Honestly, with the exception of V, they're all pretty decent films. III and IV are obviously very very 80s, but have to be enoyed for what they are. III is worth the watch just to hear Mr. T threatening to sleep with Rocky's wife.
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Hey, Woman. Hey, Woman! Listen here. Since your old man ain't got no heart, maybe you like to see a real man. I bet you stay up late every night dreamin' you had a real man, don't ya? I'll tell you what. Bring your pretty little self over to my apartment tonight, and I'll show you a real man.
I would rather they did an Apollo Creed origin story. He was probably a bad___ before he sold out to corporate America.
If I remember right they wanted to base him off of George Foreman.
Anyways in terms of best to worst
1) Rocky 1 - The original and one of the best underdog stories out there. It was a gritty movie of a guy so far down that it would take a flash light and a ladder to get him out. The surrounding characters were brilliant. We were introduced to Paulie the bullying brother who at that point was fairly successful, Adrian the shy wall flower and Mickey who was an iconic character. The final fight was brilliantly filmed and brutal and raw, however Stallone resisted the urge to give Rocky the win.
2) Rocky 2 - A little weaker then the original. We see Rocky as a bit of a celebrity at a start and then slide back into poverty and obscurity and desperation. We saw Apollo Creed as the hurt angry bit of a villain as he is on the hunt for redemption. Carl Weathers was brilliant in this film. Adrian started coming out of her shell and she fell into the oldest plot trick in the book. Dum Dum Dum the Coma. Paulie starts sliding below Rocky in terms of social status. Again Micky was frankly awesome. The fight wasn't as good as the first one, mainly because they started doing the 80's overkill with the sound of raw steaks being thrown against Metal whenever a punch was thrown. However people cheered when he finally won.
3) Rocky Balboa - A really nice simple movie where Rocky makes his final comeback against a young upstart cocky champion. This movie was emotionally raw with the death of Adrian, Rocky's son as a grown up resentful whimp. Paulie was still a sad pathetic figure who was completely lost. The dynamic with Rocky's new trainer just wasn't there. Gone were the flashy montages as well. The fight was pretty decently filmed without the over sound from some of the previous films.
4) Rocky 4 - Underneath the 80's heavy schlock there was a decent idea trying to get out. We saw the end of Apollo Creed as he was killed by an impressive looking Dolph Lundgren. It meant to be the emotional mountain that Rocky had to cross but it got lost in the multiple music videos in the middle of the film. This was another David vs Goliath theme, but you never for a moment believed that Rocky would lose. They had some cameo shots of Mickey but it really wasn't enough. Adrian was no longer a wall flower and they showed that Rocky's life was one of access with fancy cars and stupid robot butlers, his kid was also terrible. The fight was fairly violent but over the top punching sound effects really detracted from it. They tried to recreate Rocky's speech from the 2nd movie but it came out forced and a bit silly.
5) Rocky 3 - Just really not a great movie. We learned that the guy who was all determination was being shielded from tough opponents. Adrian became a yeller in this movie. Paulie was a caricature of what he was supposed to be. I will give credit, Mickey's death was fairly well done as he knew that Rocky was going to lose to a hungrier version of the Rocky from Rocky 2. Mr. T worked hard in this role but he was a real one dimensional villain and it was clear that he wasn't a boxer. BTW if you wanted 80's homo erotic imagery this movie is for you as oiled up and sweaty Rocky and Apollo trained, ran down the beach in slow motion and hugged while all oiled up. They turned up the intensity foley wise and it really took you out of both fights. The first fight was ok. The second fight was predictable and there was no real tension. the whole he's getting mad thing where Rocky rope a doped Lang did an actual disservice to a series of movies about perseverence, Rocky literally became a jerk and a braggart in the ring.
6) Rocky V - I assumed that most of the budget was built around cocaine and flashy clothing. Rocky loses everything when Paulie signs a power of attorney. A really flimsy premise. They were desperate to find a way to make Rocky a underdog and they were so trapped by earlier successes. The underlying story of Rocky losing touch with his son was really poorly done but the kid's ultimate rebel moment was when he got an earing. Paulie and Adrian were literally there to be there. Tommy Morrison plays the role of Tommy "The machine" Gun. He had the look and feel of a boxer but not the acting chops. He also went from a nice but confused kid to a cardboard villain. The manager was meant to be Don King, but the only thing he was missing was a rail road track and a handle bar mustache. The final fight was a terrible street fight where Stallone pulled out his years of Gymkata training. It was fought over a horrible 80's rap song and interspersed with his son shadow boxing while screaming catch phrases like "Go for it". The fight itself wasn't even a credible representation of a street fight. There was no real brutality and the foley artists went from steaks to steel against steel punching sounds. It was almost a terrible way to kill what had been a good franchise.
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^ Excellent analysis of the series, and I have to say I fully agree with both your rankings and critique. Although I would say all the Rocky movies are quite a bit weaker than the first. Rocky is just a great movie, maybe even a 5 star movie. The rest would come in at 3 1/2 to lower.
^ Excellent analysis of the series, and I have to say I fully agree with both your rankings and critique. Although I would say all the Rocky movies are quite a bit weaker than the first. Rocky is just a great movie, maybe even a 5 star movie. The rest would come in at 3 1/2 to lower.
I think people forget that both Rocky and First Blood (the first Rambo film) were both considered exellent films in their day. Rocky won the academy awards for Best Picture, Director, and Editing. It got nominated for Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor (twice), Best Screenplay, Best Music, and Best Sound.
It's easy to forget that when both films are getting whored out for multiple sequels.
Because of this thread, I've spent a good part of my afternoon and evening watching Rocky clips.
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We may curse our bad luck that it's sounds like its; who's sounds like whose; they're sounds like their (and there); and you're sounds like your. But if we are grown-ups who have been through full-time education, we have no excuse for muddling them up.
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^^ Eye of the Tiger is now on my ipod and has been played at the gym the last few days.
__________________ "In brightest day, in blackest night / No evil shall escape my sight / Let those who worship evil's might / Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
Rocky IV is fantastic. That workout montage is probably the greatest moment in cinematic history. Rocky's the honest hard-working naturalist, and the Russian is a drugged up high-tech monster. Rocky screaming "DRAGGOOO" at the end of the clip totally seals it.
Rocky IV is fantastic. That workout montage is probably the greatest moment in cinematic history. Rocky's the honest hard-working naturalist, and the Russian is a drugged up high-tech monster. Rocky screaming "DRAGGOOO" at the end of the clip totally seals it.
Agreed, listening to hearts on fire makes me want to sprint to the top of Nose Hill in the middle of Winter
