birth to a daughter, Rocky was named her godfather. This scene was originally scheduled to be shot in a skating rink during regular business hours. After the match, Rocky visits Mickey, who then dies of a heart attack, devastating Rocky. [22] Inventor Garrett Brown's new Steadicam was used to accomplish smooth photography while running alongside Rocky during the film's Philadelphia street training sequences and the run up the Art Museum's flight of stairs, now colloquially known as the Rocky Steps. In fact in the whole movie there are two fight scenes (at the beginning and at the end) which together add up to about 15 minutes. The site's consensus states: "This story of a down-on-his-luck boxer is thoroughly predictable, but Sylvester Stallone's script and stunning performance in the title role brush aside complaints. Stallone said the plot of the movie would be about Rocky befriending a young fighter who is an undocumented immigrant. It is the first installment in the Rocky franchise and co-stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. The original script had a darker tone: Mickey was portrayed as racist, and the script ended with Rocky throwing the fight after realizing he did not want to be part of the professional boxing world after all. When Rocky leaves for home that night, he sees a young girl named Marie hanging around a bad crowd and walks her home. After deep thought, Rocky finally agrees to take Donnie as his new protg. Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a struggling Philadelphia boxer who is scorned by his gym's owner, patronized by a local loan shark and rebuffed by a shy "plain-Jane," whose butcher brother keeps engineering a romantic match. "[11] Inspired by people criticizing an actor being inducted in the Hall of Fame for playing a ficticious athlete, in 2014 the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame was launched with Rocky Balboa as its Inaugural Induction. The fight goes on for the full fifteen rounds, with both combatants sustaining various injuries. These qualities, in concert, helped land him a high percentage of KO victories over the course of his career. Rocky is last seen visiting his wife's grave saying, "Yo Adrian, we did it". A distracted Rocky attempts to knock Lang out early with a barrage of huge blows, but his lack of proper conditioning quickly wears him out. A newly motivated Adonis goes on to fights a competitive final round against Conlan, even knocking him down near the round's conclusion, but ultimately loses the match by split decision in a manner that mirrors Rocky's initial bout against Apollo. On my 29th birthday, I had $106 in the bank. Wepner sued Stallone, and eventually settled for an undisclosed amount. Viktor illegally hits Donnie while he is down, knocking him unconscious; Rocky turns off his television in horror at what he has witnessed. Once returning home, Rocky goes to say goodnight to his son, Robert Jr., but when Rocky goes downstairs, he overhears Adrian and Paulie arguing, which turns out to be a dramatic life-changing situation. Creed selects Rocky Balboa, an Italian American journeyman southpaw boxer who fights primarily in small gyms and works as a collector for a loan shark. I relished stories of heroism, great love, dignity, and courage, dramas of people rising above their stations, taking life by the throat and not letting go until they succeeded. During the match, Rocky stands in Donnie's corner along with Bianca. When heavyweight champion Apollo Creed visits Philadelphia, his managers want to set up an exhibition match between Creed and a struggling boxer, touting the fight as a chance for a "nobody" to become a "somebody". Rocky Balboa fights as a southpaw (left-handed). Rocky, after dealing with Mickey's heart attack before the fight, is overpowered by the stronger, hungrier Lang and is knocked out in the second round. In addition, Rocky also has an exhibition match against the World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, "Thunderlips" (Hulk Hogan), with the match ending in a draw. As referee Lou Fillipo exercises his 10-count to the limit, both Creed and Rocky struggle to get back up and Creed falls back down in exhaustion. Rocky has opened a restaurant named after his wife, which he stocks with mementos of his prime as he tells his old fight stories to customers. Rocky's son, Robert Jr., is now working as a struggling mid-level corporate employee and has been farther apart from his family over the years, but reluctantly joins Rocky to commemorate the anniversaries of his mother's death. [26], In November 2022, Stallone confirmed that his prequel script which was previously turned down by producers is once again in development for a streaming company. However, the producers decided they could not afford to hire the hundreds of extras that would have been necessary for that scene. In the final round, it starts out slow for both combatants. Slaughter and began negotiations with Stallone's representation. He is initially unwilling to undergo chemotherapy because it wasn't enough to save Adrian from ovarian cancer. Wanting to avenge his father and forge his own legacy, Donnie decides to take up Viktor's challenge and goes to Rocky's place for his approval. Rocky is a 1976 film written by and starring Sylvester Stallone and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first time an opponent had lasted the full 15 rounds against him and as a result, it ends up with a split decision, Creed wins the fight and holds on to his title. [11], United Artists liked Stallone's script and viewed it as a vehicle for a well-established star like Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal, Burt Reynolds, or James Caan. Rocky. After the funeral, a depressed Rocky wanders the streets of Philadelphia until seeing the statue at the steps. 1976 | Maturity Rating: PG | 1h 59m | Boxing Movies. Rocky is an American film directed by John G. Avildsen and both written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. [81][82][83], The 2016 film Chuck depicts Chuck Wepner and his 1975 title fight with the heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, and the fight's influence on the screenplay for Rocky. Movies. [He does, however, improve his reading skills by reading books aloud to Adrian during her coma.] Rocky IV. @goldenglobes.". Rockys best pal and brother-in-law Paulie Pennino was played by actor Burt Young. Dixon is finally recognized as being a warrior for fighting through every round and Rocky proves to the world that he is no joke, mirroring the ending of the first film. [citation needed], Boxer Joe Frazier has a cameo appearance in the film. Though the studio did not choose to develop that script, studio executives were impressed enough to hire the writer for the Drago film. Though Rocky passes the required physical with flying colors, the licensing committee denies his application, citing his advanced age and their moral duty to protect him from himself. "[55] One of the positive online reviews came from the BBC Films website, with both reviewer Almar Haflidason and BBC online users giving it 5/5 stars. Rocky reopens Mickey's Gym as a means of income, while Adrian returns to work at the J&M Tropical Fish pet shop, where she was employed during the time she first met Rocky. Then gets the idea of using them for training. Mickey tells him that Apollo is ready for him (if he continues using his right) and so towards the end of the round, he does indeed lead with his left. Mickey insists that he would step down as Rocky's manager if he chooses to fight Lang, but Rocky convinces him to train him for one last match. Directors---Starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young As a result, he publicly taunts Rocky into a rematch, for which Rocky trains once again with Mickey. While ABC refused at first, Winkler said he was able to use his status as one of its biggest stars at the time to convince them to sell the rights back. Sylvester Stallone was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay, with Talia Shire also being nominated for Best Actress, and both Burgess Meredith and Burt Young being nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Rocky Balboa Robert "Rocky" Balboa (also known by his ring name The Italian Stallion ), is a fictional title character and the protagonist of the Rocky film series. Rocky Balboa is a struggling boxer trying to make the big time, working as a debt collector for a pittance. [2] It is the sequel to Rocky III (1982) and is the fourth installment in the Rocky franchise. [citation needed]. On the way, Rocky lectures her about staying away from the wrong people. and "If he dies, he dies" have become part of lexicon or widely memed. When heavyweight champion Apollo Creed visits Philadelphia, his managers want to set up an exhibition match between Creed and a struggling boxer, touting the fight as a chance for a "nobody" to become a "somebody". "Rocky meets a young, angry person who got stuck in this country when he comes to see his sister. Rocky Balboa (Stallone) holds the world heavyweight championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union. , WRAL anchor/reporter. He stated that Amazon's new inclusion in the franchise, is responsible for the progress of the project.[17]. He runs a small but rather successful restaurant called 'Adrian's', named after his wife who died of ovarian cancer four years prior. At the same time, Rocky successfully courts Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire), a painfully shy woman with an alcoholic brother, Paulie (Burt Young). The character was created by Sylvester Stallone, who has also portrayed him in all eight films in the franchise. However, Donnie wants to prove that he is "not a mistake", which emotionally impacts Rocky. Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. Some may feel the scenes in the meat locker to be "gore". He is a natural boxer who won 32 of 34 bouts while serving in the US Marine Corps from 1957 to 1959. After the fight, Apollo calls in his "favor" for training Rocky, which is a one-on-one match between the two of them with no cameras, no media, just man vs. man in the gym. Before the winner is announced, Rocky and his entourage make their way out of the ring in celebration. The pair welcomed a son together in May 2022, PEOPLE confirmed at the time. Hasbro, who was working on a toy prototype[15] at the time, decided to end negotiations at that point. Rocky also reunites with his old trainer, Duke, and both men quickly realize that age and arthritis have sapped Rocky of any speed he once possessed. In total, the Rocky series has received twelve Academy Awards nominations, winning three. Rocky then challenges Tommy outside and the two proceed in a violent bare-knuckle street brawl, which Rocky wins. At Adrian's urging, as well as with the doctor's support, Rocky gravely acknowledges that it is time to retire and he reluctantly does so. After a while, Rocky manages to put his doubts behind him and retain his spirit. Rocky Mountain College 1511 Poly Drive Billings, Montana 59102 1.800.877.6259 Visit RMC Billings, Montana An episode of ESPN's program, Then and Now, airs featuring a computer-simulated fight between Rocky (in his prime) and the current champion, Mason "The Line" Dixon (Antonio Tarver). While the story of his first film is loosely inspired by Chuck Wepner, a boxer who fought Muhammad Ali and lost on a TKO in the 15th round, the inspiration for the name, iconography and fighting style came from boxing legend Rocco Francis "Rocky Marciano" Marchegiano, though his surname coincidentally also resembles that of Middleweight Boxing Champion Thomas Rocco "Rocky Graziano" Barbella. As Rocky takes the knee, he looks to Robert in the corner and has flashbacks of his time with Adrian, remembering what she said to him about never giving up. Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. After Donnie grew up, he worked as a securities firm at the Smith Boardley Financial Group, but eventually resigned to be a boxer and moved to Philadelphia. With all other potential replacements booked up or otherwise unavailable, Creed decides to spice things up by giving a local contender a chance to challenge him. His match against Drago takes place on Christmas Day 1985 in Moscow. As both fighters head to the alley, Duke tries to persuade Tommy to not fight a street fighter, but Tommy squares upon him, saying that he does not own him and wants his respect. The 2016 film Chuck depicts Chuck Wepner, his 1975 title fight with the heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, and the fight's influence on the screenplay for Rocky. [72] His cut of the film was finished in April. He hung in there. Rocky Linux is an open-source enterprise operating system designed to be 100% bug-for-bug compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux . Rocky travels to Los Angeles to visit a hospitalized Donnie, who lashes out at him for abandoning him. It's very, very timely". Watch Athletes Who Chose Acting Over Football, Watch 'Creed II' Cast on Knockout Soundtracks and Inspiring Scenes, Watch The Making of 'Rocky': Shooting in Philadelphia, Watch Dates in Movie & TV History: Jan. 1, 1976 - Rocky Fights Apollo Creed, During the big fight, the arena is clearly empty at times. After Rocky goes the distance with heavyweight champ Apollo Creed he is forced too retire due to injuries. Rocky then quickly starts to beat Tommy without giving him a chance, knocking him down. In 2006, E! [66], Stallone later hand-picked Johnson to direct and produce a documentary on the making of the original Rocky, entitled 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic, which was released in 2020. Donnie balks at first, wanting to forge his own legacy, but he eventually agrees. Movies. This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 05:04. An adamant Duke reminds Tommy that if he loses this, he will terminate their association.
