Rocky (1976)

Director:

John G. Avildsen

Writer:

Sylvester Stallone (written by)

Release Date:

3 December 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.)
Bill Conti	....	conductor (uncredited)
Bill Conti	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Ami Hadani	....	music engineer (uncredited)

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)

Also Known As:

Rocky (Argentina) (Peru) (Spain) [es]
Rocky (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Rocky (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Rocky (Poland) [pl]
Rocky (Finland) [fi]
Rocky (Denmark) [da]
Rocky (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Rocky, ta hrysa gantia (Greece) [el]
Rocky, um Lutador (Brazil) [pt]

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Alberta) (re-rating) (1999) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | 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:

In his portrayal of the character of Paulie, Burt Young decided to make him mildly arthritic, so prior to each take, he would put turpentine on his hands.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: About a half hour into the film, Rocky is looking at pictures and clippings on the wall, and there is the sound of a steam locomotive coming up to speed, along with the sound of its steam whistle. Diesels had long since supplanted steam in Philadelphia and most of the country in 1956.

Quotes:

Marie: Hey Rocky! Screw you, creepo!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Rocky IV (1985)

Soundtrack:

Gonna Fly

His whole life was a million-to-one shot...

When I was a kid there were only three major things in my life: food, wrestling and `Rocky'. My brother and I followed the numerous Rocky Balboa struggles religiously, and even today, there is no exception. Although the latest efforts of Stallone have been pitiful, the movie that made his career is the 1977 Academy Award Winner for Best Picture, `Rocky'. On top of that, `Rocky' also earned two more Academy Awards for Best Film-Editing and Best Director (John G. Avildsen).

This movie is unlike any other ever put on film. It's films like this that remind us of the beauty that is going to the cinema, and if only I was around during that year when such films as `Close Encounters of the Third Kind', `Jaws', `Saturday Night Fever' and `Network' were all playing in cinemas. The storyline takes place in Philadelphia, where Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) struggles to make a living as both a small-time boxer, and the brawn of a loan shark. Until one day, a sudden opportunity is handed to Rocky to compete for the World Heavy-Weight Title against the champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), a charismatic and flamboyant fighter labelled as `The King of Sting' and `The Master Of Disaster'. Attracted to Rocky's reputation as "The Italian Stallion", a match between Creed and the unknown boxer is set, which is subsequently advertised as a fight where a "nobody" can become a "somebody". Mickey (Burgess Meredith), is the owner of the gym where Rocky trains and later becomes Rocky's manager. Mickey is passionate about the world of boxing, and believes that Rocky has the potential to go the distance, instead of being `a cheap second rate loan-shark'. However, the central character in Rocky's life is Adrian (Talia Shire), a shy pet-store clerk, who acts awkwardly when Rocky even breathes in her direction. However, these almost completely distant outcasts are strangely drawn to each other. While one `didn't have much of a brain', the other `didn't have much of a body', so they worked on their opposites, only to end up together. The legend of this film when it was first released in the mid-70's was: `His whole life was a-million-to-one shot', but what Stallone did was prove to the world that `Rocky' is one-in-a-million.

Seeing `Rocky' is both a cinematic experience and a religious experience. When first released, the film appealed to the widest audience, and all felt the emotion and intense passion which passed from the film, to them. The film's possession of realistic acting, superb dialogue and the most phenomenal music score by Bill Conti to date, indeed transformed the face of cinema. Stallone's wholesome performance of his own screenplay is electrifying as the film celebrates of the underdog battling to beat the odds. Fans of cinema aren't manipulated into thinking that the inevitable will happen as it does in every other tedious hero drama.

Over 25 years on, `Rocky' still manages to let the audience's emotions explode; Rocky's blossoming relationship with Adrian, the seedy worlds of Mickey and Adrian's alcoholic brother, Paulie (Burt Young), and the affirmation of Rocky's inability to overcome Creed. And who could forget the excruciatingly compelling Balboa / Creed confrontation? Rocky's determination overturns the boxing fraternity, and supplies cinemaphiles with one of the greatest moments in cinematic history, as a body of spectators both on-screen and off applaud and chant for Rocky in unison. The following four Rocky sequels attempted to deliver the same magic as the original, however failed to convey it's message. `Rocky' illustrates how life itself is stifling and perplexing, but sometimes when you lose your way as well as your original intentions, you may just find something better.

Simply put, if anyone has a free Friday / Saturday night, this is the film to go out and borrow from the local video store. It's unbelievable that this film was only voted in at #78 on the AFI Top 100 films of all time, and worse yet, was voted in at the SECOND best sports film of all time (the first went to `Hoosiers', starring Gene Hackman). C'mon people, be you black or white or brown or any other skin colour we have yet to discover, get out there and be inspired by Stallone's masterpiece, `Rocky'.