Coluna Claquete – December 26th, 2016 – Movie of the Week: “Rocky”
Newton Ramalho
colunaclaquete@gmail.com – www.colunaclaquete.blogspot.com– @colunaclaquete
Movie of the Week: “Rocky”
In December 2016 the movie “Rocky” completed forty years since its debut in the United States. The film generated five sequels and one derivative, and led to stardom Sylvester Stallone, a limited actor who knew how anyone grab the most important chance of his life – and transform the character into an icon that will survive in much the its creator.
It is curious that a film with a simple story, unknown actors and a very low budget has achieved such phenomenal success. To understand it, we must see that the character’s story is intertwined with that of its creator, the protagonist and author of the script, Stallone himself.
Born in one of the poorest neighborhoods of New York City, Stallone was placed by his mother in a school for problematic children in the city of Philadelphia, where he devoted himself to boxing, riding and fencing, which would be very useful later.With his privileged body and sport skills, he got to study in Switzerland, and later returned to the United States, eager to break into the movie industry.
To survive, he did some roles on cheap movies and even erotic films.His big break was through the script of “Rocky,” which he wrote in just three days, after watching a boxing match in which the unknown Chuck Wepner could withstand fifteen rounds before being knocked out by the champion Muhammad Ali.
Producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff were so interested in the script that offered $ 350,000 for Stallone sold it to them.But as he insisted on being the protagonist, Stallone then proposed deliver the script for a nominal fee in exchange for the title role and participation at the box office.This has revealed to be the great victory of his life.
The film’s story is well known. Rocky (Stallone) is a semi-professional boxer, who works as a debt collector from a local moneylender. Thirty years old, he was considered old for fighting career, but due to an accident with an opponent, the world champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) decided to fight with a local boxer, to keep the event scheduled in the city.
With scarce resources, Rocky begins its reconstruction as a fighter, with the help of his old coach Mike (Jimmy Gambina), his friend Paulie (Burt Young) and his girlfriend Adrian (Talia Shire).
The film is very engaging, with a fantastic music, and has created millions of fans around the world, who copied the character even in his extravagant breakfast of raw eggs.Especially for boys, who always dream of being beautiful and muscular, Rocky represented the realization of these dreams, even if only on the big screen.
It was not difficult for the viewers to identify with Rocky. White, poor and uneducated, Rocky would be the image of millions of Americans. If it were today, he would certainly vote in Trump. But this identification has exceeded the borders, creating fans on all continents, of all races, creeds and intellectual levels.
Even now the Philadelphia Museum of Art responsibles resent the fact that thousands of people go to the site every day just to run up the steps of the staircase and imitate the gesture of victory of Rocky.In the credits of the film “Rocky Balboa” you can see scenes of real people doing it.
The most interesting – and little known – is that Stallone himself was in a similar situation to that of his character. Thirty years old, he was considered old to start an acting career, further with his limitations.
To live the character, Stallone also had to reinvent himself. At the beginning of filming he was significantly overweight, and with the discreet intervention of the director John G. Avildsen, who recorded the trainings, Stallone realized that he would have to imitate the character, building the magnificent body that appeared on the screens.
Transformed into success worldwide thanks to the character, Stallone also embodied another icon, the veteran of the Vietnam war John Rambo, which also yield four films of big box office.
Shot in only 28 days with a small budget of one million dollars, “Rocky” won the Academy Award for Best Film, Best Director and Best Editing, plus nominations for the categories of Best Actor (Stallone), Best Actress (Talia Shire), Best Supporting Actor (Burt Young and Burgess Meredith), Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song and Best Sound. The film also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and had other five nominations.
After “Rocky” in 1976, it was followed by “Rocky II” (1979), “Rocky III” (1982), “Rocky IV” (1985), “Rocky V” (1990) and “Rocky Balboa” (2006) . In 2015 the character returned to the screen in “Creed”, a remake of “Rocky” where Rocky faces the responsibility to train the son of his first opponent, Apollo Creed.
Even after forty years, it is impossible to hear the first chords of the song “Gonna Fly Now” and not want to leave running the streets like Rocky did.Long live the champ!