So the other day, me and my bro got ourselves comfortable and rewatched Rocky. And you know what? It’s one damn fine motion picture.
It’s easy enough to make fun of Sylvester Stallone now, what with Rocky I, II, III, IV, V; Rambo I, II, III to his name. But in 1976 Rocky was all there was–and Rocky was good. (Written by Stallone in three days, shot in 28; total cost $1.1 million. Result? Best Director, Picture Oscars; nominations for Best Actor, Actress, Screenplay … $117 million at the box office.)
It has a story, it has characters, it has grit. And then there’s that scene where Rocky and Adrian slip and slide around the ice-rink, Rocky talking without pause, Adrian saying close to nothing, the rink manager’s shouts announcing the time remaining minute by minute … that’s good, that’s very good.
“I lost that fight, but it’s a good picture, don’cha think?”