Rocky

I saw Rocky at the drive-in with my parents when it was first released.  I was very young so they didn't think I would be able to stay awake for the whole movie but I was so invested in the story and determined to see who won the fight that I made it to the end!  Since I have very vivid memories of seeing this movie for the first time, I was thrilled when I learned that it was coming back to theaters for its 50th anniversary (what?).  I saw it yesterday with a rowdy crowd and I loved it!  I think it sets the standard for underdog sports movies (one of my favorite genres).  Robert "Rocky" Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a small-time club fighter from a working-class neighborhood in Philadelphia who also works as the muscle for a loan shark (my dad had to explain this to me the first time I saw it).  When the heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) suddenly needs an opponent for a title match, he decides to offer the opportunity to a local unknown fighter and he selects Rocky.  Apollo views the match as a publicity stunt but Rocky begins training seriously for what he views as a chance to prove that he is more than just a bum to his girlfriend Adrian (Talia Shire).  He loses the fight in a split-decision but wins a moral victory by becoming the first fighter to go all fifteen rounds with the champion.  I love that this is primarily a character study (the fight is only a small part of the runtime) in which tenacity, heart, and perseverance triumph over insurmountable odds and I love the vulnerable and authentic performance from Stallone.  There are so many iconic scenes, such as when Rocky goes ice skating with Adrian, when he drinks the raw eggs, when he visits the Spectrum the night before the fight, when he trains by punching slabs of frozen beef at the meat packing plant, when he gets back on his feet after being knocked out by Apollo in the fourteenth round, and, of course, the training montage which culminates in Rocky running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (this elicited loud cheers from the audience and I got goosebumps as soon as I heard the opening fanfare of "Gonna Fly Now").  My favorite scene when I watched it the first time was when an a capella group on a street corner sings "Take You Back" (for some reason this made a big impression on me) and my favorite scene yesterday was when Rocky's trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) tells him to stay down after being knocked out (the crowd laughed out loud).  Seeing this on the big screen again was incredibly nostalgic and so much fun!  Now I am even more excited to see I Play Rocky later this month!