The "Rocky" thread

[Big Blue Lantern Corps Honor Guard Find all posts View Profile Close Big Blue Lantern]

It's difficult for me to pick a favorite. This franchise has so many memorable characters and visuals that it's not surprising to me that it has endured for over 40 years.

What hasn't aged well is the boxing, especially in the first 4 films. If you've ever watched an actual boxing match (and I have to assume that most Rocky fans have), then you know that a ref isn't going to let a match continue if one boxer is taking an enormous amount of punishment. At one point in Rocky 3, Rocky dishes out something like 27 unanswered blows to Clubber. In Rocky 4, Drago knocks Rocky down an insane amount of times with no stoppage or standing 8 count. I didn't notice how unrealistic this was until I was a teenager.

I've noticed that Stallone has improved the boxing since Rocky Balboa. He's combined that with fresh characters and satisfying twists for old ones. It's been amazing to see a small, gritty story about a unknown boxer turn into a phenomenon that's unfolded over more than 4 decades.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

...What hasn't aged well is the boxing, especially in the first 4 films. If you've ever watched an actual boxing match (and I have to assume that most Rocky fans have), then you know that a ref isn't going to let a match continue if one boxer is taking an enormous amount of punishment. At one point in Rocky 3, Rocky dishes out something like 27 unanswered blows to Clubber. In Rocky 4, Drago knocks Rocky down an insane amount of times with no stoppage or standing 8 count. I didn't notice how unrealistic this was until I was a teenager. . .

This is definitely true. And it was a criticism that led many people to call Raging Bull the superior boxing film in its day. I have to watch #4 again to see what you mean by skipping the standing count, but that is a bad thing to miss. In general Rocky matches don't feel like real matches. They're in that heightened reality like baseball movies. If baseball was actually as exciting as the movies make it look, I'd be watching it.



You could take the match that inspired Rocky as an example. The Wepner/Ali match wasn't close. Even before the ref called it 18 seconds early, no one would have claimed it was close (like in Rocky, where it's a split decision). The impressive thing wasn't that Wepner almost won (he didn't) but that he knocked Ali down and was still standing in the final round.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Cindarella Man might be my favorite boxing movie ever made. Just fantastic.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Cindarella Man might be my favorite boxing movie ever made. Just fantastic.

Rocky is still my favorite; I just acknowledge it's not necessarily the best recreation of real boxing.

[Andrew NDB Shot Caller Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew NDB]

Rocky is still my favorite; I just acknowledge it's not necessarily the best recreation of real boxing.

"Rocky Balboa" was about the only time in the series where they even attempted to present "real" boxing to any extent. And I feel like that was a mistake... I didn't want to see "real" boxing in that movie, I wanted to see Rocky kick ass again. By the same token I've lamented them using real boxers as the bad guys since Rocky V and every movie since... because there's a very real line where the bad guy boxers were memorable, and that was it.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Ahh, but Rocky Balboa was so satisfying! I liked that Rocky wasn't allowed to straight up beat Mason. All he had to do to really give his story meaning was hold his own in the ring and make it through the match. And wisely they gave Mason an injury that made it at least SOMEWHAT believable. It would have ruined it if Rocky won fairly, or e even won at all. Such a great ending to his series. Hope they never undo it.

In fact, they should have Rocky pull a Mickey and go out in Creed III. Give an end to his story and force Adonis to face whatever his greatest challenge is on his own at the end.

[Andrew NDB Shot Caller Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew NDB]

It would have ruined it if Rocky won fairly, or e even won at all. Such a great ending to his series. Hope they never undo it.

Well, there IS that alternate ending out there....

+ YouTube Video

In fact, they should have Rocky pull a Mickey and go out in Creed III. Give an end to his story and force Adonis to face whatever his greatest challenge is on his own at the end.

That's what everyone wants to see... but he's not having it. I think something happened behind the scenes on Creed II that we have no idea about... Stallone was even originally tapped to direct it but it basically sounds like he was "talked out of it." Something happened there.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Yeah, you might be right. It was weird how Creed II changed around like thhat, and even now Stallone is supposedly not attached to Creed III.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

I remember the alt ending being mentioned or shown on the special features. So glad they wisely went with the ending they did.

[Andrew NDB Shot Caller Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew NDB]

Yeah, I'm suspicious. Like, Creed II was barely even in theaters yet and Stallone was loudly announcing to anyone that would listen that he's officially retired the character. Yet... not even a year later, Stallone is going around saying he wants to make Rocky 7 with Rocky training an illegal immigrant... and 0 mention of Creed?

Hmmm...

Maybe he wasn't too impressed with Michael B. Jordan on some press junkets or the idea of Michael B. Jordan enjoying success on the back of what Stallone built is starting to wear thin on him... I have no idea. I just feel pretty sure that Stallone became pretty unhappy with someone or something on that movie enough that he very suddenly wanted to put distance between him and Creed.

I remember the alt ending being mentioned or shown on the special features. So glad they wisely went with the ending they did.

I'm pretty sure the ending used was always going to be the ending... he just shot 3 different endings so that the hundreds of extras watching the fight wouldn't spoil it for everyone.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

...In fact, they should have Rocky pull a Mickey and go out in Creed III. . .

Wait, dying is "pulling a Mickey"? Or does it only count if it's in the third movie?

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

It needs both!

[Andrew NDB Shot Caller Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew NDB]

I've read this interview in print but not seen this video. Look at him when he says he's done with Creed. Yeah, something happened there for sure, on Creed 2.

+ YouTube Video