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In Rocky Balboa the decimated dog Punchy is used as a tool to represent the state of Rocky’s enthusiasm for life, while in reality it’s a metaphor for the acting career of 60-year-old Sylvester Stallone, which, coincidentally, is in a similar state to the sport of boxing. [details]
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Great Article.
There is no doubt these rocky movies have captured the hearts of many.. -
I'd say the Rocky series helped popularize boxing, without a doubt. It makes no difference that the fight scenes were less than realistic, it makes no difference if #'s 3, 4, & 5 were less than cinemagraphic art, even. What matters is those movies got a generation of non-boxing fans pumped about the sport. It made them take interest in what was "really" going on in the world of fisticuffs. I dare say Sylvester Stallone and Muhammad Ali were the one-two punch of the 1970's that knocked out critics of the sweet science and started a love affair between a whole generation and the prize ring.
Now, all of that being said, Rocky Balboa, is not one of those films. It is the conclusion of the story of the character so many of us fell in love with, it is his "Last Hurrah". Balboa was not for the younger generation because Stallone is not of the younger generation any more. Balboa was for those of us who were there when the rocket-ship to boxing never-never land launched so many years ago. Balboa is our return home from the stratosphere after long years in space. It was a return from the fantasical to the real and made us glad we took the trip.
On a minor note, I hate to nitpick; but John Tate was not the WBA champ in 1982. He's been starched two years prior by Mike Weaver.
Great read.Comment
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Im in total agreementI'd say the Rocky series helped popularize boxing, without a doubt. It makes no difference that the fight scenes were less than realistic, it makes no difference if #'s 3, 4, & 5 were less than cinemagraphic art, even. What matters is those movies got a generation of non-boxing fans pumped about the sport. It made them take interest in what was "really" going on in the world of fisticuffs. I dare say Sylvester Stallone and Muhammad Ali were the one-two punch of the 1970's that knocked out critics of the sweet science and started a love affair between a whole generation and the prize ring.
Now, all of that being said, Rocky Balboa, is not one of those films. It is the conclusion of the story of the character so many of us fell in love with, it is his "Last Hurrah". Balboa was not for the younger generation because Stallone is not of the younger generation any more. Balboa was for those of us who were there when the rocket-ship to boxing never-never land launched so many years ago. Balboa is our return home from the stratosphere after long years in space. It was a return from the fantasical to the real and made us glad we took the trip.
On a minor note, I hate to nitpick; but John Tate was not the WBA champ in 1982. He's been starched two years prior by Mike Weaver.
Great read.Comment
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yes, well said!Comment
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great article.
Gotta love RockyComment
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it's just different times now, but on the other hand... think of the excitement if tyson could come back and make one last run at one of the alphabet titlesI'd say the Rocky series helped popularize boxing, without a doubt. It makes no difference that the fight scenes were less than realistic, it makes no difference if #'s 3, 4, & 5 were less than cinemagraphic art, even. What matters is those movies got a generation of non-boxing fans pumped about the sport. It made them take interest in what was "really" going on in the world of fisticuffs. I dare say Sylvester Stallone and Muhammad Ali were the one-two punch of the 1970's that knocked out critics of the sweet science and started a love affair between a whole generation and the prize ring.
Now, all of that being said, Rocky Balboa, is not one of those films. It is the conclusion of the story of the character so many of us fell in love with, it is his "Last Hurrah". Balboa was not for the younger generation because Stallone is not of the younger generation any more. Balboa was for those of us who were there when the rocket-ship to boxing never-never land launched so many years ago. Balboa is our return home from the stratosphere after long years in space. It was a return from the fantasical to the real and made us glad we took the trip.
On a minor note, I hate to nitpick; but John Tate was not the WBA champ in 1982. He's been starched two years prior by Mike Weaver.
Great read.Comment
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