Sunday, November 21, 1976

Rocky introduces the world to a beloved, cinematic sports icon

Rocky


Released: November 21, 1976


Studio: United Artists


Genre: sports


Box Office (numbers in millions):

Domestic: 117.24 Worldwide: ?


Adjusted for Inflation:

Domestic: 540.00 Worldwide: 946.70

Directing: John G. Avildsen


Screenwriting: Sylvester Stallone


Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, Carl Weathers


Review:

Sylvester Stallone championed his own script, fighting to get the movie made on his terms. He “was an unbankable unknown at the time – an underdog actor/writer in the film industry (with 32 previously-rejected scripts).” FS The result is that “Rocky Balboa, the under-classed boxer from Philadelphia,” A98 has become “an American film icon” A98 “a character so convincing and emotionally absorbing” E18 that he spawned a series of sequels lasting more than four decades.

Stallone wrote the script for the “action-packed, feel-good crowd-pleasing story” in three days. FS It was filmed over 28 days, mostly on location in Philadelphia, with a mere million-dollar budget. It went on to gross more than $100 million. FS

Apollo Creed (Weathers), the world heavyweight champ, decides to pull a publicity stunt by giving an unknown boxer a shot at the championship belt. Rocky proves to be a more formidable match than Creed imagined in this “fairy-tale, Cinderella rags-to-riches story” FS in which Rocky “proves that winning isn’t the most important thing (you gotta go the distance).” E18 He’s aided by “his wily and irascible boxing coach” A98 Mickey (Meredith) and supported by Adrian (Shire), his new “shy, hesitant, loving girlfriend.” FS


Sources:

Awards/Honors/Lists:


Dave’s Movie Database Lists:


Dave’s Movie Database Genre Lists:


Box Office:


Awards:


Oscars:

Wins: 3 – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing

Nominations: 10 – including Best Actor (Stallone), Best Actress (Shire), Best Supporting Actor (Young), Best Supporting Actor (Meredith), Best Original Screenplay, Best Song (“Gonna Fly Now”), Best Sound Editing


Other Lists/Honors:


First posted 5/29/2023.

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