Rocky (part 1 of my take on the movies)
Anyone that knows me personally likely knows that I'm a HUGE "Rocky" fan. I love quoting the movies (especially the second one), I have "Rocky" action figures, still in their packages, hanging over my entertaiment center. Every-so-often I'll have a "Rocky-thon" where I watch all the movies in the span of a week (when you work, are in a band, help at the church, and ride you don't have time to do a back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back movie viewing). Anyways, in the next week or two I'll be talkign about a different "Rocky" movie. Here's my take on the first one.
Rocky - The one that started it all. Also the one that shown that Stalone could write an excellent screen play/script. While actually #2, in my opinion, in terms of what my favorite "Rocky" movie is, it is still a masterpeace of film making/directing. I love the little nuances in this film. Nuances such as how Tony Gazzo, while talking to Rocky, suddenly takes a hit on his inhalor. I may be reading too much into it but I belive it was a really subtle way of showing how vulnerable he is even though he's suppose to be some tough guy (after all, he's a loan shark). Another nuance that I love is how, in the last seen, Adrian is running through the crowd to get to Rocky. At one point her hat falls off. It's something that I notice every time. When she finally comes in the ring Rocky says "What happened to your hat". You may not even hear him say it unless you listen closely. For the longest time I thought the whole thing was down accidentally but it turns out that a fish line was attached to the hate.
"Rocky" is one of those movies that has the perfect cast. Every single character was cast with the perfect actor/actress. I can't imagion anyone else playing Paulie instead of Burt Young. Talia Shire played the perfect shy, ackward woman. Burgess Meredith (may he R.I.P.) was born to play Mickey. Then you have Carl Weathers. Hes' the reason Apollo Creed is my favorite Rock opponent. He made that character into someone that, although you wanted Rocky to beat him, you loved him all the same. He wasn't "bad", not even in the second movie. What he was was a showman. Someone who was goign to show you that he wasn't just going to win, but he was going to wow you all the same. He was also very intelligent. He took all the boxer stereotypes and put them on their ears. He was also shown to be just as human as Rocky. His "humanity" is shown more in the second movie so I won't really get into it on this post.
I'm a huge fan of the soundtrack to the Rocky films. I even have the soundtrack to the first movie on vinyl as well as a CD that has most of the stuff from the whole anthology.
"Rocky" is one of those movies that I think a lot of people can relate to. Most people I know feel like they are just going through the motions and can't get anywhere. Rocky feels that way. But then you never know when opportunity comes to your door. What I love is how Rocky is very humble throughout the whole movie, even at the end. It also helps that the movie doens't have a cliche ending. The film never feels hoaky. It feels real. "Rocky" is one of those movies where you love the main character, not because he's the protanganist, but because he's just a humble, hard-working man who jsut doens'st want to be thought of as a loser.
As stated earlier, "Rocky" is my second-favorite Rocky movie. SOmetime in the next couple of days I'll get to my favorite one, "Rocky II".
Rocky - The one that started it all. Also the one that shown that Stalone could write an excellent screen play/script. While actually #2, in my opinion, in terms of what my favorite "Rocky" movie is, it is still a masterpeace of film making/directing. I love the little nuances in this film. Nuances such as how Tony Gazzo, while talking to Rocky, suddenly takes a hit on his inhalor. I may be reading too much into it but I belive it was a really subtle way of showing how vulnerable he is even though he's suppose to be some tough guy (after all, he's a loan shark). Another nuance that I love is how, in the last seen, Adrian is running through the crowd to get to Rocky. At one point her hat falls off. It's something that I notice every time. When she finally comes in the ring Rocky says "What happened to your hat". You may not even hear him say it unless you listen closely. For the longest time I thought the whole thing was down accidentally but it turns out that a fish line was attached to the hate.
"Rocky" is one of those movies that has the perfect cast. Every single character was cast with the perfect actor/actress. I can't imagion anyone else playing Paulie instead of Burt Young. Talia Shire played the perfect shy, ackward woman. Burgess Meredith (may he R.I.P.) was born to play Mickey. Then you have Carl Weathers. Hes' the reason Apollo Creed is my favorite Rock opponent. He made that character into someone that, although you wanted Rocky to beat him, you loved him all the same. He wasn't "bad", not even in the second movie. What he was was a showman. Someone who was goign to show you that he wasn't just going to win, but he was going to wow you all the same. He was also very intelligent. He took all the boxer stereotypes and put them on their ears. He was also shown to be just as human as Rocky. His "humanity" is shown more in the second movie so I won't really get into it on this post.
I'm a huge fan of the soundtrack to the Rocky films. I even have the soundtrack to the first movie on vinyl as well as a CD that has most of the stuff from the whole anthology.
"Rocky" is one of those movies that I think a lot of people can relate to. Most people I know feel like they are just going through the motions and can't get anywhere. Rocky feels that way. But then you never know when opportunity comes to your door. What I love is how Rocky is very humble throughout the whole movie, even at the end. It also helps that the movie doens't have a cliche ending. The film never feels hoaky. It feels real. "Rocky" is one of those movies where you love the main character, not because he's the protanganist, but because he's just a humble, hard-working man who jsut doens'st want to be thought of as a loser.
As stated earlier, "Rocky" is my second-favorite Rocky movie. SOmetime in the next couple of days I'll get to my favorite one, "Rocky II".