ROCKY

Written and starring Sylvester Stallone. Also starring Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers and Burgess Meredith. Directed by John G. Avildsen. Music by Bill Conti. Running time: 119 minutes. Budget $960,000. Box office $225 million.

I have not seen this film since the early 1980s, when I saw it on a date, as a double-bill with Rocky II.

The story is simple, boxing lug Rocky, makes $70 a fight, while collecting money for the local loan shark when the Heavy Weight Champion of the World, Apollo Creed plucks him from obscurity and offers him a shot at the title in the fight of his life.

Watching it now you can see why it put Stallone on the map, it's a wonderful movie, so raw, tender, emotional, brutal and grotty. At its heart it's a love story about two lost souls finding each other and salvation. I know that over the years Sly has become something of a joke, but you have to admire his passion and commitment to this project. He was an unknown actor, who after watching the Ali Vs. Chuck Wepner fight, wrote the script for himself in the space of three days then touted it round Hollywood before it fell into the hands of producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff. Initially offered $70,000 for the script, Sly refused, demanding he star in it, despite the offer increasing to $300,000. Finally he won the role.

The film was shot, guerilla style over 28 days on a budget of just $950,000 and would go on to win Best Picture Oscar and gross, on its release, thus becoming the highest grossing film of 1976 over $225,000,000. It's worth remembering that Rocky not only beat All The President's Men, Network and Taxi Driver for the Oscar, but also the clear favourite, King Kong.

I forgot how funny Rocky was or how witty Stallone can be. I forgot how wonderful and natural the relationship between Rocky and Adrian (Talia Shire) seemed, or how good the relationship between Rocky and Adrian's brother, Paulie was, Burt Young is terrific as the dim-witted lug who dreams of giving up his job in the meat packing company to break legs for a local, second-rate loan shark. 

This film doesn't have a single bum note, the training sequence is wonderful, the music by Bill Conti is glorious and the direction by John Avildsen, who utlised a steadicam for most of the film is inspiring.

I bloody loved it. 10/10