Heroes were in short supply.
Even pop culture reflected it. Punk rock channeled young people’s frustrations and cynicism ruled the box office through films such as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “All the President’s Men,” “Network” and “Taxi Driver;” the latter three became ’76 Best Picture nominees. Even sports films followed, with the crude but funny “The Bad News Bears.”
What should’ve been dismissed as a timeworn and cliched sports story about the classic underdog instead showed the American Dream was still alive.
A relatively unknown lug of an actor named Sylvester Stallone played a loser boxer who gets his shot at the big time, taking on a loud-mouthed, thinly disguised version of Muhammad Ali. What resulted played out in real life as well as onscreen as audiences embraced “Rocky.”
Not only was “Rocky” the highest-grossing film of the year, it surprisingly won the Oscar for Best Picture and became one of the top film franchises of its era, spawning five sequels and a spinoff, 2015’s “Creed.”
While each succeeding “Rocky” film had its moments, there’s something about the simplicity, innocence and simple storytelling that’s kept the original fresh as it was in the Bicentennial year. Ask most people what “Rocky” is about and the majority will likely call it a boxing movie. While there’s boxing, it’s as much about love, loneliness, friendship, spirit, guts and about everything besides sports.
Whereas the sequels were more about flash and loud music, the original was a lot of quiet moments — including Rocky’s post-fight cigarette with fellow pug Spider Rico, his awkward connections with wannabe girlfriend Adrian, love-hate relationship with trainer Mickey and awkward reactions to his sudden attention.
And when it did get loud, it worked. “Gonna Fly Now” was one of the most pumped-up workout anthems of all time. Admit it, you’ve run up a flight of steps humming the song and thrown up your arms like you were the Italian Stallion.
The fanfare with the championship belt starting each “Rocky” film can be as much of a rush as the James Bond theme and gun barrel at the beginning of a 007 flick.
I grew up with the series. My friends and I thrilled each time one of the films were on TV. We piled into the car to see the sequels and shadow-boxed in the dark as Rocky took on his opponents.
The enthusiasm waned by “Rocky IV,” when Rocky gives his post-fight speech to Russians about how “Youse can change, we can all change!” all while having a couple of cuts and bruises on his face. All I could think about was how in that first film his face looked like one of the sides of beef he hit while training.
“Rocky Balboa” and “Creed” recaptured a lot of that early raw, storytelling and excitement. Almost a year later, I still think Stallone was robbed of an Oscar for “Creed.” I still can’t recall the guy who beat him or his film.
But isn’t that like Rocky? Win or lose on the scorecard, there’s still a victory in there somewhere.
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