Rocky’s return: Fightin’ chance to get our story right
A 60-year-old Rocky Balboa? Boxing an elite champion? When I first heard this scenario a year ago, I was intrigued (but a little worried). Now that Sly Stallone’s latest sequel is almost out — scheduled for release Dec. 22 — my fears are being allayed by early reviews. Here’s the nut graf in one preview: “In ‘Rocky Balboa’ . . . Stallone seeks to undercut the absurdity of pitting an ancient boxer against a young champion by casting the showcase bout as an exhibition fight, and by approaching the script with self-awareness and humor.”
The preview continues:
They’re playing around with the fact that he’s an old guy coming back, joking about it, and that works well,” said Peter Sealey, a former film executive who’s a professor of marketing at University of California, Berkeley. “I think this one has a shot.”
Stallone also has tried to widen Rocky’s audience by going virtual. Rocky is drawn back to the ring after a national sports show features a digital boxing match between Rocky Balboa and the current champ, Mason (the Line) Dixon.
But the story’s drive comes from its obvious attempt to grapple with irrelevance.
“This movie is about a man who doesn’t feel he’s all washed up because he’s 60 years old,” Winkler said. “And about a man who doesn’t feel he should be ignored or will be ignored because he’s getting on in his life.”
Me again:
Just as “Titanic” was a movie about masters track (trust me, it was), so is the upcoming “Rocky Balboa,” where the trailer sends chills up my spine (and laughs into my belly).
The narrator says: “The greatest underdog story of our time is back for one final round.”
A lady character tells Rocky: “It doesn’t matter how this looks to other people. Fighters fight.”
The trailer shows Rocky pounding meat in a cold locker. (Oops. Nevermind that phrasing.)
It also depicts a private chat in the ring between Rocky and the young champ.
Mason Dixon to Rocky: “It’s over.”
Rocky: “It’s not over till it’s over.”
Dixon: “What’s that from — the ’80s?”
Rocky: “It’s probably the ’70s.”
What a hoot. Go get ’em, Rocky!
7 Responses
Ken–Thanks for the links. I’ve been looking forward to this one too! And hell yeah, any film about a 60-year-old grappling with (perceived) irrelevence should have a receptive audience among masters athletes.
Last year I was throwing the discus in a college meet and threw poorly. At the completion of the competition, I took another 20 throws to try to iron out kinks in my technique.
One of the college kids said, “Coach, the meets over.”
I got to use the famous line from Animal House:
“Nothing is over until I say it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
And it ain’t over now. ‘Cause when the goin’ gets tough…
the tough get goin’!”
Go, Rocky!
To Tom Fahey:
The Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
Is it political correctness or from Borat?
In John Belushi’s world, yes… the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.
Thanks to G.Grender and sorry to Tom Fahey.
I am always kindly surprised by this Albanian (from Albany?;-).
Even though Stallone is actually 60, he should have made the character 50 to make the story less far-fetched, since he still looks fit enough to be 50 and there actually have been fighters close to 50 who have fought at the highest level in boxing.
The Rocky Balboa Movie ?…A true inspiration for all Masters Track and Field athletes….especially for throwers !!
This movie will help to keep the motivation up through the long winter in the Northern part of the country. The under dog role and the guy that just won’t quit fits a number of throwers who work hard but might not always break into the top of the rankings. It provides inspiration and hope in a unique sort of way.
Can’t wait intil it’s release and can’t wait until the DVD’s are available for sale.
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