Rocky (1976)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

John G. Avildsen

Writer:

Sylvester Stallone (written by)

Release Date:

3 joulukuu 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

You have a ringside seat for the bloodiest bicentennial in history!

Plot:

A small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.

Plot Keywords:

Boxer | Philadelphia | Boxing | Training | Dog

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Sylvester Stallone	...	Rocky
Talia Shire	...	Adrian
Burt Young	...	Paulie
Carl Weathers	...	Apollo
Thayer David	...	Jergens
Joe Spinell	...	Gazzo
Jimmy Gambina	...	Mike
George Memmoli	...	Ice Rink Attendant
Bill Baldwin	...	Fight Announcer
Billy Sands	...	Club Fight Announcer
Don Sherman	...	Bartender
Shirley O'Hara	...	Secretary
Arnold Johnson
Tony Burton	...	Apollo's Trainer
Jodi Letizia	...	Marie
Burgess Meredith	...	Mickey
Al Silvani	...	Cut Man (as Al Salvani)
Diana Lewis	...	TV Commentator
George O'Hanlon	...	TV Commentator
Larry Carroll	...	TV Interviewer
Stan Shaw	...	Dipper
Pedro Lovell	...	Club Fighter
DeForest Covan	...	Apollo's Corner
Simmy Bow	...	Club Corner Man
Hank Rolike	...	Apollo Corner Man
Kathleen Parker	...	Paulie's Date
Frank Stallone	...	Timekeeper
Lloyd Kaufman	...	Drunk
Jane Marla Robbins	...	Owner of Pet Shop
Jack Hollander	...	Fats
Joe Sorbello	...	Bodyguard
Christopher Avildsen	...	Chiptooth
Frankie Van	...	Club Fight Referee
Lou Fillipo	...	Championship Fight Announcer
Paris Eagle	...	Fighter
Frank Stallone	...	Streetcorner Singer (as Frank Stallone Jr.)
Robert L. Tangrea	...	Streetcorner Singer
Peter Glassberg	...	Streetcorner Singer
William E. Ring	...	Streetcorner Singer
Joseph C. Giambelluc	...	Streetcorner Singer
Joe Frazier	...	Special Guest Appearance
Butkus Stallone	...	Dog
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bobby Cassidy	...	Ringside Police Officer (uncredited)
Michael Dorn	...	Apollo Creed's Bodyguard (uncredited)
Robert Leh	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Stu Nahan	...	Fight Commentator (uncredited)
Frank Pesce	...	Extra on Street (uncredited)
Lavelle Roby	...	Mary Anne Creed (uncredited)

Directed by
John G. Avildsen

Writing credits
Sylvester Stallone		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Chartoff	....	producer
Gene Kirkwood	....	executive producer
Irwin Winkler	....	producer

Original Music by
Bill Conti		(music by)

Cinematography by
James Crabe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Scott Conrad
Richard Halsey

Casting by
Caro Jones

Production Design by
William J. Cassidy		(as Bill Cassidy)

Art Direction by
James H. Spencer

Set Decoration by
Ray Molyneaux		(as Raymond Molyneaux)

Makeup Department
Michael Westmore	....	makeup creator (as Mike Westmore)

Production Management
Hal W. Polaire	....	executive in charge of production (as Hal Polaire)
Ted Swanson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred T. Gallo	....	first assistant director (as Fred Gallo)
Steve Perry	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Mike Miner	....	props
David Nichols	....	visual consultant

Sound Department
Ray Alba	....	post-production sound
Gene Ashbrook	....	sound mixer (as B. Eugene Ashbrook)
John Farrell	....	looping editor
Bert Schoenfeld	....	post-production sound (as Burt Schoenfeld)
Harry W. Tetrick	....	sound
Bud Alper	....	sound (uncredited)
Lyle J. Burbridge	....	sound (uncredited)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)
William L. McCaughey	....	sound (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	sound (uncredited)

Stunts
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunt coordinator (as Jim Nickerson)
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gray Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Garrett Brown	....	special camera effects
Richard J. Edesa	....	first assistant camera (as Dick Edessa)
Gene Kearney	....	key grip
Ross A. Maehl	....	electrical gaffer (as Ross Maehl)
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer
Jack Willoughby	....	camera operator
Lou Angeli	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Ralf D. Bode	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Mike Chevalier	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Aristides Pappidas	....	gaffer: second unit (uncredited)
Serge Poupis	....	first assistant camera: additional camera (uncredited)
Kit Whitmore	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Cambel	....	costumer
Joanne Hutchinson	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Janice Hampton	....	assistant film editor
Geoffrey Rowland	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Joe Tuley	....	music editor (as Joseph Tuley Jr.)

Transportation Department
Mike Grover	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Joan Arnold	....	production secretary
Dale Benson	....	location manager
Janet Crosby	....	assistant to producer (as Janet Crosy)
Jimmy Gambina	....	technical advisor
Gloria Gonzales	....	assistant to producer
Lloyd Kaufman	....	pre-production supervisor
David Kramer	....	publicist
Joseph Letizia	....	liaison: Philadelphia (as Joe Letizia)
Bonnie Prendergast	....	script supervisor
Carol Rosenstein	....	assistant to director
Marge Rowland	....	location auditor
Sylvester Stallone	....	boxing choreographer
Jeff Kanew	....	trailer (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Steve Sayre	....	assistant fight choreographer (uncredited)

Thanks
Jane Oliver	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Chartoff-Winkler Productions (as a Robert Chartoff - Irwin Winkler production)
• United Artists

Distributors

• United Artists (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• United Artists (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Video (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (France) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Italy) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (The Undisputed Collection)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Magnetic Video (1979) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (199?) (Germany) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• F & B Ceco of California  photographic equipment (as F & B/Ceco)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals (as MGM)

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Alberta) (re-rating) (1999) | UK:A (original rating) | Iceland:12 | Mexico:A | Australia:M (TV rating) | Brazil:12 | Peru:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Italy:T | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1977) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG (PCA #24646) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

1818 East Tusculum Street, Kensington, North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Chartoff-Winkler Productions

Trivia:

The role of Mickey was initially offered to Lee Strasberg (who was Burt Young's mentor), but the production couldn't afford him.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Jergens describes Apollo's upcoming fight as his "bicentennial fight." In the same scene, Apollo says that it will take place "on this country's birthday," meaning July 4, 1976. But the fight with Rocky takes place on New Year's Day, January 1, 1976.

Quotes:

Rocky: [upon seeing Apollo Creed] He looks like a big flag.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)

Soundtrack:

Deck the Halls

Changed My Life

"Your gonna eat lightning and your gonna crap thunder"

Rocky is about a poor boxer living his life in Philadalphia. His life changes when an invitation from the heavyweight champ Apollo Creed is given to him.

Romance, Drama, Fight.

Story- With minimum resources and low money, this movie was an underdog itself. Stallone wrote it and fought to play Rocky. When they were low on resources, they changed the story all together and made it even better. The story is flawless and keeps you on the edge of your seat. 9/10

Music- The best thing about the movie itself. The music in this movie is guaranteed to give you goosebumps every time you watch it. Bill Conti gives you an excellent score throughout the movie, including the famous "gonna fly now". 10/10

Acting- 4 nominated performances in this movie. The acting is very good as well, especially Burgess Meredith who offers one of the greatest acts I have ever seen. Stallone plays Rocky Balboa and changes his voice very well to be Rocky. He did a very good job. Talia Shire plays Adrian, a shy pet store owner who has never had a BF before. She did a good job as well. Burt Young plays the drunkard Paulie. Burgess Merideth plays the boxing trainer Mickey. I have never seen a better performance. 9.5/10

Stallone fought for this triumphant movie that made me want to go the distance (sounds corny but its true). It made me strive to work harder and not give up. If you haven't seen this, buy it and watch it. I'll guarantee it will change you too. A classic.

I give it a perfect 10/10