Do yourself a favour and look up the full history of this movie and Sylvester Stallone. The basics are as follows: He was a complete unknown before this. He always wanted to be an actor, but was born with partial facial paralysis and slurred speech. However, he had a dream and refused to quit. He wrote this script and everyone loved it, they were offering him huge amounts of money, hundreds of thousands, but all the big money came with the agreement he would NOT be starring in the movie. Stallone insisted he star in it, turning down huge money offers, even though he was sleeping in bus depots and basically homeless at the time. Eventually a studio realized he wouldn't be swayed and allowed him to play Rocky, but only gave him $30k for the script, and a minimal budget to make it, basically forgetting about it. Rocky made over 200 million at the box office, was the highest grossing film of the year, and won a god damn Oscar. Sly Stallone became a household name. Fucking Legend.
@@miloandot yea he sold his dog and when he made his money. the guy who he sold his dog to made him pay like $10k to get him back. and ofc he paid cos he loved him and ofc you would to get your dog back :)
@@miloandot he don't sell for money for the movie, just $40, was because he don't had money to feed the dog. He use the advance money from the movie to bought the dog, it cost $15,000 because he loves the dog and is the dog of the movie.
Fun fact: the studio didn’t have enough money to shut down the streets during the main running scene, and so that man who threw that orange to rocky was not an extra. He was a random worker who saw a another random man running and decided to give him a snack
It was shot with such a small budget, they had to be careful while filming that they didn't get shut down, as they didn't actually have permits for a lot of the film as they kept costs and shooting schedules down by avoiding the unions and working with a skeleton crew.
@@nateman10 The oldest known turtle/tortoise is named Jonathan. He is 183 years old now. Turtles are a pet you pass through generations of your family, as are parrots. Though parrots don't have quite the lifespan of 🐢.
He also had to sell his dog to fund the film. After it was made, he went back to try and get his dog back. The guy would only let the dog go for like $3,000.
I love how you don't just praise the acting in movies. Unlike a lot of other reactors, you praise everything from the writing to the camera work as well as the performances. Keep up the good work
@@BrandonLikesMovies The loan shark Rocky is working for is Joe Spinell, a friend of Stallone. He's also in these Stallone movies, Paradise Alley & Nighthawks besides Rocky 1 & 2, also in The Godfather 1 & 2. He died in 1989, quite sad what happened to him. He had hemophilia (no blood clotting) & after being out for a few drinks he went home a bit drunk & decided to take a shower. He slipped in the shower & cut the back of his head breaking the glass shower door. He decided in his drunken state not call anyone or go to the hospital & fell asleep on a couch & bled to death in his sleep.
Exactly! Well, said. I'm so extremely thankful for Brandon's reactions and genuine commentaries concerning all aspects of the films and shows which he watches.
Saw this originally when it came out in the theaters. By the end fight scene the audience was so invested in the character of Rocky they were shouting and bouncing in their seats. You'd have thought they were watching a real boxing match and not a movie.
"That guy" in the poster is Rocky Marciano. He was a boxer just after World War II, and is the only heavyweight champion to have finished his career undefeated.
I was talking to a friend recently who had never seen any of the Rocky movies and only knew Stallone from the Expendables and just thought of him as a cheesy, over the hill, 80s action star. So when I told him that Stallone is actually an amazing actor, as well as a phenomenal screen writer, he couldn't believe me until I showed him the first Rocky and Rambo movies. Lemme tell ya, he's a believer now.
Hell yeah. Thankfully, I was raised better than that. Before I knew algebra I knew Sly Stallone was a certified badass and amazingly talented. These kids need to educate themselves lol
I wouldn't say Stallone is an amazing actor, he did a good job in some movies though... he's probably a better writer than anything else, not only Rocky, but The Lords of Flatbush, Paradise Alley, F.I.S.T., First Blood...
After this movie came out Carl Weathers (Apollo) ran into Ali on the street and before he could introduce himself, Ali looked at him and said "Apollo Creed!" and then proceeded to square off with Weathers and play fight with him. Weathers said that Ali flicked out a few quick jabs that stopped just short of his nose and he was surprised at how fast Ali was.
@AssasinRX Former World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali. One of the best if not the best Heavyweight Champion of all time and the person that the Apollo Creed character was based off of.
@@stonecoldku4161 true also the basic plot of this movie of creed giving an unknown a shot at the title was based on something ali did with a boxer called chuck wepner and while wepner didn't go the distance he did much better than anyone expected and even had Ali on the ropes once or twice.
@@whovianhistorybuff Yeah, Wepner even got credit for a knockdown even though Ali clearly tripped when Wepner stepped on his foot. Wepner even sued Stallone for using Wepner's life for inspiration for not only Rocky, but other aspects from the Rocky franchise. Like Wepner also fought a pro-wrestler once like Rocky does in Rocky 3. They settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
Notice when Adrian finally reaches Rocky at the end, he asks where her hat is.. Shows so much about his character and how much he loves her in one little moment. Great reaction as always Brandon 💪🏻💪🏻
Do they? I mean it won an Oscar for best picture I can see some younger people only knowing about all the sequels. But obviously had to be something there to grow to such legendary status.
@@faz6877 fair enough, i guess i can't say it's true for everyone. but among my yuppie friends they thought rocky was just a big dumb boxer movie until they actually watched it
@@spatial7225 to be fair, if you think that and watch one of the sequels, they probably won't change your mind. I had forgotten how good this movie was myself having watched it as a kid, then seeing Rocky 3 and 4 many times on cable as a teen. Didn't rewatch this one until a few years ago, and had forgotten how much time they dedicated to establishing Rocky Balboa as a likable underdog. Let alone how effective it was, as in 3 and 4 it was less convincing. This movie is unique, and definitely presented such a solid formula, that became the basic template for many sports films after it. The sequels did not add anything new to the genre and looking back, seem too formulaic now. This one though, is the reason I, and many others wanted more of this character. In all actuality, the difference in his character made sense, but he was less relatable to the common man.
This movie is a parable for the oppressed everywhere, down on their luck, earning minimum wage if that or unemployed, and there were A LOT of oppressed in 1976.
Fun fact: The ice rink scene was supposed to be open, but production only allowed one extra due to the low budget. Stallone then re-wrote the scene for the guy that showed up as an extra to instead play the guy that allows them 10 minutes on the ice. The guy basically went from playing a background character to playing a speaking role in a Best Picture winning film.
When things were at their worst for Stallone, he had to sell his 6 year old dog for $40 in front of a 7-Eleven store, because he couldn't afford food, then like a modern day miracle, the screenplay for Rocky sold, and he could buy him back, but the new owner knew Stallone was desperate, and charged him $15,000. Stallone said it was worth every penny!
I love this quote from Stallone about just that: "I have mastered poverty by now. I got this down to a science. I can survive on very very little. And I know that if I sell this movie, and it wind up doing really well, I'm gonna jump off a building - if I'm not in it."
@@4Everlast Dude, Joe Frazier was one of the greatest boxers that ever lived and he was from Philly and he still hasn't got a statue like Rocky did. Wonder why?
@@adambrown3918 there must be some magical water in this family to generate so many talented people, Nicolas Cage is he nephew, Sofia Coppola became a great director, and his father made some of the godfather soundtrack
Bro what!? Oh man as a person that grew up in Philly, born and raised, this truly excited me haha! Literally was about to comment my thoughts on Good Fellas! Got my food ready and everything, I can tell this is about to be a damn good video Brandon! Much love from Philly.
@@BrandonLikesMovies James watched one of your favorites, Prisoners, and uploaded it today. Glad to see some of my favorite channels showing love to each other ❤🤟
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love the fact he didn't win the fight because it was never about wining, just going the distance. There are so many metaphors in this movie that anybody can relate to in their own life.
It was clear that they simply needed to vent their frustrations before forming their partnership. It was Rocky's turn to vent since Mickey already did so publicly at the gym.
The body has to put some of its energy into producing a new batch of goo afterwards. So perhaps it does drain a bit of energy out of you even if it is only like 1%.
One of my favorite scenes is the one where Rocky notices that the sign has his shorts the wrong color, and the guy says, "does that matter." It perfectly shows not only how Apollo sees him, but how the whole world sees him: as some chump who never has and never will matter. It perfectly sums up Apollo's prideful attitude, while also setting the stage for Rocky to finally get his one chance to seize his moment and prove he has what it takes.
I think that scene is the whole crux of what the movie is all about and it crystalizes in Rocky what his goal for the fight is. Not to win, just to go the distance to prove himself.
Stallone is not just praised for his iconic performance but his screenplay is also hailed for displaying an almost literary genius. Aside from: --the clever, quirky, and funny dialogue --the realistic, sympathetic and colorful characters --the astounding character development and --the overall interesting, relatable and universal story Often overlooked are Stallone's profound themes of redemption, forgiveness, and human beings getting a second chance at life. The overall story is Rocky being given an opportunity to redeem himself, to overcome the low self-esteem that has kept him from being the boxer (and the person) he could have been. Adrian overcomes her shyness and abusive relationship with her brother. Mickey overcomes his ego to humble himself and admit his mistake in not helping Rocky earlier in life. And, these themes are reflected in symbolism throughout the film (below). Scene after scene reflect the film's themes of redemption, forgiveness and second chances: 1. In the opening fight scene, it appears Rocky is losing to Spider Rico after that head-butt however Rocky REDEEMS himself and goes out strong, knocking out Spider Rico in the process. 2. The man at the docks whom Rocky collects from. Rocky refuses to break his thumb and gives the man a SECOND CHANCE. 3. When Rocky's boss (Gazzo) confronts him about his refusal to break thumbs, Gazzo forgives him and gives Rocky a SECOND CHANCE. 4. Rocky walks Little Marie home, giving her a pep talk about the nature of reputations in hopes she turns her life around -- REDEMPTION. 5. Apollo Creed has to cancel his bicentennial fight after receiving the news of his opponent's broken hand. The event is REDEEMED when Creed has the epiphany to rebrand the fight as an American Dream story by giving a local unknown Philadelphia fighter a shot at the title. 6. After the original opponent has to drop out of the fight, Apollo Creed gives Jergens, the fight promoter, an ultimatum to replace him with a suitable contender. Jergens REDEEMS himself when he successfully pitches the idea to Rocky. 7. Mickey asks to be Rocky's manager in an attempt to REDEEM his own once promising career that never really took off (due to Mickey's lack of good management over his own boxing career). Rocky forgives Mickey and accepts his offer; Rocky gives Mickey a SECOND CHANCE. 8. At the meat packing plant, Paulie and Rocky get into an argument. Instead of fighting Paulie, Rocky takes out his aggression on a big slab of beef, giving Paulie a SECOND CHANCE in the process. 9. After Rocky tells Adrian that he doesn't want to "fool around" and to just make the meat, he apologizes to Adrian and she forgives him -- REDEMPTION 10. The dog at the pet shop, Butkiss, gets a new lease on life when he's adopted by Rocky -- SECOND CHANCE 11. Again at the meat packing plant, Rocky gets angry with Paulie over the reporter. Rocky forgives him and give him another SECOND CHANCE. 12. In the scene with Paulie's outburst with the baseball bat, Adrian overcomes her shyness and her abusive relationship with her brother, finding REDEMPTION in her relationship with Rocky. And at the end of Paulie's outburst when Rocky grabs him by the collar, he seems like he's about to beat up Paulie or threaten him, however Rocky feels sorry for him and just lets it go. He gives Paulie another SECOND CHANCE. 13. After Paulie's little outburst, he asks Rocky's permission to capitalize on Rocky's name. Rocky forgives him and gives him another SECOND CHANCE. SYMBOLISM: The film's overall story is centered around the concept of the American Dream. The film opens with an image of Jesus-- as the story of Christ dying for our sins and being resurrected is a story of REDEMPTION. Images of the burned-out city of Philadelphia rising up to host the Bicentennial. The pet store symbols; the dog being released from his cage, turtles coming out of their shells etc. As Adrian starts to overcome her shyness and "comes out her own shell", she sheds her glasses and drab clothing and she begins to dress more attractively (her red outfit that Rocky compliments her so much on-- "you could be a heartbreaker" he tells her). Rocky's face at the beginning of the movie is bruised and stitched up but is healed up before the climax (and quickly bruised up again lol). And the steps: As you pointed out in your review, the first time we see Rocky run up the museum steps, he is struggling and is gasping for air-- which is a metaphor for the uphill journey Rocky has ahead of him. And by the end of his training, he can run up those steps effortlessly, signaling his triumph. The locations of his training regimen is also metaphorical. Every day Rocky begins his jog from his home (located in a lower class section of town) and ends his jog in the more intellectual side of town (the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum). He runs from the bottom to the top (both physically at the museum steps and metaphorically in his journey). He then faces the city from which he came and raises his hands higher than the skyscrapers. The symbolic nature of the shot is astounding and to this day, it's still one of the most inspirational images from any film I can think of. And also gotta love the foreshadowing; the never-broken nose gets broken, Rocky breaking the ribs in the beef slab (foreshadowing him breaking Apollo Creed's ribs), Creed and his publicists not paying attention to Rocky punching the beef on TV (foreshadowing their surprise upon realizing in the climax that they completely underestimated Rocky's potential). There's a reason why the Writers Guild of America named "Rocky" as one of the greatest screenplays ever written: www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-greatest-screenplays/list Not many will say it, but the film really is a masterpiece... at the very least, screenplay-wise.
I've always believed that Rocky, at its heart, is a love story. Even after the fight where he reached his goal of making the distance the first thing he says to Adrian when she gets into the ring with him is, "where's your hat?" showing that really, the story about the two of them.
Growing up I watched the rocky movies as boxing movies which I loved, but from my 20s onwards I can only see them as a love story, I thought Talia shires acting in rocky 2 was amazing
Idk about that. Rocky is a movie about life. Love is involved and is obviously the biggest thing there is. But ultimately, Rocky is a parable about perseverance, being a good person, and living to your fullest.
They could have had a handful but it was Stallone's decision to have it empty. Also originally it was meant to be a date in a restaurant but he changed that too...
Hey Brandon! I passionately LOVE this movie, and I am so glad you chose to watch it! My favourite scene in it is that quiet moment between Rocky and Adrian, the night before the fight, when Rocky shows doubt and hesitance about things to come. You talked a lot about the way Rocky spoke, and this quote from Stallone about Rocky is right up that alley: "I'll never have a voice like that again, where I can just speak whatever is in my heart. Because if I said it you wouldn't believe it - but when Rocky said it it was the truth!"
Burt Young, who played Paulie, "served a tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps from 1957 to 1959. While in the Marine Corps, he won 32 of 34 boxing bouts.[7] He later turned pro and compiled a 17-0 record under three different aliases. His manager was Cus D'Amato.[8][9] (Wikipedia)
This! Though inaccurate it is still legendary and my number 1... Till today I get so pumped up after watching it, heck! I want to fight for a country that doesn't exist lol
It does for sure... I know coz I studied there in Edinburgh however you should ask the Scots what they think of Braveheart the movie, believe me you'll be surprised
7:39, Burgess Meredith as Mickey is an amazing character. "You gotta eat lightening and crap thunder!" "What are we waiting for, Christmas?! Let's go!" "He's a killer".
Stallone gets some shit (as far as his “legacy” in film is concerned) for being an action star for a long time, but at the start of his career he had legit film cred for being more intellectual than you would expect, writing, producing, and acting. He’s had time here in the third act of his career to get back to those roots and show people he’s a really talented individual, though. Not to hate on his action star period, because I actually like that period of his. Same for Arnold. There are some legit all-time great films they made during that time, but far as artistic “respectability” goes, it’s a little too easy for many to overlook someone like Stallone.
Ha, I just wrote nearly the same thing. I thought it was sad that the kid doesn’t know who Burgess Meredith is. Not his fault, but just kind of sad. I guess that’s just too many generations apart.
You should react to the movie Glory 1989 it's an American civil war movie that talks about the 54th massachusetts black regiment staring Morgan freeman, denzel washington and Matthew broderick
@@BrandonLikesMovies you're doing a great job with the channel I think you're the best reactor on UA-cam I can't wait until you make it big in UA-cam keep the great work
@@tigqc Steadicam was first used in film in 1976 with 3 films; Bound for Glory, Marathon Man and Rocky. Bound for Glory was the first film produced using steadicam (then Marathon Man, then Rocky). Marathon Man was the first film RELEASED in theatres to feature steadicam, then Rocky, then Bound for Glory.
Fun fact: Sylvester auditioned for the role as Paulie the driver in The Godfather but got turned down. He then decided to make this script and made a condition to the movie producers that only he can star as Rocky.
Fun Fact: Rocky's name and his fighting style are attributed to legendary Boxer Rocky Marciano. Taking loads of punishment without giving a damn in order to dish out some of his own.
This is Sylvester Stallone's first movie. A fun fact is that scene where he's dancing at the top of the stairs is actually played in reverse because they originally filmed it panning out but wanted to change it to panning in. Instead of shooting it again they just played it in reverse and it can kinda be seen if you watch it back. Also the scene at the end with everyone in the ring, the close up shots in the ring where filmed with everyone on set in the ring because they filmed those scenes late and all the people left. The guy singing by the barrel fire was Sylvester Stallone's brother. And, last fact, Sylvester Stallone's nickname "The Italian Stallion" was originally given to him from a porno that Sylvester Stallone starred in.
Fun and impressive trivia: This movie was produced in 28 days only with the full budget of only 1 million dollars! With a script that he wrote himself after being inspired by a Muhammad Ali fight vs. an underdog in early 1975.
I always preferred Rocky II to the first one, but I couldn't say which is the "better" film. III & IV start the decent into big, dumb, fun. Montage laden-with awesome soundtracks and all the flashiness of the 80's (but are still greatly entertaining) and V is, a well intentioned movie, interfered with by the studio in the final edit and generally, a mis-step and not the ending the series deserved. Thankfully, it wasn't the last we saw of mister Balboa.
I can't say which rocky is best, I love them all...5 not so much... But yeah the rematch in rocky 2 is the most epic in the series. The rematch with clubber in 3 is the most "electrifying"
The whole Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood trilogy is fantastic film making (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and TG,TB&TU). Also Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time in the West has a fantastic opening sequence, and is masterful film making, including Henry Fonda in a rare turn as a villain.
Absolutely loved this reaction. Rocky is probably my favorite film franchise of all time. So many great movies. Stallone wrote all of them and directed 2,3,4, and 6. This is a character that is a part of him. That's why it resonates so much. It's real.
I just recently found your channel in my recommended and can i say i love hearing your thoughts on not only the acting, but the cinematography and screenplay as those make the movie equally as memorable. keep up the good work and just earned a new subscriber :)
Being 8 when this came out, I used to run down our small residential street with arms raised like Rocky at the top of the steps. Had the t-shirt, lunch box, poster... Now, at 52, it's one of my all-time favorite movies for much different reasons. I enjoy all the Rocky movies (yes, even 5), but this one just sticks with you. Great movie!
You're a breathe of fresh air when it comes to these "Watching for the first time". You don't make Goofy comments or try to tell your audience what you would do in a situation that the character is in. What I hate most is when they ask stupid questions about the characters actions. You just earned yourself a new subscriber.
@@theshadowfax239 True. I love to see the joy in peoples faces after watching my favorite flicks for the first time. I'm a older cat, and seeing the younguns enjoying the flicks of my time is special.
Damn, watching your commentary, you see how amazing this movie really was, from characters to dialogue, it’s great and I’m reminded of why this is one of my favorite movies of all time. I’ve loved this movie ever since I was a kid but could never put into words why it was so good but this pretty much summed it up haha!
@@BrandonLikesMovies highly recommended it. Also, if you do decide to watch it I'd recommend limited googling, people love to spoil that movie for some reason lol
Yeah thats a great movie and reminds me of why De Niro got where he is today, you know if you ignore or all the crap he can spew now about stuff hes disconnected from as a celebrity
Rocky is my Dad's all time favourite movie, i remembered when he introduced me to this movie when i was bout 10(cnt remember) n i LOVED it since then! To make it even better my Best Bro is reacting to it🤗 u brought me back to that wonderful moment when watching with him!
The Power of One is another decent little flick of his too, with Stephen Dorff, Morgan Freeman and I think the first onscreen role for some young, blond guy called Daniel Craig... or something.
The skating rink scene was supposed to have extras but, they couldn't afford it so, the scene was filmed as if the rink was closing. I feel that it makes the scene more intimate.
Being from Pennsylvania, this movie is like a legend in my younger yrs and I love that u loved and appreciated it. It was gritty like Philly yet such a positive outlook on it, u grow up in such disarray yet can accomplish whatever u put ur heart and mind too. Rocky!!!
This was one of the first films to have sequences shot using the Steadicam, which created smooth "handheld" tracking shots for the first time without a crane or complex external track rig.
I like the message of this film: winning isn't all about fame and fortune. When Rocky hugged Adrian after the match, he must've felt like he had won at life; gained respect and admiration for those who disliked him, got the girl of his dreams and eventually a son. This was the path upward for him while Apollo recieved less respect and admiration - because all he won was a trophy.
He didnt write it as an actor, he wrote when he was broke and homeless and tried to sell it but only if he could play rocky and no one wanted him to be in it, he even sold his dog before someone said yes. And the first thing he did with the money was buy the his best freind back
@@jamezguard Oh, wow. I just looked it up and Sarah Paulson is playing her? I'm definitely on board to check that one out. That cast list looks impressive as hell. Watching someone slowly become a monster of the course of a series can make for some fascinating television when done right.
Fun fact Sylvester Stallone still has those turtles till this day. Also Apocalypto is a good movie if you want to check it out it's on Amazon Prime if you have it.
You should totally check out the story making this movie and it’ll be even more impressive! Stallone went through a lot to get it made, without his passion for the project, we’d be down one classic franchise
My father is a great Silvester Stallone fan. This film came in 1976 and I was born in 1995. My father showed this to me in 2005. I still remember chanting " Rocky Rocky Rocky" in the last fight.
This is one of my all time favourite movies. Your analysis of this was spot on you don’t have to watch them all, but please do Rocky 2. It’s a back to back movie 1 and 2 Thanks for doing this reaction Cheers 🍺
@@BrandonLikesMovies I think I was just so shocked you hadn't seen Rocky that the rest immediately leapt to mind. Loving the reactions as always my friend.
Brandon Likes Movies you're welcome, thanks for providing great content to get us though this year! If you ever visit Manchester in the UK you have a friend to show you round right here.
Rocky is a masterpiece and a miracle of a movie, for sure one if not my all time favorite movie of all time. This reaction did rocky justice man, hope to see further rocky reactions.
I agree. I think this movie is a true Masterpiece. From the writing to the cinematography to the bill Conti score (top 5 all time scores) to the acting... just everything. It’s a fucking fantastic film. The scene with Rocky and Mickey in Rocky’s apartment still gets me today.
I watched the Rocky movies like thousand of times. I love working out and I'm a huge boxing fan, these movies inspired me many years ago not just to workout but fight, keep fighting in every situation in life. The Rocky movies got some good quotes / life lessons it's not just a random boxing movie its more than that. 💪😎
This is the first time watching a reaction to a movie that I haven't seen, still a great watch. I remember Rocky being on in the background when i was a kid, and i was aware of the cultural significance, but i had no idea it was this good. Edit: and the background information in the comments was a great suprise aswell, i had no idea Stallone had such an impressive start in the movie industry.
I always liked how when they show Apollo leading up to the fight that he's not taking it seriously at all. The whole thing is nothing more than just a publicity stunt. He'll just play with him for a few rounds then drop him. Then during the fight, when that first punch from Rocky lands, then all of a sudden he finds himself on the floor. His whole expression becomes like a deer caught in headlights, "Where the f*ck did that come from?!" lol. And also how Rocky knows he won't win, but it doesn't matter. All he wants is to still be standing when the bell rings. So good. When he says "Because when that bell rings and I'm still standing, then I'll know *for the first time in my life* that I wasn't just another bum from the neighborhood." that also tugged at my heart strings.
Sylvester Stallone's knuckles permanently changed when he was hitting the beef in the fridge. They're flat now. I don't know if it was due to it being so cold and the fact that he was hitting something repeatedly, but yeah.
This movie reminds me of Jaws. Imagine Rocky with a different lead actor, or a director who was more flashy than gritty, or if the movie had a different score. This movie has the perfect ingredients and doesn't waste them.
Fun fact: The camera work for Rocky running up the Art Museum steps was possible only because of a style of camera invented specifically for this shot called a "steadycam". Today they would probably use a drone for the same shot but, back then, no camera existed that could get such a shot, so they invented one.
One of the moments in the movie that always struck me was during the fight they show the promoter guy smoking give a look that he realizes Rocky is the real deal and this is a real match. Great movie....script, casting, music, sets/locations, etc all so well done.
When Stallone wrote this script he had no money. He had to sell his dog so he can eat. Hollywood wanted to buy the script off Stallone and use a big name to play Rocky, but Stallone would only sell it if he played Rocky. This was his first film he was in. When Stallone got money from the movie, he bought his dog back, but the owner said he wanted to be in the film and Stallone put him in.
One of my favorite, very subtle moments, is when Paulie lifts up the rope for Adrian to let her into the ring at the end. Little moments like that just make this movie so good.
Philly loves an underdog and loves Rocky! Year after year people come to the city to run the "rocky" steps, visit the rocky statue and so many places shown in this movie. ❤️ My city
Do yourself a favour and look up the full history of this movie and Sylvester Stallone. The basics are as follows: He was a complete unknown before this. He always wanted to be an actor, but was born with partial facial paralysis and slurred speech. However, he had a dream and refused to quit. He wrote this script and everyone loved it, they were offering him huge amounts of money, hundreds of thousands, but all the big money came with the agreement he would NOT be starring in the movie. Stallone insisted he star in it, turning down huge money offers, even though he was sleeping in bus depots and basically homeless at the time. Eventually a studio realized he wouldn't be swayed and allowed him to play Rocky, but only gave him $30k for the script, and a minimal budget to make it, basically forgetting about it. Rocky made over 200 million at the box office, was the highest grossing film of the year, and won a god damn Oscar. Sly Stallone became a household name. Fucking Legend.
As I’ve learned (the opposite way) no guts no glory and FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD
I remember him in Lords Of Flatbush in 74 with Henry Winkler. He did a soft porn movie in 70 The Party at Kitty and Stud's
Didn't he sell his dog to get money for the movie, but when he got money back he bought his dog back?
@@miloandot yea he sold his dog and when he made his money. the guy who he sold his dog to made him pay like $10k to get him back. and ofc he paid cos he loved him and ofc you would to get your dog back :)
@@miloandot he don't sell for money for the movie, just $40, was because he don't had money to feed the dog. He use the advance money from the movie to bought the dog, it cost $15,000 because he loves the dog and is the dog of the movie.
Fun fact: the studio didn’t have enough money to shut down the streets during the main running scene, and so that man who threw that orange to rocky was not an extra. He was a random worker who saw a another random man running and decided to give him a snack
Philadelphia be like:
Random man, who was being filmed running, but still :)
Haha thats awesome!!
It was shot with such a small budget, they had to be careful while filming that they didn't get shut down, as they didn't actually have permits for a lot of the film as they kept costs and shooting schedules down by avoiding the unions and working with a skeleton crew.
Sauce Trey ..Fun fact? Awesome fact! Well done human, well done.
Fun fact: Sylvester Stallone kept and STILL owns the turtles from the movie!
@@nateman10
The oldest known turtle/tortoise is named Jonathan. He is 183 years old now. Turtles are a pet you pass through generations of your family, as are parrots. Though parrots don't have quite the lifespan of 🐢.
@@nateman10 Search for: Sylvester Stallone kept the two turtles from Rocky - and they're now 44
“I like turtles”
He also had to sell his dog to fund the film. After it was made, he went back to try and get his dog back. The guy would only let the dog go for like $3,000.
@@nateman10 I have a six month old yellow-bellied slider turtle and I expect to pass it on to one of my kids or nephew's when I die.
I love how you don't just praise the acting in movies. Unlike a lot of other reactors, you praise everything from the writing to the camera work as well as the performances. Keep up the good work
Thanks so much for the kind words!
@@BrandonLikesMovies also your voice has a little more punch in it so that's good too !
@@BrandonLikesMovies The loan shark Rocky is working for is Joe Spinell, a friend of Stallone. He's also in these Stallone movies, Paradise Alley & Nighthawks besides Rocky 1 & 2, also in The Godfather 1 & 2. He died in 1989, quite sad what happened to him. He had hemophilia (no blood clotting) & after being out for a few drinks he went home a bit drunk & decided to take a shower. He slipped in the shower & cut the back of his head breaking the glass shower door. He decided in his drunken state not call anyone or go to the hospital & fell asleep on a couch & bled to death in his sleep.
@@iaincowell9747 Nighthawks is a bit underrated too, and I loved the visual style.
Exactly! Well, said. I'm so extremely thankful for Brandon's reactions and genuine commentaries concerning all aspects of the films and shows which he watches.
Saw this originally when it came out in the theaters. By the end fight scene the audience was so invested in the character of Rocky they were shouting and bouncing in their seats. You'd have thought they were watching a real boxing match and not a movie.
That's awesome!! Would've been an amazing theater experience
"That guy" in the poster is Rocky Marciano. He was a boxer just after World War II, and is the only heavyweight champion to have finished his career undefeated.
You act like we're all supposed to know everything about boxing.. lol
@@d3l3tes00n I wasn't trying to belittle anyone. I was just saying it for anyone who might not know he was real and he was famous.
@@tracybillingsley2648 It's all good :)
@@d3l3tes00n Rocky Marciano is mentioned in the boxing gig in Coming to America. You should know the name at least from that.
@@briankarcher8338 I never saw that one.
I was talking to a friend recently who had never seen any of the Rocky movies and only knew Stallone from the Expendables and just thought of him as a cheesy, over the hill, 80s action star. So when I told him that Stallone is actually an amazing actor, as well as a phenomenal screen writer, he couldn't believe me until I showed him the first Rocky and Rambo movies. Lemme tell ya, he's a believer now.
Hell yeah. Thankfully, I was raised better than that. Before I knew algebra I knew Sly Stallone was a certified badass and amazingly talented. These kids need to educate themselves lol
@pc Oh, so true. Cop Land is fantastic!
Stallone chose to be a cheesy actor, which, based on his work in ROCKY, COPLAND, and DAYLIGHT, just baffles me.
@pc Yeah man, Copland is amazing. Loved his performance in that. Fantastic ensemble cast too.
I wouldn't say Stallone is an amazing actor, he did a good job in some movies though... he's probably a better writer than anything else, not only Rocky, but The Lords of Flatbush, Paradise Alley, F.I.S.T., First Blood...
After this movie came out Carl Weathers (Apollo) ran into Ali on the street and before he could introduce himself, Ali looked at him and said "Apollo Creed!" and then proceeded to square off with Weathers and play fight with him. Weathers said that Ali flicked out a few quick jabs that stopped just short of his nose and he was surprised at how fast Ali was.
@AssasinRX Former World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali. One of the best if not the best Heavyweight Champion of all time and the person that the Apollo Creed character was based off of.
@@stonecoldku4161 true also the basic plot of this movie of creed giving an unknown a shot at the title was based on something ali did with a boxer called chuck wepner and while wepner didn't go the distance he did much better than anyone expected and even had Ali on the ropes once or twice.
@@whovianhistorybuff Yeah, Wepner even got credit for a knockdown even though Ali clearly tripped when Wepner stepped on his foot. Wepner even sued Stallone for using Wepner's life for inspiration for not only Rocky, but other aspects from the Rocky franchise. Like Wepner also fought a pro-wrestler once like Rocky does in Rocky 3. They settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
Notice when Adrian finally reaches Rocky at the end, he asks where her hat is.. Shows so much about his character and how much he loves her in one little moment. Great reaction as always Brandon 💪🏻💪🏻
everyone thinks rocky is a dumb movie until they see it
Do they? I mean it won an Oscar for best picture
I can see some younger people only knowing about all the sequels. But obviously had to be something there to grow to such legendary status.
@@faz6877 fair enough, i guess i can't say it's true for everyone. but among my yuppie friends they thought rocky was just a big dumb boxer movie until they actually watched it
@@spatial7225 to be fair, if you think that and watch one of the sequels, they probably won't change your mind. I had forgotten how good this movie was myself having watched it as a kid, then seeing Rocky 3 and 4 many times on cable as a teen. Didn't rewatch this one until a few years ago, and had forgotten how much time they dedicated to establishing Rocky Balboa as a likable underdog. Let alone how effective it was, as in 3 and 4 it was less convincing. This movie is unique, and definitely presented such a solid formula, that became the basic template for many sports films after it. The sequels did not add anything new to the genre and looking back, seem too formulaic now. This one though, is the reason I, and many others wanted more of this character. In all actuality, the difference in his character made sense, but he was less relatable to the common man.
This movie is a parable for the oppressed everywhere, down on their luck, earning minimum wage if that or unemployed, and there were A LOT of oppressed in 1976.
It's because of Rocky 4. And that's the one they always played on TV... Pisses me off that movie sucks so much lol. Rocky 1 and 2 are incredible.
"Rocky's such a relatable, real character".
I agree wholeheartedly... he also gets a robot.
Lets be honest, if you became super rich, wouldn't you get a robot?
Technically, Paulie gets the robot
Technically, Paulie gets the sex robot.
That robot was designed for autism therapy and Stallone got it for his son and decided to use it in the movie.
@@oaf-77 Very noble of him. Ever since I've known that fact I'm more appreciative of its inclusion. Still... it pretty much was Paulie's sex-ish-bot.
Fun fact: The ice rink scene was supposed to be open, but production only allowed one extra due to the low budget. Stallone then re-wrote the scene for the guy that showed up as an extra to instead play the guy that allows them 10 minutes on the ice. The guy basically went from playing a background character to playing a speaking role in a Best Picture winning film.
Thats super cool haha, I think it works a lot better too
The low budget is pretty obvious in the darkness of the fight scene where you can't actually see any crowd.
I didn’t know that. Thanks! Love the interesting bits of minutia.
Fun fact: Sylvester Stallone was offered $350000 thousand dollars to NOT be in the movie because they wanted someone more famous to be the star.
Yeah they wanted James Caan to play Rocky.
Thats awesome he was so committed to it!
When things were at their worst for Stallone, he had to sell his 6 year old dog for $40 in front of a 7-Eleven store, because he couldn't afford food, then like a modern day miracle, the screenplay for Rocky sold, and he could buy him back, but the new owner knew Stallone was desperate, and charged him $15,000. Stallone said it was worth every penny!
Christopher Binder james caan, uck!
I love this quote from Stallone about just that:
"I have mastered poverty by now. I got this down to a science. I can survive on very very little. And I know that if I sell this movie, and it wind up doing really well, I'm gonna jump off a building - if I'm not in it."
"He doesn't know it's a damn show! He thinks it's a damn fight!" Such a classic line.
"The entire pride of your city is based on a guy who didn't even exist." -bill burr
Hell yeah hehehe
The idea is what counts tho. ;)
@@4Everlast Dude, Joe Frazier was one of the greatest boxers that ever lived and he was from Philly and he still hasn't got a statue like Rocky did. Wonder why?
@@dcs4947 Maybe i'm an optimist, let me dream, man. xD
San Diego too with Ron Burgundy
Do you recognize Adrian? She was Connie Corleone in the Godfather movies.
Yes so was Gazzo played by Joe Spinell who was Cicci in Godfather 1 and 2
ohhhhhhh
I came here to say that too.
The actress's name is Talia Shire. She's the sister of famous director Francis Ford Coppola.
@@adambrown3918 there must be some magical water in this family to generate so many talented people, Nicolas Cage is he nephew, Sofia Coppola became a great director, and his father made some of the godfather soundtrack
Bro what!? Oh man as a person that grew up in Philly, born and raised, this truly excited me haha! Literally was about to comment my thoughts on Good Fellas! Got my food ready and everything, I can tell this is about to be a damn good video Brandon! Much love from Philly.
I love that you watch his channel as well. You are my two favorite film reactors on youtube
Haha appreciate it James!! Didn't know you were from Philly, that'd add an extra level of enjoyment with this for sure!
@@BrandonLikesMovies James watched one of your favorites, Prisoners, and uploaded it today. Glad to see some of my favorite channels showing love to each other ❤🤟
Y'all going team up like Batman and Robin and watch a movie together? lol
My 2 favorite movie reactors! Love it!
Fact: Rocky is where the birth of the steady camera came to life because of the difficultly of filming the philly steps scene
_Bound for Glory_ technically used it first (and won the Best Cinematography Oscar for it), but _Marathon Man_ and _Rocky_ came out in theaters first.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love the fact he didn't win the fight because it was never about wining, just going the distance. There are so many metaphors in this movie that anybody can relate to in their own life.
"I don't know of any other actors, today, that really write that many scripts."
If you haven't already seen it, check out 'Good Will Hunting'.
Over 20 years ago (1998) is not "today", but I agree that he would enjoy that movie for the same reason.
Favorite scene when Rocky runs Mickey out of his apt then catches up shaking hands accepting his offer such a moving scene
It was clear that they simply needed to vent their frustrations before forming their partnership. It was Rocky's turn to vent since Mickey already did so publicly at the gym.
When u say that, doug did the same thing after yelling at arthur on an episode of king of queens.
Thunderstruck54 that's my fave too
"You don't like my house? Is there somethin' wrong with my house? It stinks, doesn't it? That's right--it STINKS!"
When Mickey says women weaken legs, it was meant sex drains stamina lol Thats was something the boxing world believed at the time
we still do but not every boxer/trainer
The body has to put some of its energy into producing a new batch of goo afterwards. So perhaps it does drain a bit of energy out of you even if it is only like 1%.
I think most sports did.
One of my favorite scenes is the one where Rocky notices that the sign has his shorts the wrong color, and the guy says, "does that matter." It perfectly shows not only how Apollo sees him, but how the whole world sees him: as some chump who never has and never will matter. It perfectly sums up Apollo's prideful attitude, while also setting the stage for Rocky to finally get his one chance to seize his moment and prove he has what it takes.
I think that scene is the whole crux of what the movie is all about and it crystalizes in Rocky what his goal for the fight is. Not to win, just to go the distance to prove himself.
Stallone is not just praised for his iconic performance but his screenplay is also hailed for displaying an almost literary genius. Aside from:
--the clever, quirky, and funny dialogue
--the realistic, sympathetic and colorful characters
--the astounding character development
and
--the overall interesting, relatable and universal story
Often overlooked are Stallone's profound themes of redemption, forgiveness, and human beings getting a second chance at life. The overall story is Rocky being given an opportunity to redeem himself, to overcome the low self-esteem that has kept him from being the boxer (and the person) he could have been. Adrian overcomes her shyness and abusive relationship with her brother. Mickey overcomes his ego to humble himself and admit his mistake in not helping Rocky earlier in life. And, these themes are reflected in symbolism throughout the film (below). Scene after scene reflect the film's themes of redemption, forgiveness and second chances:
1. In the opening fight scene, it appears Rocky is losing to Spider Rico after that head-butt however Rocky REDEEMS himself and goes out strong, knocking out Spider Rico in the process.
2. The man at the docks whom Rocky collects from. Rocky refuses to break his thumb and gives the man a SECOND CHANCE.
3. When Rocky's boss (Gazzo) confronts him about his refusal to break thumbs, Gazzo forgives him and gives Rocky a SECOND CHANCE.
4. Rocky walks Little Marie home, giving her a pep talk about the nature of reputations in hopes she turns her life around -- REDEMPTION.
5. Apollo Creed has to cancel his bicentennial fight after receiving the news of his opponent's broken hand. The event is REDEEMED when Creed has the epiphany to rebrand the fight as an American Dream story by giving a local unknown Philadelphia fighter a shot at the title.
6. After the original opponent has to drop out of the fight, Apollo Creed gives Jergens, the fight promoter, an ultimatum to replace him with a suitable contender. Jergens REDEEMS himself when he successfully pitches the idea to Rocky.
7. Mickey asks to be Rocky's manager in an attempt to REDEEM his own once promising career that never really took off (due to Mickey's lack of good management over his own boxing career). Rocky forgives Mickey and accepts his offer; Rocky gives Mickey a SECOND CHANCE.
8. At the meat packing plant, Paulie and Rocky get into an argument. Instead of fighting Paulie, Rocky takes out his aggression on a big slab of beef, giving Paulie a SECOND CHANCE in the process.
9. After Rocky tells Adrian that he doesn't want to "fool around" and to just make the meat, he apologizes to Adrian and she forgives him -- REDEMPTION
10. The dog at the pet shop, Butkiss, gets a new lease on life when he's adopted by Rocky -- SECOND CHANCE
11. Again at the meat packing plant, Rocky gets angry with Paulie over the reporter. Rocky forgives him and give him another SECOND CHANCE.
12. In the scene with Paulie's outburst with the baseball bat, Adrian overcomes her shyness and her abusive relationship with her brother, finding REDEMPTION in her relationship with Rocky. And at the end of Paulie's outburst when Rocky grabs him by the collar, he seems like he's about to beat up Paulie or threaten him, however Rocky feels sorry for him and just lets it go. He gives Paulie another SECOND CHANCE.
13. After Paulie's little outburst, he asks Rocky's permission to capitalize on Rocky's name. Rocky forgives him and gives him another SECOND CHANCE.
SYMBOLISM:
The film's overall story is centered around the concept of the American Dream.
The film opens with an image of Jesus-- as the story of Christ dying for our sins and being resurrected is a story of REDEMPTION.
Images of the burned-out city of Philadelphia rising up to host the Bicentennial.
The pet store symbols; the dog being released from his cage, turtles coming out of their shells etc.
As Adrian starts to overcome her shyness and "comes out her own shell", she sheds her glasses and drab clothing and she begins to dress more attractively (her red outfit that Rocky compliments her so much on-- "you could be a heartbreaker" he tells her).
Rocky's face at the beginning of the movie is bruised and stitched up but is healed up before the climax (and quickly bruised up again lol).
And the steps: As you pointed out in your review, the first time we see Rocky run up the museum steps, he is struggling and is gasping for air-- which is a metaphor for the uphill journey Rocky has ahead of him. And by the end of his training, he can run up those steps effortlessly, signaling his triumph. The locations of his training regimen is also metaphorical. Every day Rocky begins his jog from his home (located in a lower class section of town) and ends his jog in the more intellectual side of town (the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum). He runs from the bottom to the top (both physically at the museum steps and metaphorically in his journey). He then faces the city from which he came and raises his hands higher than the skyscrapers. The symbolic nature of the shot is astounding and to this day, it's still one of the most inspirational images from any film I can think of.
And also gotta love the foreshadowing; the never-broken nose gets broken, Rocky breaking the ribs in the beef slab (foreshadowing him breaking Apollo Creed's ribs), Creed and his publicists not paying attention to Rocky punching the beef on TV (foreshadowing their surprise upon realizing in the climax that they completely underestimated Rocky's potential).
There's a reason why the Writers Guild of America named "Rocky" as one of the greatest screenplays ever written:
www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-greatest-screenplays/list
Not many will say it, but the film really is a masterpiece... at the very least, screenplay-wise.
Aaaaand I cried while reading this. You've stated it so beautifully and yes, Rocky is kinda like a gospel brought to life.
@@karolinagroszewska498 Rocky is not epic... it's biblical!
I can't wait for you to see Rocky 2. The first two movies need to be watched back to back, honestly.
As of last year Stallone still has Those turtles
Thats so cool!! 😄
long live Cuff & Link!!!
@@hulaGUNZ I wonder how big they are now, they have to be huge by now. They were probably baby turtles in this movie.
@@joemckim1183 They were, just born in the movie as they're 44 right now.
I saw that too. I wonder how long those types of turtles live. They could outlive Sly. Kind of like birds, who often outlive their owners.
I've always believed that Rocky, at its heart, is a love story. Even after the fight where he reached his goal of making the distance the first thing he says to Adrian when she gets into the ring with him is, "where's your hat?" showing that really, the story about the two of them.
I absolutely 100% agree. It's beautiful love story and character study.
"Where's your hat?" is what gets me every single time. Never fails to make me blub.
I agree.
Growing up I watched the rocky movies as boxing movies which I loved, but from my 20s onwards I can only see them as a love story, I thought Talia shires acting in rocky 2 was amazing
Idk about that.
Rocky is a movie about life. Love is involved and is obviously the biggest thing there is. But ultimately, Rocky is a parable about perseverance, being a good person, and living to your fullest.
Fun fact: That date scene in the ice rink was supposed to have hundreds of extras, but there was no money in the budget for them.
MiketheCabbie it’s so much better for the fact that the rink is empty
They could have had a handful but it was Stallone's decision to have it empty. Also originally it was meant to be a date in a restaurant but he changed that too...
What a genius change. The fact that theyre there alone is fantastic! So moody ...
Hey Brandon!
I passionately LOVE this movie, and I am so glad you chose to watch it!
My favourite scene in it is that quiet moment between Rocky and Adrian, the night before the fight, when Rocky shows doubt and hesitance about things to come.
You talked a lot about the way Rocky spoke, and this quote from Stallone about Rocky is right up that alley:
"I'll never have a voice like that again, where I can just speak whatever is in my heart. Because if I said it you wouldn't believe it - but when Rocky said it it was the truth!"
Fun fact: Stallone used to drink raw eggs before he "made" it, because he was too poor to own a stove to cook them on.
Burt Young, who played Paulie, "served a tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps from 1957 to 1959. While in the Marine Corps, he won 32 of 34 boxing bouts.[7] He later turned pro and compiled a 17-0 record under three different aliases. His manager was Cus D'Amato.[8][9] (Wikipedia)
BRAVEHEART...you gotta watch this legendary film
This! Though inaccurate it is still legendary and my number 1... Till today I get so pumped up after watching it, heck! I want to fight for a country that doesn't exist lol
Mr Anon ...you think Scotland doesn’t exist???
It does for sure... I know coz I studied there in Edinburgh however you should ask the Scots what they think of Braveheart the movie, believe me you'll be surprised
Oh boy! That is a dangerous way of thinking don't you think so... Btw Where you from? Highlands
@@euey7441 its funny how some Scots put so much pride into this movie lol braveheart is so inaccurate that its laughable.
7:39, Burgess Meredith as Mickey is an amazing character.
"You gotta eat lightening and crap thunder!"
"What are we waiting for, Christmas?! Let's go!"
"He's a killer".
He played the Penguin in the 60's Batman series.
Burgess Meredith was an absolute legend
Stallone gets some shit (as far as his “legacy” in film is concerned) for being an action star for a long time, but at the start of his career he had legit film cred for being more intellectual than you would expect, writing, producing, and acting. He’s had time here in the third act of his career to get back to those roots and show people he’s a really talented individual, though. Not to hate on his action star period, because I actually like that period of his. Same for Arnold. There are some legit all-time great films they made during that time, but far as artistic “respectability” goes, it’s a little too easy for many to overlook someone like Stallone.
I thought he was really good in 'Copland' too.
@@DoubleMonoLR Copland is a really good showcase film for the second half of his career. Unfairly overlooked.
"The other guy" is Burgess Meredith, one of the all time great character actors. check out his Twilight Zone episodes.
Or the Penguin...
Ha, I just wrote nearly the same thing. I thought it was sad that the kid doesn’t know who Burgess Meredith is. Not his fault, but just kind of sad. I guess that’s just too many generations apart.
@@dreamweaver1603 When he reacted to The Godfather he didn´t recognize the legend Marlon Brando as Don Vito. So yes, it´s a generational thing.
@@havok6280 I approve your comment.
He reminded me of Popeye in this.
You should react to the movie Glory 1989 it's an American civil war movie that talks about the 54th massachusetts black regiment staring Morgan freeman, denzel washington and Matthew broderick
Like guys so he can see
Definitely would like to check that one out!
@@BrandonLikesMovies thank you for replying I really want you to see it I think you will like it very much
@@BrandonLikesMovies you're doing a great job with the channel I think you're the best reactor on UA-cam I can't wait until you make it big in UA-cam keep the great work
I concur. Glory is a great movie.
This was the first movie to introduce Steadicam. And it was made in 1976. The scene where he runs up the stairs is the most iconic shot in the movie.
Incorrect. First movie to use it was Bound for Glory.
@@tigqc Steadicam was first used in film in 1976 with 3 films; Bound for Glory, Marathon Man and Rocky. Bound for Glory was the first film produced using steadicam (then Marathon Man, then Rocky). Marathon Man was the first film RELEASED in theatres to feature steadicam, then Rocky, then Bound for Glory.
@@rustincohle2135 I am well aware of that.
Fun fact: Sylvester auditioned for the role as Paulie the driver in The Godfather but got turned down. He then decided to make this script and made a condition to the movie producers that only he can star as Rocky.
Not many movies can put tears in my eyes, Rocky is one of them.
"The other guy" was the great Burgess Meredith, 60 years in the industry, in everything from Of Mice and Men in 1939 to Grumpy Old Men in 1993...
Don't forget about The Penguin from the Batman TV series!
Fun Fact: Rocky's name and his fighting style are attributed to legendary Boxer Rocky Marciano. Taking loads of punishment without giving a damn in order to dish out some of his own.
This is Sylvester Stallone's first movie. A fun fact is that scene where he's dancing at the top of the stairs is actually played in reverse because they originally filmed it panning out but wanted to change it to panning in. Instead of shooting it again they just played it in reverse and it can kinda be seen if you watch it back. Also the scene at the end with everyone in the ring, the close up shots in the ring where filmed with everyone on set in the ring because they filmed those scenes late and all the people left. The guy singing by the barrel fire was Sylvester Stallone's brother. And, last fact, Sylvester Stallone's nickname "The Italian Stallion" was originally given to him from a porno that Sylvester Stallone starred in.
The guy ringing the bell for each round is Stallone’s father
@@procrastinator547 wow I didnt know that! thats cool! thank you
@CoDGplays 😂😂 good point man
technically this is the second movie if you count the porno
Not even close to his first movie.
Fun and impressive trivia: This movie was produced in 28 days only with the full budget of only 1 million dollars! With a script that he wrote himself after being inspired by a Muhammad Ali fight vs. an underdog in early 1975.
won academy award for best picture
It is an absolute treat to watch people react to watching Rocky for the first time.
Required watching for all.
I'll always love these movies. Rocky 1 was just great, Rocky 2 made it even better.
Couldn't agree more. The match at the end of Rocky II is my favorite in the entire series.
I always preferred Rocky II to the first one, but I couldn't say which is the "better" film. III & IV start the decent into big, dumb, fun. Montage laden-with awesome soundtracks and all the flashiness of the 80's (but are still greatly entertaining) and V is, a well intentioned movie, interfered with by the studio in the final edit and generally, a mis-step and not the ending the series deserved. Thankfully, it wasn't the last we saw of mister Balboa.
I can't say which rocky is best, I love them all...5 not so much... But yeah the rematch in rocky 2 is the most epic in the series. The rematch with clubber in 3 is the most "electrifying"
Please watch The good The bad and The Ugly! Its one of the greatest movies of all time
It's where You Dig came from
For a few dollars
The whole Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood trilogy is fantastic film making (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and TG,TB&TU). Also Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time in the West has a fantastic opening sequence, and is masterful film making, including Henry Fonda in a rare turn as a villain.
Once Upon A Time In The West also please.
Absolutely loved this reaction. Rocky is probably my favorite film franchise of all time. So many great movies. Stallone wrote all of them and directed 2,3,4, and 6. This is a character that is a part of him. That's why it resonates so much. It's real.
I just recently found your channel in my recommended and can i say i love hearing your thoughts on not only the acting, but the cinematography and screenplay as those make the movie equally as memorable. keep up the good work and just earned a new subscriber :)
Being 8 when this came out, I used to run down our small residential street with arms raised like Rocky at the top of the steps. Had the t-shirt, lunch box, poster... Now, at 52, it's one of my all-time favorite movies for much different reasons. I enjoy all the Rocky movies (yes, even 5), but this one just sticks with you. Great movie!
You're a breathe of fresh air when it comes to these "Watching for the first time". You don't make Goofy comments or try to tell your audience what you would do in a situation that the character is in. What I hate most is when they ask stupid questions about the characters actions. You just earned yourself a new subscriber.
He's definitely one of the best reactors out there.
@@theshadowfax239 True. I love to see the joy in peoples faces after watching my favorite flicks for the first time. I'm a older cat, and seeing the younguns enjoying the flicks of my time is special.
Thanks so much Danny, that means a lot!
If I remember correctly, he actually broken his nose more than once when filming these movies. Love this film
Someone confirm this for me: Was Rocky the first movie to introduce the training montage as a story element?
I have looked that up, and it appears that it is.
@@nataliedepriest9113 And because of that, Richard Halsey and Scott Conrad won the Best Film Editing Oscar.
Yes sir!
Brian Song maybe?
Rocky is one of those films that just captures the essence of the human spirit.
Damn, watching your commentary, you see how amazing this movie really was, from characters to dialogue, it’s great and I’m reminded of why this is one of my favorite movies of all time. I’ve loved this movie ever since I was a kid but could never put into words why it was so good but this pretty much summed it up haha!
I'm hoping you haven't seen The Usual Suspects, so we can all watch you react to it. Banger of a flick!
I haven't! Really want to see it
@@BrandonLikesMovies highly recommended it. Also, if you do decide to watch it I'd recommend limited googling, people love to spoil that movie for some reason lol
You should watch Raging bull (1980), it is a great boxing film acted by Robert De Niro and directed by Martin Scorsese.👍
That one is on my watch list 😁
Yeah thats a great movie and reminds me of why De Niro got where he is today, you know if you ignore or all the crap he can spew now about stuff hes disconnected from as a celebrity
@@BrandonLikesMovies After the Rocky films and Raging Bull, look up a film called Grudge Match 😛
@@vengefuldeth it's better to separate the actor/actress from reality.
@@BrandonLikesMovies Watch Taxi Driver(1976) first and then Raging Bull (1980).
This is Slys first film. He was offered $100,000 for the script, and wanted someone else to play Rocky but, he refused until he could play the Rocky.
This is a great example of the perfect storm: few movies in the history of cinema have become classics like this.
Thankyou for actually watching all your reactions in a proper cinematic atmosphere, instead of at an Computer desk it’s much appreciated
Rocky is my Dad's all time favourite movie, i remembered when he introduced me to this movie when i was bout 10(cnt remember) n i LOVED it since then! To make it even better my Best Bro is reacting to it🤗 u brought me back to that wonderful moment when watching with him!
So glad I can help provide that experience!! Definitely a fantastic film
The late John G. Avildsen also directed The Karate Kid (1984). Go watch that if you haven't already.
Yes!!
And “Cobra Kai” is an amazing series.
The Power of One is another decent little flick of his too, with Stephen Dorff, Morgan Freeman and I think the first onscreen role for some young, blond guy called Daniel Craig... or something.
@Boi Chuah Sang Underrated.
@@shiranuiaensland1442 Criminally underrated. One of the best movies ever, in my opinion.
@Boi Chuah Sang: How. Dare. You.
The skating rink scene was supposed to have extras but, they couldn't afford it so, the scene was filmed as if the rink was closing. I feel that it makes the scene more intimate.
Fun fact, Rocky is also a Broadway musical from a few years ago, it was surprisingly faithful and Sylvester was behind the scenes involved.
Being from Pennsylvania, this movie is like a legend in my younger yrs and I love that u loved and appreciated it. It was gritty like Philly yet such a positive outlook on it, u grow up in such disarray yet can accomplish whatever u put ur heart and mind too. Rocky!!!
The day you come out with any type of merch, let "Absolute Legend" be on one of your t shirts
Hahaha I'll make a note of that 😂
@@BrandonLikesMovies maybe with an animated your face with the backwards cap
Though it has it’s weaker entries, I think every movie in the Rocky franchise is worth watching, including the Creed movies.
Especially Creed
@Theo McDonald exactly!
Absolutely!
Even rocky 5? 🤢
CJ Russ I like 5. It isn’t a great movie, but it isn’t horrible either. Worth watching at least once.
Brandon...did u recognize Talia Shire? She was Michael's sister in The Godfather
I never realised that!
shes also Francis ford Coppolas sister
This was one of the first films to have sequences shot using the Steadicam, which created smooth "handheld" tracking shots for the first time without a crane or complex external track rig.
I like the message of this film: winning isn't all about fame and fortune. When Rocky hugged Adrian after the match, he must've felt like he had won at life; gained respect and admiration for those who disliked him, got the girl of his dreams and eventually a son. This was the path upward for him while Apollo recieved less respect and admiration - because all he won was a trophy.
Dunkirk and revenant are some other good movies I think you would like
Seen both!
Brandon Likes Movies ah that’s good I liked them a lot
@@BrandonLikesMovies Then you might like Ravenous.
@@ChildofIcarus Not sure that Ravenous is reaction worthy, but it sure was fun.
@@BrandonLikesMovies Stalag 17 is a great film! Give it a try!
He didnt write it as an actor, he wrote when he was broke and homeless and tried to sell it but only if he could play rocky and no one wanted him to be in it, he even sold his dog before someone said yes. And the first thing he did with the money was buy the his best freind back
Not sure about homeless acrually, but the rest is true
Clockwork Orange
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Deer Hunter
🤞
Yes! I was just going to suggest Cuckoo's Nest.
Oh man especially cuckoo’s nest I forgot how much I love that movie good call
You hear about the new Ratched prequel show comin to Netflix? It's about nurse Ratched starting at the asylum.
The Deer Hunter is such a incredible film and oh so hard to watch!!!!!!
@@jamezguard Oh, wow. I just looked it up and Sarah Paulson is playing her? I'm definitely on board to check that one out. That cast list looks impressive as hell. Watching someone slowly become a monster of the course of a series can make for some fascinating television when done right.
The best part about Rocky is after you've seen it enough to remember every line, you can go back and the scenes will make you cry.
I always loved Rocky.
It doesn't matter if you win or lose. The fact that you tried your best is what is most important.
Fun fact Sylvester Stallone still has those turtles till this day. Also Apocalypto is a good movie if you want to check it out it's on Amazon Prime if you have it.
Woah for real?? That's awesome haha
Yo how long do turtles live damn 😂
Oran Callaghan some turtles/tortoises can live significantly longer than humans!
I confirm, i see Stallone speak about that and see the old turtles :)
Brandon Likes Movies Turtles or tortoises can outlive people
You should totally check out the story making this movie and it’ll be even more impressive! Stallone went through a lot to get it made, without his passion for the project, we’d be down one classic franchise
Adriene is also Connie Corleone from Godfather. And the dude at 6:30 with Rocky, is Willie Chichi from Godfather 2
My father is a great Silvester Stallone fan. This film came in 1976 and I was born in 1995. My father showed this to me in 2005. I still remember chanting " Rocky Rocky Rocky" in the last fight.
The amount of stuff he catches up from the movie just puts a smile on my face...
This is one of my all time favourite movies. Your analysis of this was spot on you don’t have to watch them all, but please do Rocky 2. It’s a back to back movie 1 and 2
Thanks for doing this reaction
Cheers 🍺
Some other 80s classics if you haven’t seen them; Rambo, Terminator,Predator,Robocop,Alien.
Seen all those except Robocop
@@BrandonLikesMovies I think I was just so shocked you hadn't seen Rocky that the rest immediately leapt to mind. Loving the reactions as always my friend.
@@Antycarr haha I get it for sure! And thanks so much Adam! It's been great having you be here on the channel for so long
Field of Dreams.
Brandon Likes Movies you're welcome, thanks for providing great content to get us though this year! If you ever visit Manchester in the UK you have a friend to show you round right here.
Rocky is a masterpiece and a miracle of a movie, for sure one if not my all time favorite movie of all time.
This reaction did rocky justice man, hope to see further rocky reactions.
I agree. I think this movie is a true Masterpiece. From the writing to the cinematography to the bill Conti score (top 5 all time scores) to the acting... just everything. It’s a fucking fantastic film. The scene with Rocky and Mickey in Rocky’s apartment still gets me today.
I watched the Rocky movies like thousand of times. I love working out and I'm a huge boxing fan, these movies inspired me many years ago not just to workout but fight, keep fighting in every situation in life.
The Rocky movies got some good quotes / life lessons it's not just a random boxing movie its more than that. 💪😎
The original Rocky is basically a must watch for anyone who's a true movie fan.
Recomendations:
Movie: Amadues
Series: Band of Brothers
Seconding Band of Brothers
Wow this was a nice little surprise, I’m excited for this
This is the first time watching a reaction to a movie that I haven't seen, still a great watch.
I remember Rocky being on in the background when i was a kid, and i was aware of the cultural significance, but i had no idea it was this good.
Edit: and the background information in the comments was a great suprise aswell, i had no idea Stallone had such an impressive start in the movie industry.
I always liked how when they show Apollo leading up to the fight that he's not taking it seriously at all. The whole thing is nothing more than just a publicity stunt. He'll just play with him for a few rounds then drop him. Then during the fight, when that first punch from Rocky lands, then all of a sudden he finds himself on the floor. His whole expression becomes like a deer caught in headlights, "Where the f*ck did that come from?!" lol.
And also how Rocky knows he won't win, but it doesn't matter. All he wants is to still be standing when the bell rings. So good.
When he says "Because when that bell rings and I'm still standing, then I'll know *for the first time in my life* that I wasn't just another bum from the neighborhood." that also tugged at my heart strings.
The "Apollo can't believe it" moment near the end of the fight might be my single favorite moment in movies.
This is really weird I just put in my favorite Rocky movie (Rocky 2)
American Italian families have seen this a million times!
Sylvester Stallone's knuckles permanently changed when he was hitting the beef in the fridge. They're flat now. I don't know if it was due to it being so cold and the fact that he was hitting something repeatedly, but yeah.
This movie reminds me of Jaws. Imagine Rocky with a different lead actor, or a director who was more flashy than gritty, or if the movie had a different score. This movie has the perfect ingredients and doesn't waste them.
He definitely needs to watch JAWS!
Fun fact: The camera work for Rocky running up the Art Museum steps was possible only because of a style of camera invented specifically for this shot called a "steadycam". Today they would probably use a drone for the same shot but, back then, no camera existed that could get such a shot, so they invented one.
One of the moments in the movie that always struck me was during the fight they show the promoter guy smoking give a look that he realizes Rocky is the real deal and this is a real match. Great movie....script, casting, music, sets/locations, etc all so well done.
When Stallone wrote this script he had no money. He had to sell his dog so he can eat. Hollywood wanted to buy the script off Stallone and use a big name to play Rocky, but Stallone would only sell it if he played Rocky. This was his first film he was in. When Stallone got money from the movie, he bought his dog back, but the owner said he wanted to be in the film and Stallone put him in.
He also got rejected to be in the movie like over 25 times.. and didn’t give in.
@@patinho5589 incredible
Casino is AMAZING too you got to watch it rn
Love this channel. Just curious why haven’t you seen all these great movie before now? Keep up the great work.
One of my favorite, very subtle moments, is when Paulie lifts up the rope for Adrian to let her into the ring at the end. Little moments like that just make this movie so good.
Philly loves an underdog and loves Rocky! Year after year people come to the city to run the "rocky" steps, visit the rocky statue and so many places shown in this movie. ❤️ My city