One of the many icon images from "Rocky." Photo: http://www.boxofficereport.com/media/my100.shtmlThe #1 greatest sports movie of all-time according to "The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies" is "Rocky." The plot (if you've been living under a rock and somehow missed it) is about Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), who works as a debt collector and also as a fighter. But alas, Rocky is a struggling fighter. Enter Apollo Creed, champion boxer. Upon arriving in Philadelphia and having no luck arranging a fight with a known boxer he decides to fight an unknown. The USA is the land of opportunity after all and how appropriate to give a nobody like Rocky a chance to be a somebody. Creed thinks it will be a cakewalk but he ends up getting more than he bargained for. That's the story in a nutshell.
"Rocky" is one of the most iconic of sports movies. Whenever an underdog achieves something that person is often called "Rocky" after Stallone's character. And of course their is Bill Conti's score. You can't walk into a sports arena without hearing "Gonna Fly Now" from "Rocky" (or "Eye of the Tiger" from "Rocky IV"). I thought that since it had become such a part of our culture it would get old upon repeat viewings. I was wrong.
"Rocky" holds up better than I imagined. It's not just an underdog sports movie. It's a real story with fully-realized characters. Stallone is great in the title role and of course he is the heart and soul of the film. If we don't buy him as a boxer the movie is done. But he really makes you believe he is a boxer. What a shame that Stallone's career has gone downhill in recent years. He fought to get this movie made and his performance is nothing short of amazing.
While "Rocky" is a showcase for Stallone, the rest of the performances deserve equal credit. This time around the performance that I was really drawn to was Talia Shire as Adrian. Her performance as Rocky's love interest is so subtle, tender, and honest. Pay close attention to the scene where she finally confronts her brother Paulie (Burt Young) about how he treats her. She almost steals the movie. And then there is Burgess Meredith as Mickey, Rocky's trainer. He is in the great pantheon of sports mentor figures in movies: gruff, unforgiving, but also a true believer in his athlete.
I'm not sure I would rank "Rocky" #1 on my list of all-time great sports movies, but it would surely be in my top ten. The fight scenes are quite good, but I found those in "Raging Bull" to be the best ever. That is a minor quibble with a great movie. This movie more than goes the distance.
"Rocky" is one of the most iconic of sports movies. Whenever an underdog achieves something that person is often called "Rocky" after Stallone's character. And of course their is Bill Conti's score. You can't walk into a sports arena without hearing "Gonna Fly Now" from "Rocky" (or "Eye of the Tiger" from "Rocky IV"). I thought that since it had become such a part of our culture it would get old upon repeat viewings. I was wrong.
"Rocky" holds up better than I imagined. It's not just an underdog sports movie. It's a real story with fully-realized characters. Stallone is great in the title role and of course he is the heart and soul of the film. If we don't buy him as a boxer the movie is done. But he really makes you believe he is a boxer. What a shame that Stallone's career has gone downhill in recent years. He fought to get this movie made and his performance is nothing short of amazing.
While "Rocky" is a showcase for Stallone, the rest of the performances deserve equal credit. This time around the performance that I was really drawn to was Talia Shire as Adrian. Her performance as Rocky's love interest is so subtle, tender, and honest. Pay close attention to the scene where she finally confronts her brother Paulie (Burt Young) about how he treats her. She almost steals the movie. And then there is Burgess Meredith as Mickey, Rocky's trainer. He is in the great pantheon of sports mentor figures in movies: gruff, unforgiving, but also a true believer in his athlete.
I'm not sure I would rank "Rocky" #1 on my list of all-time great sports movies, but it would surely be in my top ten. The fight scenes are quite good, but I found those in "Raging Bull" to be the best ever. That is a minor quibble with a great movie. This movie more than goes the distance.
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