Rocky

Rocky (1976)

Runtime: 119 minutess

Directed by: John G. Avildsen

Starring: Sly Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young

From: United Artists

Last night this film was on cable so I was happy to see this once again. The Letterboxd review is below:

Before I start talking about this film I figured I should say something I have mentioned before: I am not a boxing fan and I really haven't been for years. It's the sport itself and how I don't find it that exciting to watch, and then there's all the corruption that you find in it. Yet, I am fine with watching movies based on pugilism, such as this franchise of films, as of course all of them are much more than just fighting in the squared circle. I have seen this at least a few times before and years ago I got to see it on the big screen, which was an opportunity I am glad I did take advantage of.

This day and age, a story presented in this original Rocky film may be viewed as being “quaint” and “passe”. Yet in my opinion, with all these big (or not so big) budget movies from Hollywood being so mean-spirited and cruel and cynical (even the recent Jurassic World does this; for example, the cruelest death isn't reserved for an A-hole character but instead is given to a completely innocent person... I know others have carped about it and it did rub me the wrong way too), simple stories like this now stand out even more.

I've talked before about how I enjoy seeing the crappy New York City of old in films from decades past. Well, you get to see the crappy Philadelphia of old-and maybe those areas are still that way-as we follow a down on his luck local boxer named Rocky Balboa who squandered his talent in the past and now fights for cash as his regular job working for a loan shark doesn't pay the bills. As is, he lives in a lower class part of the city and while he enjoys interacting with the colorful characters there, he's not feeling so swell about life... until he meets and falls in love with a shy and mousy girl named Adrian who works at a pet store. Suddenly through a set of circumstances he gets a show at the brash and cocky World Heavyweight Champion Apollo Creed.

The movie takes its time and doesn't throw a bunch of crap at the screen. You get to see Balboa's life and how hapless it is, then you see him get a once in a lifetime chance and while starting that romance you see him train in sometimes unorthodox ways for the big fight. By the end you are really rooting for him and hopes that he is more than just a bum opponent Creed says he can defeat with little effort. As this is not slick or phony you enjoy all the characters.

It's easy to see why Rocky Balboa became a pop culture icon with a tremendous performance from Stallone (I realize that may sound strange now considering much of his career but it's no surprise considering this was a passion project for him and how he got to star in it and become a gigantic star is a great underdog story of its own) but all the characters and performances are memorable, from Apollo to Adrian, the irascible trainer Micky and Adrian's shifty brother Paulie, and even sleazy loan shark Gazzo, and fight promoter Jergens are figures you won't forget. Of course everyone loves a story like this as in some way we can all relate to Rocky at least one time in our lives, but this is great and rousing entertainment and you won't even care about the outcome of the fight, only how well Balboa does.

I know that some out there do carp about this winning the Best Picture Oscar that year and they wish something like Network or Taxi Driver won instead. Well, I don't think it's so egregious and Heaven knows the Academy has made worse decisions just with Best Picture winners. Plus, various aspects are still iconic today, from the drinking of egg yolks and the punching of a giant side of beef to hearing Gonna Fly Now as he jogs up the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

I say that this movie is still effective today and can inspire anyone to do better and defy the odds and possibly experience great success. Considering much of what constitutes American films of recent years, I've grown to have even more of an appreciation for this movie and how all those things came together to create the magic we got here. It was never the same for the sequels but at least all are at worst watchable in my eyes. I know there are some flaws but the highest of high ratings I give it is due to film quality and sheer entertainment I get for it.