2008 Woodie Awards
The devolution of Rocky
Peter Ruble
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Rocky is perhaps one of the greatest heroes of American cinema. His story is one that almost anybody can relate to: a man from the wrong side of the tracks believes in himself and ultimately overcomes adversity, leaving a legacy of a self-described "bum from the docks" who gets to the top by tenacity and guts alone.
Rockius Awesomest
Rocky
In the film, World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Apollo Creed arrives in Philadelphia for his upcoming title fight at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Creed’s match, billed as part of the 1976 United States bicentennial celebration, is jeopardized when the top contender sustains a hand injury.
Creed, not wanting to call the fight, decides he wants a novelty in the form of a local unknown. After looking through the pages of a book of Philadelphia fighters, his eyes are lured by Rocky’s nickname, "the Italian Stallion." Creed’s marketing angle is that the bout will now feature a descendant of the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.
Little does Creed know, he has just made the worst mistake of his life. Despite Balboa’s modest boxing record, he proves he can sure take a beating as he becomes the first fighter to go the distance with Creed. An American icon is born.
Rockius Rehashius
Rocky II
Rockius Pityfoolicus
Rocky III
While trying to retire at a ceremony at the Philadelphia Spectrum, an angry, fierce young fighter from Chicago named Clubber Lange (played brilliantly by Mr. T.), stirs up the warrior in Rocky by insulting his pride and manhood.
Rocky’s trainer Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith) remembers the devastating power of Lange from seeing him fight in person. He warns Rocky to stay away from this "Wrecking Machine".
Rather than ride off into the sunset, he agrees to a bout with Lange. This also leads to the death of Rocky’s trainer, as Mickey succumbs to a pre-fight heart attack. A shaken Rocky ends up getting clubbed by Lange for a technical knockout. Former champion Creed volunteers to train Rocky to regain "the eye of the tiger" and his belt, with a rematch. It works, as Lange accepts the challenge and is pummeled into submission by an ultra-ripped version of the Italian Stallion.
Rockius DaStupididus
Rocky IV
As Rocky trains in Russia by running through the snow and carrying sleds, Drago gets hypodermically juiced up and works out with computerized monitoring devices connected to him by probes. Wonder who’s going to win this fight. With Rocky IV, the saga was lowered to the level of gimmickry. The film becomes downright painful as Rocky concludes the movie with a slurred political speech about the importance of U.S. and Soviet relations.
Rockius Givusabreaki
Rocky V
Rocky ends up getting the old flames going again after he meets, and eventually adopts a young up-and-coming fighter named Tommy Gunn (played by the real life professional heavyweight boxer Tommy Morrison).
A promoter very much in the mold of Don King ends up luring Gunn to greener pastures, creating friction with Rocky, and eventually leads to a rematch between the young punk and the wise old fighter who gives the kid a thorough boxing education.
Rockius Redeemus
Rocky Balboa
After a nationally televised computerized fight simulator shows the 60ish Balboa beating the current heavyweight champion, the lure of one more pay day in an exhibition fight proves to be too much for the current young heavy weight champion’s brass not to pursue.
To train for the fight, Balboa brings back some of his tricks from the 1970s such as drinking raw eggs and jogging in thick sweats with a mangy dog.
Not taking the fight seriously, the young fighter slacks off on his training and learns the hard way that even if Rocky is an old geezer, knocking him out is about as easy as knocking out a huge chunk of granite.
(Rocky VI) - 2006 - The latest installment of Rocky pretty much encapsulates his entire evolution. Most of it involves some poignant and occasionally drunken reflections on the past with his best friend Pauly, who is also Adrian’s brother. Although Adrian, played by Talia Shire in Rocky I through V is absent in this film, she is remembered and honored by Rocky’s new restaurant named Adrian’s. - 1990 - The evolutionary process reverses. Rocky’s fortune is squandered by bad investments and he has to move back into his flea bag apartment with Adrian and their son, played by Stallone’s real life son. - 1985 - If only these guys would just retire. A thoroughly washed up Apollo Creed decides to mix it up with the freakish and genetically engineered Ivan Drago of the Soviet Union. This decision proves fatal for Creed and catapults Rocky into the ring for an East vs. West World title bout to seek retribution against Drago. - 1982 - Rocky reaches the pinnacle of his evolution, and profession. With 10 title defenses and multi-million dollar endorsement deals, Rocky becomes a 80s celebrity. - 1979 - Going against his own words at the end of the first fight, "there aint gonna be no rematch," Creed does his best to goad the Italian Stallion back into the ring and pays the price with his championship belt in a thrilling double knockout. Rocky, now officially the World Heavyweight Champion marries his girlfriend Adrian, a former pet shop employee. Finally, he is able to ditch his day job as a leg breaker and embarks on new challenges, like learning to read. - 1976 - A film classic penned by Sylvester Stallone and winner of the 1976 Academy Award for best picture. The main character, Rocky Balboa (named after Balboa street where Stallone once lived), is a leg breaker and raw-egg-guzzling part-time club fighter from the Philadelphia docks.
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