THE ROCKY DIARY

After purchasing all six 'Rocky' films in a boxed set for 10 GBP I decided to chronicle the watching of the films. While I'm not one to try to list my top ten films, there is a chance 'Rocky' would be there. Its sequel is also one of the best sequels in cinema history. It then goes a bit strange, along with Stallone's career. We shall see. All six films. Across four decades.

Rocky: Going The Distance

After beginning his career in The Party at Kitty and Stud's, which seems to be a form of soft porn, Sylvester Stallone had bit parts until 1975 when he appeared in 'Capone' and 'Death Race 2000'. Then in 1976, he wrote and starred in Rocky. There are a number of things people forget about Rocky: the first being he didn't win the fight with Apollo Creed and the second, that the film won the Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing Oscars in 1977. It was nominated for 10 Oscars that year (including Best Actor and Screenplay for Sylvester Stallone). 'Rocky' was the 'Titanic' of 1977. The many sequels obscure this truth, along with Stallone's career post-1982.

'Rocky' is a film about people on the lower rungs of life striving for something better, to fulfil their potential and earn respect. This is true of all the significant characters. Adrian (Talia Shire) transforms through her relationship with Rocky to the extent she breaks free of her dysfunctional relationship with her brother. Mickey (Burgess Meredith) wants to deliver a champion and sees his chance through Rocky. Rocky just wants to be someone, and he believes he can prove that to himself and others via going the distance with Apollo Creed. This in itself could be a parallel with Stallone's career, as he tries to prove himself and his talent through the Rocky film. The only character who doesn't change significantly is Paulie (Burt Young). It's a film of relatively simple, but powerful ideals.

While the confrontation with Rocky and Apollo loses some of its strength with familiarity it never completely loses its power. The fear Rocky experiences the night before. The complete disregard Apollo gives Rocky. The surprise knock-out punch. The punishment Rocky takes through his sheer force of will to go the distance. The final rounds in which Rocky beats the champion only to be beaten by the final bell. The whole fabric of the fight is done so well it can actually make you feel ill due to the emotional journey of 'going through it'.

You can't ignore the musical score, like a core of great films the score raises things to that extra level and the Rocky music is no exception. I'm no expert, but was the 70s or the latter half of it some golden period for musical scores? We have 'Rocky' (1976), 'Star Wars' (1977) and 'Superman' (1978) occurring within three years of each other and I'd say all three of those scores penetrated popular culture for a generation or two. The Rocky Fanfare is pure genius and has become associated with a set of hard coded emotional responses.

One of the fascinating things about 'Rocky' is it ages very well. I'd probably go as far as to say it's timeless. Films that are over three decades old tend to eventually show their age unless the purpose is to produce a period piece. 'Rocky' doesn't, its issues are simple and timeless and the fashions, hair cuts and other factors just become part of the fabric. The many elements that tie it to its period are a strength rather than a distraction.

One of the things that occurred to me while writing this is: when did I originally watch 'Rocky'? It was released in 1976, which means I was five years old. I have no recollection of when I first watched the film or how old I was. It's taken on mythical proportions, as even when I watched the film has been lost in the mists of time.

It is an excellent film. A classic.

Rocky II: The Re-Match

I was eight when 'Rocky II' hit the cinema, but I can't imagine the prospect of a sequel to Rocky being viewed positively. After being nominated for so many Oscars in 1977 it would be easy to see the sequel being a failure by any comparison. Still, flush with success, 'Rocky II' hit the cinema screens in 1979.

The structure of 'Rocky II' is one of its major strengths, chronicling a period of at least nine months between the fight with Apollo Creed and the re-match. The method of making the ending of the previous film the start of the next is carried forward all the way through to Rocky V. It's utilised to its best effect in 'Rocky II'.

The primary failing of 'Rocky II' is it's almost impossible to be as good as 'Rocky', but it does a very good job. The theme of the story changes, becoming less about the individual characters trying to better themselves, instead focusing more on Rocky and Apollo and a need to be respected. In Rocky's case it's about earning a living, being a man and not being seen to be a coward. In Apollo's case it's about his status as a fighter, even to the extent of risking everything. This battle for respect brings both men into the ring again and into a fight during which neither of them can afford to lose face. A very good story, born out of the fire of the first film, but it does mean the other character's lives get chronicled, but have less of a narrative journey.

One thing I've taken away from 'Rocky II' this time around is how much it owes to Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, who manages to play the antagonist without ever fully becoming the villain. It's pitched perfect positioning him as just another proud fighter trying to maintain the respect others have for him and within himself. He does this through both the brash performances, and the more importantly, the smaller moments. The brief conversation in hospital when he admits he gave Rocky his best. The haunted look in the mirror before the re-match, harking back to Rocky's haunted night before the first fight, signifying that, in some small way, he and Rocky have swapped places. Considering the nature of Carl Weather's career post Rocky, this was an intriguing revelation.

Does the film have weaknesses? Yes. It introduces the narrative tool of Rocky needing to 'get over an issue' in order to successfully complete his training montage. It introduces the training gimmick to signify he is ready for the fight (catching a chicken in this case). While not distracting in any way in this film, I believe they become signature staples of a formulaic structure in proceeding films. The film also takes a small step into acknowledging its sentimentality and working it rather than just telling the story, the most significant scene in this regard being Rocky's run through town with 10% of Philadelphia and up the iconic steps. It's a far cry from giving Communism a kicking in the boxing ring in Rocky IV, but it's a small step.

The ultimate strength of 'Rocky II' is the two films appear to have been filmed back to back, and it was always intended to chronicle the story of Rocky Balboa becoming World Heavyweight Champion in this exact way. Rather than seeing 'Rocky' as a singular film, it's perfectly acceptable to see the two of them as a complimentary pair that, if no other films had been produced, would mark a great film and one of the best sequels in cinema history.

Rocky III: The Eye of The Tiger

The 'Rocky' films move into the Eighties, signified by the vests and shorts being much smaller on those rippled torsos and thighs. It's 1982 to be exact. It's interesting to note that the first four films follow a typical franchise production schedule: circa 3 years between each film. Three years can be a long time when it involves a transition in decades and the 'Rocky' films chronicle that change in all its 'glory'. The Eighties. The 'golden' age of the action star. This was the decade that cemented Stallone's action star status, rather than his writing talent and saw the rise of the men with muscles such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Segal and Chuck Norris (hit his stride in the 80s). Who would have thought a man nominated for Best Actor and Best Screenplay for a film that won Best Picture would find himself in that pool of talent?

'Rocky III' asks the question: what happens when the fighter becomes civilized and has too much to lose? Rocky has turned into Apollo Creed, and now the hungry fighter with everything to gain, Clubber Lang, confronts him with who he used to be. The central premise of the film is powerful, nicely circular in terms of the Rocky and Apollo dynamic, and strong enough to forge a film that could have been just as good as 'Rocky II' if it had been better implemented.

Regrettably, the implementation has a lot to be desired.

We know Rocky has become more civilized because he's now articulate. The adverts he couldn't do in 'Rocky II', he now does with aplomb. He tells jokes. He lives in a massive house that has grounds so big he drives around them in an electric car designed like something from the 20s. He even gives a speech when his horrendous statue is revealed at the top of the iconic steps he likes running up so much. He's even learned how to dress, as now he's a snappy 80s dresser in sharp suits, rather than tiger print jackets. He entertains his kid who looks like Damien Thorn. Rocky is almost a different character, but three years of living the rich life have passed, and a lot can happen in three years. It's also true to say, he becomes a bit of an idiot, not in a dislikeable way, but you can't help but think he's lost it a bit when he trains for the Clubber Lang fight within his own home-made convention hall complete with merchandise. Essentially, like the films themselves, he's become a product.

The musical score relies on a lot of the iconic Bill Conti riffs, but adds something new to the mix, a soundtrack, and the Survivor track 'The Eye of the Tiger'. It was a very popular song, and even to this day gets played in gyms in the Western world. It plays across the opening montage as the credits roll, establishing Rocky's title defences and the rise of Clubber Lang. It's a catchy song, the lyrics do summarise the film well, but it is a step in the wrong direction, despite being a lucrative one.

Finally, but by no means least, we get Mr T, introduced to the cinema-going world in this film. He's not a character, more a force of nature and a series of violent, spat out insults. He does speak in sentences and paragraphs though, which is an improvement on Ivan Drago in 'Rocky IV'. He even gets to use the line 'I pity the fool!' which must be its first utterance. Still, if 'Rocky III' hadn't given us Mr T we might never have got the A-Team. Is that a good thing?

It's a weak film, taking one massive step into entertaining, but schlock franchise territory; it even acknowledges this itself with Rocky's ridiculous merchandising training hall. It is a short film, structured badly, with irrelevant fillers like the charity fight with Hulk Hogan. It even becomes self-referential, with bands in the film playing the iconic 'Rocky' music. It also follows a very staid 'fall of the hero' format, complete with the training issue that needs resolving (fear of losing) and the training test (beating Apollo in a race) to signify he's ready. Entertaining, but straight to video fare compared to the original two.

Rocky IV: Freedom Up Against The Ropes

'Rocky III' was a weak film, but it's a work of art compared to 'Rocky IV'. In fact, the best bit of 'Rocky IV' is the opening montage of the end of 'Rocky III', with 'Eye of the Tiger' playing over the top. What has been an interesting observation is, just like 'Rocky' and 'Rocky II' are a pair, the same can be said of 'Rocky III' and 'Rocky IV', the only difference is it goes from bad to worse rather than excellent to good.

It's very hard to come up with any redeeming features for 'Rocky IV'. It's even ceased to be a film about boxers and takes on more of the mantle of comic book characters battling it out with a ham-fisted attempt at political commentary. This is a serious change, and is a step taken only with 'Rocky IV'. There is some attempt at a theme, regarding what warriors do when the war is over, and linking this to the conflict between the East and the West, but it's pretty thin or incredibly hokey. In truth, the film doesn't have that many dramatic scenes, by the time you account for the two boxing matches, the training montages and the various extended pieces of music played over characters not doing much, things are pretty anaemic. At one point, we have the whole of 'No Easy Way Out' playing over flashbacks to previous 'Rocky' films as Rocky drives around during the night pulling 'thoughtful faces'. It's essentially a music video.

The characters don't really go anywhere. Events happen and they respond, but it doesn't cause any growth or significant change. It's a strange state of affairs when the most interesting character on screen, and the one with the most to say and the most distance travelled is Apollo Creed and he dies halfway through the film. There is also the slightly odd robot that is inexplicable introduced for the first half of the film, at times it's more interesting than the cast. The characters survive of their likeability and the nostalgia associated with them, essentially past glories, than anything that happens in this film.

We also get Dolph Lundgren, who doesn't get to say much in the film, and when he does it's a single sentence statement consisting of no more than five words. The Clubber Lang character is a work of genius compared to Ivan Drago. It seems to be a competition between 'Rocky IV' and 'A View to a Kill' as to which launched Lundgren's career, but suffice to say he's been consistently working ever since, in what must amount to mediocre to bad straight to rental affairs. Not seen many Lundgren films, apart from his 'ear collecting' performance in 'Universal Soldier' and him strutting his stuff as He-Man in 'Masters of the Universe'.

The music also takes a downturn. The familiar Bill Conti music is used, but not as much, instead we get a series of tracks which pale in comparison to 'Eye of the Tiger' at best, or really bad Eighties electronic music beeping out at semi-random intervals at worst. It's supposed to be moody, oppressive and sinister, but just sounds stupid.

All this and they can't even get the boxing matches right. While the Apollo Creed one is entertaining, but short, the Rocky and Drago fight is just terrible. Half the time it's clear they are not hitting each other and the 'over the top nature' of the conflict is just too much. In itself it's average, but compared to the strong fight choreography in the first two films it is really lacking.

It's just a bad film. In fact, it borders on not being much of a film at all and instead being some sort of extended music video. It takes the franchise to comic book proportions. If the series was to escalate from this point, Rocky would have to fight some sort of genetic experiment, or Godzilla. In this film he runs up a ridiculously high mountain to jump up and down in victory at the summit. A bit like the Philadelphia steps, but with a thin atmosphere and a view to the horizon. It's a strange film. It takes all sorts though, I'm sure there are people out there who think it's the best one.

Can the series sink any lower?

Rocky V: Bringing It All Back

We enter another decade and we know this because the ridiculous Eighties gym fashions have vanished and the film gets an injection of rap music on its soundtrack. Strangely, even though the film opens with the fight between Rocky and Drago, when Rocky returns to the US, his kid seems to be at least five years older. One of the trials of serialised fiction, of any kind, is the kids tend to sprout based a different measurement of time than the adults. Still, it's not the only thing that's changed, someone should tell the Balboa's they've returned to the wrong house, as the white mansion has gone and in its place is a darker building. The white mansion was obviously a bit too Eighties for the new audience. The robot also seems to have gone missing, probably roaming around the white mansion, waiting for the owners to return.

Recognising that things escalated to ridiculous degrees during the Eighties, the theme for the Nineties is to scale everything back. 'Rocky V' takes this literally. Rocky loses his money and ends up back in his neighbourhood in Philadelphia. We get to thank the dimwit Paulie for that one. This change in circumstances seems to mean Rocky has to wear the same outfit he previously wore as well. Rocky is also like Samson, in that his intelligence and articulate nature garnered throughout the last decade was obviously linked to his financial wealth, as now his Eighties largess has vanished, he returns to the speech patterns and slightly slow methods of the first two films. This does make some aspects of the film harder to swallow, such as Rocky needing to fight to earn money, when in truth the Rocky of III and IV would have been capable of earning money in numerous ways.

While this is all a bit strange, it can be accepted as it makes for a much better film.

'Rocky V' is essentially a film about Rocky's relationship with his son as they plummet back to 'poverty' and have to deal with their new reality, financial issues and the psychological impact. His son finds himself in a much more brutal world than the rich life he was used to and Rocky sets off on a campaign to manage Tommy Gunn as a way to re-live his glory days and pull his family back out of the mire. In the process he neglects his son, who wants nothing more than the relationship he is forming with Tommy. It's good stuff and very well implemented. Even the central montage scene of the film, featuring Tommy Gunn training and his rise up the boxing hierarchy, is focused on this conflict as Rocky's son gets what he needs off people who surround Rocky rather than Rocky himself. Everyone can see it, along with Tommy's ultimate betrayal, but Rocky. The structure of the story is also quite complex, dealing with betrayals of loyalty, the pursuit of money and the central play of the villain of the piece in his attempts to manipulate Tommy Gunn to get Rocky into the ring is well executed as it's not overly explained to the audience. It's good writing.

The decision to make the fight between Rocky and Tommy a street fight rather than a boxing match is a good one. The danger of the hoops that have to be jumped through to make a Rocky boxing match believable are avoided and it did make the ending different. It's well choreographed, brutal and a lot better than the cartoon travesty that was the 'Rocky IV' fight. True, it implements a Rocky rises from being beaten moment complete with the Rocky fanfare, something a lot of people think exists in all the films, but it works quite well considering the dynamics set-up in Tommy Gunn's training.

'Rocky V' is a surprisingly good film. It's well acted, well written and very well structured. The betrayal and manipulation of Tommy Gunn being very well done. The script doesn't feel the need to explain, or labour a point, things just happen and they speak for themselves. When compared to Rocky III and IV the film is a work of total genius. Is it as good as 'Rocky II'? Probably not, but it's a lot closer. It's a good film, bucking the accepted wisdom that sequels naturally get worse as franchises age.

Rocky Balboa: Escaping The Past

'Rocky Balboa' hit the cinema screens sixteen years after 'Rocky V' and pretty much 30 years to the day after the original 'Rocky'. At this point, Sylvester Stallone was 60. Taking these factors into account, the chances of writing a decent film would seem pretty slim. There was no way of hiding that Rocky was an old man, due to Stallone's obvious age and the fact the film had moved well into another decade. It is a testament to Stallone's writing that he managed to do it, linking the nostalgia of the anniversary with the story of an old man living more and more within the legacy of his past.

'Rocky Balboa' mines the legacy of the films for sentimentality value. Adrian has died of cancer and we learn early on that Rocky visits the locations that played a pivotal role in their relationship every year. We see the home he lived in during Rocky and the steps he carried her up on being married, the knocked down ice rink he took her ice skating on, etc. This is powerful stuff in itself, but if that was all there was to the film it would have failed. Thankfully, Stallone uses this to weave in a story about a man living within his own legacy, moving more into the past, along with his own son's difficulties in dealing with the long shadow his father's legacy casts. These elements are weaved together beautifully, as is the fact that Philadelphia removed the Rocky statue (which is true) and the fact Rocky forms a friendship with Marie and looks after Spider, two minor characters from the original film. It's also not all negative, in that Rocky runs a successful restaurant, so he does have a purpose in life (though even elements of the restaurant's success is based on him re-living old 'war stories').

Rocky wants to fight again to prove that his life isn't all in the past, and this leads to an exhibition fight with the current World Champion due to a computer simulation of them fighting each other in their mutual primes showing that Rocky would have won. It works well. The fight isn't over played, and both participants have something to gain. It's deftly done, and at no point is Rocky's age forgotten, beyond the inevitable conceit that he should be in the ring at all.

It's not perfect. The issue of Rocky having some sort of 'inner beast' that needs feeding is touched upon in a couple of scenes, as if it was an idea they were running with and then dropped. If this is true, it was a good idea to drop it, the narrative reason for Rocky wanting to fight again and events taking over works well enough without it. Rocky's relationship with his son is repaired by Rocky just telling him to sort himself out and climb out of his father's shadow himself. While good advice, and probably correct, it tends to create the feeling of being a bit simplistic after a number of scenes of the son having issues with it. It's probably safe to say the film doesn't have a lot of character movement for Rocky either, beyond fighting to get a license to fight and doing the exhibition, but it still works. It's more about a character in a specific place, needing to feel current and alive again, than needing to grow exponentially.

The fight at the end of the film is well pitched and choreographed, it's also very different to all the other 'Rocky' fights in that it fully embraces modern boxing sensibilities. It's filmed less like you're watching a film and more like you're watching a fight on TV. They use real people from the boxing world, such as Rocky's opponent, the announcer before the fight as well as the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas. We get all the HBO-style statistics of the boxers coming up before the fight and during rounds. We even get Mike Tyson mocking the World Champion before the fight from ring side. It feels very contemporary (within the constraints of it being released in 2006). There is very little sensationalism, and both boxers are allowed to get what they narratively need from the bout.

In short, the 'Rocky Balboa' film, just like the character himself, manages to triumph despite the odds. What we get is a very good portrait of an old man living in the past due to age, circumstance and the sheer weight of his legacy, wanting just one last feeling of being current and relevant. Nothing big, just one last chance to not feel everything isn't over, to use what he has left in the gut. In a way it touches on how we see the older generation, not as people with histories, but people who are more about what's been done than what may still be done. Yes, it uses the franchise's rich history, which may be a problem for a generation that didn't grow up with the films, but this is a strength rather than a crutch considering how well the writing weaves it in. The film is certainly better than 'Rocky III' and IV. Is it better than 'Rocky V'? That's hard to say, and it may well come down to personal choice.

The Conclusion

It's sad that a classic film such as 'Rocky' became a franchise and a brand. When 'Rocky' was released there wasn't really an awareness of such things. 'Rocky' may be unique as I'm not sure any other film, so critically well received and awarded, has gone onto to produce so many sequels. The films follow a bell curve, starting high with 'Rocky', dipping slightly 'for Rocky II', which pales slightly only when compared to the original, before plunging to the bottom of the curve with 'Rocky IV' by way of 'Rocyk III'. Essentially, the 'Rocky' movies succumbed to the 'Eighties action film phenomena'. The films rise again in quality with 'Rocky V' and VI, which is quite an achievement, though they never reach the heights of 'Rocky II'. This may also be something unique, what other six film long franchise has managed to increase the quality at the tail end of the run?

The films also chronicle Stallone's career. The meteoric rise in the Seventies complete with a raft of Oscar nominations for 'Rocky' and then the brilliant sequel. This is followed by the Eighties doing his career in as he sinks to the depths of an Eighties action star, very much signified by 'Rocky III' and 'Rocky IV'. Then in the Nineties (and obviously into the new millennium) as his career is waning, he comes back and writes two decent films that focus on a character dealing with fading glory.

When it's all over, and all six DVDs have been watched, I find I've seen two cinema classics and a further four films, that if nothing else, thoroughly entertained me, even if two of them did it in a very throw away, Eighties fashion.

In closing, I'd say everyone should have Rocky and Rocky II in their DVD collection. If you see them all for 10 GBP, pick them up, as even at their lowest ebb they never fail to entertain.

Ian O'Rourke, as well as being the man behind Fandomlife.net, is also a fan of anything that engages his imagination, be it a book, comic, TV show, theme park, an IT Project or business change.