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Rocky [1976]
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8 page booklet revealing an insight into the making of the film
RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £2.48 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
The 1976 Oscar winner for Best Picture, John G Avildsen's Rocky is the story of a down-and-out club fighter who gets his million-to-one shot at a world championship title. In the title role, Sylvester Stallone (who also penned the screenplay) draws a carefully etched portrait of a loser who, in Brando-esque fashion, "coulda been a contender". Rocky then becomes one thanks to a publicity stunt engineered by current champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), while finding love courtesy of timid wallflower Adrienne (Talia Shire) along the way. Burgess Meredith revives the spirit of 1940's genre pictures through his scenery-chewing performance as Rocky's trainer. An enormous entertainment, Rocky is irresistible in its depiction of an underachiever who has the courage to start all over again--a description that could have been applied to Stallone's own life at the time. --Kevin Mulhall
Editorial
Video Description
DVD Special Features
Chapter Search
Original Theatrical Trailer
Soundtrack: English/German/Spanish
Subtitles: English/German/Dutch/Spanish/Swedish/Portuguese/Danish/Norwegian/Finnish/Hard of Hearing - English/German
Editorial
Synopsis
Director John G. Avildsen's ROCKY is the stand-up-and-cheer saga of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), an underdog boxer who gets his million-to-one shot at love, self-respect, and the world heavyweight title. Rocky is a down-on-his-luck Philadelphia southpaw who works at a meat-packing factory while fighting at a local club. He's given the chance of a lifetime when the world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), chooses him as an unlikely opponent in his championship bicentennial fight. What was originally planned as a publicity stunt becomes a chance for Rocky to prove himself as a prizefighter while training with his cantankerous manager, Mickey (Burgess Meredith), to rise to the challenge. Thrilling scenes of Rocky's arduous training, including his unforgettable run up the Philadelphia Art Museum steps, are interspersed with a sweet and touching love story between the fighter and his best friend's shy sister, Adrian (Talia Shire). With the love of Adrian on his side, Rocky struggles to overcome the odds, fighting with all his heart in the glorious and brutal finale.
Shot with gritty realism on the mean streets of Philadelphia, ROCKY introduced a new American cinematic hero, spurred on by rollicking action sequences and a rousing soundtrack. A triumph for star and screenwriter Stallone, who himself came from nowhere to reach the top, ROCKY is crowd-pleasing entertainment at its finest.
They Just Don't Make Films Like This Anymore!
Review date: 2008-08-13 Rating: 10 out of 10
I'm not a fan of boxing, so I put off watching this film for a long time as I was under the false impression that that was all that Rocky was about - boxing. How very wrong I was. Although boxing is one of the main storylines in the movie, it is definately not the only one, with many other story arcs, themes, and ideas that were better suited to my interests.
Sylvester Stallone gives an incredible, unforgettable performance as Rocky Balboa, a small time boxer who is given the chance to fight the heavy weight champion. The character is warm, likeable, funny, and Stallone really brings Rocky alive. Talia Shire likewise does a fantastic job as Adrian (Rocky's incredibly shy girlfriend), infact, I can't think of a single bad performance in the entire film.
Theres character development, theres a love story, theres some characters you will love and others who you'll hate. You never feel cheated when watching this film - the script, the acting, the story, the soundtrack, there is not one bad aspect to pick out, but many, many good ones. It's a heart warming, family film that everyone should try and watch atleast once.
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Reviews
ONE REVIEW ONE SENTENCE
Review date: 2008-02-16 Rating: 10 out of 10
The ultimate boxing story with Sylvester Stallone, as Rocky, who delivers the performance of a lifetime as a small time challenger who must overcome all the odds to fulfill his dreams for, not just himself, but his family too.
Not only the best Rocky Movie, but the best of Stallone
Review date: 2007-11-02 Rating: 10 out of 10
When Stallone wrote ROCKY and released the film in 1976, he could have little idea how this character would catch on with popular imagination, and effectively launching Stallone's career as a movie star.
Why ROCKY really succeeds is it takes an Everyman, the Italian Stallion Rocky Balboa, and gives him the chance of a lifetime - to fight the current heavyweight champion of the world Apollo Creed, played by Carl Weathers.
Rocky is simply a fighting nobody, living in Philadelphia, trying to scrape his way through life. He has some low level mob involvement as an enforcer, but he's not happy with this role in life and opts for mercy when dealing with the debtors his boss sends him to collect payment. He's obviously looking to get out and fights on the side, but fighting is his real passion.
Apollo Creed is looking to promote a fight, but the angle he is pursuing is he will fight an unknown, in the spirit of America as the land of opportunity. . America was celebrating its bicentennial in 1976, and this fight would be part of those bicentennial celebrations.
Ultimately Apollo's promoters come up with Rocky Balboa, the Italian Stallion, as much for the name as anything else. We all know what happens. Rocky trains, fights Creed, and becomes successful.
If that's all there was to ROCKY, it'd be a pretty fun film, but not really Oscar worthy. Fortunately there is much more to ROCKY than just that rather cliché sports film storyline.
What sets ROCKY apart is the great writing, acting, and production. Actually, they had to go low budge with this film, and this low budget actually paid off wonderfully. Stallone manages to capture the life of Rocky so perfectly the film serves as a vital snapshot of what real life is actually like for the vast majority of lower and middle class Americans. Rocky struggles to get by, has dreams but these are frustrated by his economic situation. He's looking for the big fighting break. Unfortunately for a lot of us that big break never comes.
While the film is certainly focused on boxing, the actual fight with Apollo is only a small portion of the movie experience. We follow Rocky on the streets, we get an idea of his everyday life, his trying to romance Adrian (Talia Shire, Francis Ford Coppola's sister and Nicholas Cage's aunt), his oft trying relationship with his future brother-in-law Paulie. Of course, the movie delves into the relationship between Rocky and his personal trainer, Mickey (played by Burgess Meredith). Mickey even calls him out, saying he has the potential to be a great fighter but he's not living up to that potential. It is these subplots that really make ROCKY the rich film that is really is.
Another major proponent of ROCKY is how inextricably linked it has become to the city of Philadelphia. The entire film was shot in Philly, and there are so many different locations and areas that you can't help but smile when watching the movie if you know Philly. The art museum especially has become very famous for its association with ROCKY, as Rocky runs up and down the steps in training, and when he gets to the top he throws his hands up in the air, with that look of victory in his face. And who can forget him training in the meat lockers, punching those big hunks of meat? Unconventional training, but it works. Great stuff.
Then, of course, we have the famous ROCKY theme, that's been used in all the films and is one of the most famous fanfares in movie history. Whenever I hear that theme I always think of the art museum training sequence.
What really makes ROCKY click is you totally identify with Rocky. He has dreams and aspirations. He wants to escape his circumstances. He wants to win the girl and ride off into the sunset, victorious. Rocky is the perfect embodiment of that great myth called the American Dream. He starts out as a nobody, works hard with what he has been given, and makes a success out of himself.
And Rocky ultimately gets to live that dream. He makes his life a success, he falls in love with Adrian and eventually marry. Rocky manages to escape that fate of being "just another bum in the neighborhood", and becomes a major icon in film history. He would go on to star in five sequels to this film, each with varying degrees of success, but none of them quite matched the lightening bolt success of the original.
While ROCKY is an Oscar-winning film, Stallone would never again regain the critical acclaim he had with this movie. His career, while far from being unsuccessful, has never matched the success he had with this movie. People compared him with Marlon Brando because of this movie. While he has seen been involved in mostly dull action flicks and critically ridiculed projects, he will always have ROCKY.
And I don't care who you are. ROCKY is a tremendous legacy to leave behind.
The Italian Stallion-CLASSIC
Review date: 2007-11-02 Rating: 10 out of 10
Rocky 1 is amazing, thats all i have to say, it stands tall above every other Rocky film and it's just amazing. Sylvester Stallone has created possibly the best film character in history. From Rocky beating the meat to Rocky running up the steps of Philadelphia museum this film packs a punch. Definitely in my 10 best films ever but number1 when it comes to Rocky and Mick's performances. SUPERB
His whole life was a million-to-one shot
Review date: 2007-05-13 Rating: 10 out of 10
"Rocky" is just the story of a simple guy who gets a chance to do something amazing, and he gives it all he's got. I think we've all gone through something like that before, and if so, you will be able to identify with "Rocky" all the more. Stallone acted really well in this movie and a repeat performance was seen thirty years later with the 6th installment, 'Rocky Balboa.'
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Talia Shire
Burgess Meredith
Carl Weathers
Sylvester Stallone
Burt Young
Creators:
Sylvester Stallone (Primary Contributor)
Talia Shire (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 7321900560436
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2000-02-01
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 114 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1976-12-03
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: German (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Dubbed)