Cheap Rocky (DVD) (Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire) (John G. Avildsen) Price

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Customer Reviews of Rocky

Before Sly was stupid
They just don't make 'em like they used to. Sylvester Stallone had to learn that the hard way, after making countless, subpar action movies for twenty years. He went down a spiriling escalator to become a watered-down, Hollywood celebrity. However, that's not what people were saying back in 1976, and rightfully so. "Rocky" is Sly's crowning achievement, and ranks as one of, if not the best, sports movie ever made, and one of the greatest motion pictures of the last three decades. The story is nothing short of compelling. Based loosely on the fifteen-round fight between Chuck Wepner and Muhammad Ali (as the DVD will tell you if you don't know), "Rocky" weaves a perfect storyweb centering around the title character Rocky Balboa (Stallone). One of the most beloved characters in movie history, Rocky is a tough but good-natured man from the mean streets of Philadelphia; a loan shark goon by day, and boxer by night, under the moniker of The Italian Stallion. Despite working two jobs, he's on the brink of bumhood, and has no luck impressing his belligerent boxing trainer Mickey (played magnificently by Burgess Meredith) nor impressing the local pet shop girl Adrian (Talia Shire). However, when World Heavyweight Champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) gives him a shot at the title for the Bicentennial Match to be held in Philadelphia, it gives Rocky a glimmer of hope, to rise above the odds and go the distance.

The story alone is incredibly gripping, but so is the acting. Stallone is in top form as The Italian Stallion. Immensely likable, melancholy, and incredibly human, the Rocky of this movie sadly disappears as the sequels go on. Burt Young also does a great job as disgruntled butcher Paulie, who is jealous of Rocky's offer at redemption. And who can forget the training montage? No one. "Gonna Fly Now" is a classic, through and through.

Overall, owe it to yourself to at least RENT "Rocky". If you haven't seen any of them, start with this one, because its sequels cannot hold a candle to it. It's a gritty, rousing, realistic, touching collage of romance, comedy, drama, allegory, action, and sports. Watch it ASAP.

MOVIE-10/10
DVD EXTRAS-5/10

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Cinematic art...
The 1st part in the beatiful Rocky series is perhaps the best. Starring Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa and Talia Shire(The Godfather parts I-III) as his girlfriend Adrian. The movie was loved by everybody. It recieved three Academy awards for best picture best director John G Avildsen and best editing. It spawned four blockbuster sequals from 1979 until 1990. Stallone,Shire and Burt Young starred in all five movies. Carl Weathers who played Apollo Creed in 4 of them. Burgess Meredith's carachter Mickey died in Rocky III but came back in Balboa's mind in the fifth movie. The movie's about a underdog fighter from Philadelphia who all of a sudden gets a shot at the heavyweight title with Apollo Creed after the real challenger suffered from an broken hand. Rocky trains really hard for 5 weeks and goes the distance with Creed, thats something that no one has ever done before. I am a true fanatic of the Rockymovies and I love all of them for it's feeling. The acting in this movie is superb. Stallone,Shire,Young and Meredith all got a Academy award nomination each. It's too bad they didn't win!
I have also written a review for Rocky IV.

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"Cut me, Mick. . ."
All of us love to pull for the underdog, especially if the dog's odds are seemingly insurmountable. Of all the thrilling, inspiring, "feel good" underdog movies out there, ROCKY rates as one of the best. The movie that put Sylvester Stallone on the celebrity map (unfortunately), ROCKY still entertains some three decades after its initial, Academy Award-winning run.

We all know the story: Rocky Balboa, an undisciplined club brawler and strong-arm collection man from the slums of Philadelphia, gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot at boxing's heavyweight title. Yet the upcoming fight is merely the trimming surrounding the story; ROCKY is about a humble man with a heart of gold--a man who confronts his shortcomings and insecurities to evolve into a remarkable human being. To assist him on his journey, Rocky develops a timid relationship with an equally insecure girl, a pet shop worker named Adrian (played wonderfully by Talia Shire). To see the two of them together on their first date is one of the film's most entertaining, bittersweet moments; Rocky's small talk is hilarious yet mundane--Adrian looks terrified, yet finally begins to relax, to come out of her shell. Once two lost souls, Rocky and Adrian become indispensable to one another; their growing love transcends the pending fight--the exciting showdown.

The fight itself is cinematic brilliance: a thrilling, totally believable match that will have the viewer cheering from his chair. Carl Weathers looks, moves, talks, and fights like an egotistical heavyweight champ, while Burgess Meredith captures one of film's most memorable roles as Mickey, Rocky's gnarled, battle-tested trainer. Few movies universally touch a collective nerve that has the viewer spontaneously smiling while wiping a tear from the eye. ROCKY is one of them.
--D. Mikels