Rocky
March 14th 2010 10:33
On March the twenty eighth, nineteen seventy-seven, the Academy of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared that a small film called Rocky was the best picture of nineteen seventy-six.
Four decades and five sequels later, Rocky is now nought more than a pop culture punchline. A caricature of an elderly man attempting to defeat men half his age at one of the world's hardest sports.
Sometimes it's hard to remember where it all started.
Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, Rocky is the story of a simple man trying to win respect. His self-respect. It's not about whether or not he can outpunch the other guy in a formulaic last second victory. The villain of the piece isn't Mr T, or Dolph Lundgren. Like many a great tale, the enemy lies within the heart of the hero.
In the beginning, we're introduced to a man dissatisfied with his life and himself. He lives in a cheap apartment in a neighbourhood where people gather around a flaming barrel for warmth. He's a thumb breaking thug for a local loan shark who continually puts him down. There are only two positives in his dreary life; the affection he feels for the local pet shop clerk, Adrian, and his weekly boxing for a pittance under the moniker “The Italian Stallion.”
Then it happens. Undefeated world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers playing what is essentially Mohammed Ali) needs a new opponent for his big upcoming fight. Instantly drawn to the idea of “Apollo Creed versus the Italian Stallion”, he offers the amateur a shot at the world heavyweight title.
Rocky now has a chance to turn it around. To show everyone that he can go a full fifteen rounds without being knocked out by Creed, which nobody has ever done before.
As Rocky trains for the big fight, his self worth grows, others begin to respect him, and his relationship with Adrian grows.
In the end, the big fight isn't about the boxing. It's about Rocky fighting the world to prove himself.
The cinematography is borne of simplicity. There's many tight, intimate shots of the characters and their dire surroundings. As Rocky trains and develops, there's more grandiose shots, such as the sweeping shot of him running up the now famous steps. Bill Conti's now famous score for this film mirrors the story and cinematography perfectly. As Rocky grows, so does the score, culminating in the famous Rocky fanfare during the film's climax.
Ultimately, Rocky is a masterwork of film making, unfairly weighed down by the legacy of its sequels and the laughable later works of its writer and lead. A work of art whose soul he could never remake or even replicate.
Four decades and five sequels later, Rocky is now nought more than a pop culture punchline. A caricature of an elderly man attempting to defeat men half his age at one of the world's hardest sports.
Sometimes it's hard to remember where it all started.
Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, Rocky is the story of a simple man trying to win respect. His self-respect. It's not about whether or not he can outpunch the other guy in a formulaic last second victory. The villain of the piece isn't Mr T, or Dolph Lundgren. Like many a great tale, the enemy lies within the heart of the hero.
In the beginning, we're introduced to a man dissatisfied with his life and himself. He lives in a cheap apartment in a neighbourhood where people gather around a flaming barrel for warmth. He's a thumb breaking thug for a local loan shark who continually puts him down. There are only two positives in his dreary life; the affection he feels for the local pet shop clerk, Adrian, and his weekly boxing for a pittance under the moniker “The Italian Stallion.”
Then it happens. Undefeated world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers playing what is essentially Mohammed Ali) needs a new opponent for his big upcoming fight. Instantly drawn to the idea of “Apollo Creed versus the Italian Stallion”, he offers the amateur a shot at the world heavyweight title.
Rocky now has a chance to turn it around. To show everyone that he can go a full fifteen rounds without being knocked out by Creed, which nobody has ever done before.
As Rocky trains for the big fight, his self worth grows, others begin to respect him, and his relationship with Adrian grows.
In the end, the big fight isn't about the boxing. It's about Rocky fighting the world to prove himself.
The cinematography is borne of simplicity. There's many tight, intimate shots of the characters and their dire surroundings. As Rocky trains and develops, there's more grandiose shots, such as the sweeping shot of him running up the now famous steps. Bill Conti's now famous score for this film mirrors the story and cinematography perfectly. As Rocky grows, so does the score, culminating in the famous Rocky fanfare during the film's climax.
Ultimately, Rocky is a masterwork of film making, unfairly weighed down by the legacy of its sequels and the laughable later works of its writer and lead. A work of art whose soul he could never remake or even replicate.
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