Sure, sure, you know the story. Some underdog nobody gets the chance of a lifetime to be a somebody and finally make his dreams come true. It’s a staple of the Hollywood grind, so common now it’s practically a parody. That’s mostly thanks to this, Sylvester Stallone‘ triumphant award-winning big screen boxing showpiece Rocky. It was his own do-or-die project, a screenplay he wrote that he demanded he star in, a ploy that of course changed everything and made him an international movie star … and sequel-obsessed filmmaker.
And so, if you know anything about movies, Stallone spread the Rocky magic a little thin as the years went on, sort of turning the iconic fighter into a cartoon through the 80s and early 90s before getting it back on track years later in the mid 2000s and then again with the recent Creed films. However, as much as Rocky became a punching bag for jokes over the decades, the first movie remains something really special, a gritty, authentic tale of heart and romance that absolutely earns its place in history. Maybe you’ve not seen it (admit it), feeling you know it already just because you’ve seen countless clones in the years since, but no. No, no, no. This is different. Sure, Stallone is great. The story is uplifting. The writing and directing are, well, knockouts. But there’s nothing like watching the original and there’s no more excuses. But if you need further motivation, here’s 5 reasons why it’s time you finally watch Rocky.
That Moment When Rocky Reflects on Rocky
Early on, after we meet Rocky taking punches in a cheap basement fight for a few bucks – his efforts earning him bruises and a bloody gash over his eye – he makes his way home on a lonely street. He lives in a rundown single room apartment with a couple of box turtles and beat up mattress tied to the wall he uses for training. He’s tore up, tired, and trying to keep positive, talking to himself out of habit when he eventually makes his way to the mirror. Along the rim are a series of black and white photographs with one being a small portrait of himself as a child. It catches his eye and it sort of holds him in a grip before he frees it from the frame, looking it over briefly and then tossing in out of sight. It’s a small but significant shift in the tone that sees the man’s confidence wither, the rest of the scene in silence as the fighter slumbers to the icebox and grabs a handful of cubes to hold against his head. Oh, what dreams lie in the hopeful gaze of the child in the photo now lost in the adult who seems destined to fail. Just a smart, quiet little invitation into the pain that really lets the audience get inside the story more without being an overly-contrived moment with manipulative music and melodrama.
That Long Walk With Marie
Rocky is a good guy, a bruiser from the streets of Philadelphia who knows that words are just as powerful as a what you do. A rep, good or bad, will stick with you, even if you don’t want it. One night, walking home from the local pub, he spots a young teen girl name Marie (Jodi Letizia) hanging out on a stoop with some hooligan types, cursing and loitering about. Rocky breaks her from the pack and has her walk with him, starting in about her behavior and the reputation she’s gonna get if she sticks with what she’s doing. The whole stroll through empty parking lots and dimly lit streets, Rocky lectures her on the consequences of being what’s she seems to want to be, he working hard to be a mentor in guiding the young woman to make better choices. It’s a chance to learn where Rocky comes from, that he’s been there a long time and that even the younger crowds know who he is, even if they don’t like his vibe. But the punch in the gut is the end of the bit where you believe Rocky’s made some difference with Marie. Hint: he doesn’t. Watch 2006’s Rocky Balboa to see where that takes them.
That Moment When Someone Sees Rocky Ain’t No Joke
Apollo Creed (Carl Weather) is the heavyweight champion of the world, a lean mean fighting machine who has a dilemma. He was supposed to defend his title in a big bout on the country’s 1976 Bicentennial celebration but the guy scheduled to get in the ring with him busts his hand and bows out. Turning the potential loss into opportunity, Creed and his manager decide to make a publicity stunt out of the deal and give a local fighter a chance to fight for the biggest belt in boxing. After a lengthy scouting venture, they settle on the unknown Rocky Balboa, a southpaw who Creed thinks, Rocky being a local Philly boy, will be a great match for some fun. However, Rocky, once on board, thinks it’s serious, and is hungry for a chance to show what he’s got, training with some unusual techniques, one being throwing punches at sides of cut beef at a meat factory. This gets some media attention, with the local news running a fluff piece on the pugilist swinging jabs at the slabs. Watching the TV is Apollo’s trainer (Tony Burton), who is taken by Rocky’s methods, thinking the guy means business. When he calls over his shoulder to Creed to take a look, it goes unheard, the champ more interested in the marketing, the first clue that maybe things aren’t going the way it’s expected. It’s a terrific sequence with a character who barely gets any screen time here – though earns a name and place in every Rocky after (not counting the Creed movies). What a cool transition that first follows Rocky into the freezers and then out the TV cameras and onto the set watched by someone who knows what he’s seeing. Great stuff.
That Moment When Adrian Takes A Leap
The work that the highly underrated Talia Shire does as Adrian in the Rocky films deserves far more celebration than it gets. I wrote about one part of it here but she’s just terrific in all the movies, most especially this one where we meet the now iconic woman who inspired the most famous boxer in cinema. While her name – accompanied by a pre ambled “yo” – has gone down in history as a kind of respectful joke, Adrian is truly special, the mousey young woman gaining Rocky’s attention as she works at the pet store he likes to visit. Painfully shy, she eventually agrees to a date, where they end up skating alone on a closed indoor rink, which itself has gone down as one of the best ‘dates’ in movies. However, it’s right after, when she walks with Rocky back along the streets to his home and finds herself with a choice, either say good night or go upstairs. This could have been a throwaway bit, but director John G. Avildsen has other plans, extending this so that the decision is not without weight. Is Rocky a good guy? Can she trust him? His coaxing to bring her inside is amusing and charming, but it is Shire’s remarkably sentimental and deeply personal portrayal of the struggle in making the choice that is so affecting. This is a beautiful little moment with some gentle strings and piano (by Bill Conti) that says so much with so little.
And While We’re On Bill Conti
You know the music. Or at least one short bit of it. The main theme of Rocky is an Academy Award-nominated song – you’re humming now I bet – but there’s a whole lot more to the rest of the score that is just as good if not better. Rocky was Conti’s first big break and it’s arguably his most accomplished work – though he won the Oscar a few years later for The Right Stuff. When you watch Rocky, pay attention to the smaller musical cues throughout, like when Rocky enters the ring late in the show before the main event or when he takes his first steps in the early morning to begin his training. There’s these small pings on the piano and slow deep strings that just sort of become part of the atmosphere, helping to make Rocky timeless. Watch this movie.