ROCKY

US, 1976, 119 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl, Weathers, Burgess Meredith.
Directed by John G. Avildsen.

Rocky is excellent popular entertainment, written and acted well by Sylvester Stallone and winning Oscars for Best Film and for John G. Avildsen's Best Director. The plot is the fairytale of the American Dream, opportunity and success for the ordinary man; the boxing background and the squalid New York streets lead the audience into believing that this story of an inarticulate man, his bout with the world heavyweight champion, and his intense training are as real as the people next door. Supporting cast is uniformly excellent and Stallone's dialogue and his build-up to the fight involves the audience totally. Highly entertaining human drama, even for those who dislike boxing.

1. How well did the film deserve its acclaim? Its quality in itself? As a film from America in the Bicentenary year with a bicentenary theme? An optimistic picture of human life and human beings?

2. The contribution of Sylvester Stallone to the film: the quality of his screenplay, of his choreography of the boxing, of his acting style and personality, mannerisms, ticks, way of speaking, special style of communication, helping the audience to view a particular person and his way of life through his eyes?

3. How well did the film blend the human, the social, the boxing world, the American world in general, the atmosphere of optimism?

4. The contribution of the atmosphere of Philadelphia, the people in their ordinary way of life, at work, boxing, loan sharks, kids on the corner, people in pet shops etc.? The particular viewing of Rocky's location with its landscapes, warehouses and factories, building sites, railways, streets? The broadening out for Rocky's training sequences and for locations for his final triumph? The contribution of the musical score: the fanfare at the beginning, throughout Rocky's training, for the final fight? The piano presentation of the theme, the jazz arrangements? The popular songs sung at the street corner? The Rocky theme played throughout the film rising to a chorus through the training and for the ending? Contribution to atmosphere and tone?

5. The film as American: typical American story of achievement and dream? Black and white, the world of migrants, the land of opportunity, the Bicentenary, the response to someone coming up and succeeding, American ballyhoo, especially Apollo Creed at the final fight? Could this story have happened anywhere else? In such a way?

6. The emphasis of the prologue: the focus on the mosaic of Christ, the boxing locale, the details of the fight. the bets. Rocky's win and his money, his talking about the fight with everyone he meets? Mickey's view about his failure even in his success? The training sequences?

7. The importance of the presentation of Rocky in his environment: in his room and its look, his fish and his turtles? His taking the drunk man and putting him next to another as a friend, the street scene and his walk in giving advice to Marie? His relationship with Paulie? His comments to the barman about taking a shot? what did this reveal about Rocky as a person?

8. The contrast with Rocky and his work? As a collector? His attitude towards his work? Seeing him accosting the man for the money and yet not breaking his thumbs as ordered? The insults and the clashes with the chauffeur? The importance of how much money he received from Gazzo? Paulie and his hoping to work for Gazzo?

9. The sequence in the sym and the clash with Mickey when he lost his locker? The comments about his fighting and what he might have been, about his nose -and the significance that his nose was not yet broken?

10. The world of Adrian and the pet shop? Rocky enjoying going in, cracking jokes, friends with the proprietress, with Adrian? The significance of his relationship with Adrian and the fact that each of them had gaps and could communicate? Friendship with Paulie and going home with him? His permission for dating Adrian? The importance of the Thanksgiving evening and Adrian's cooking the turkey, Paulie's bossy behaviour, Adrian hiding in the room and Rocky talking to the door, their going out together and the repercussions?

11. The importance of the skating sequence and Rocky's paying for the use of the rink, their talk and Rocky's revelation of himself to her and to the audience? The return to the apartment, the playing of music, the tentative kiss? What happened to Adrian in her bonds with Rocky? Falling in love and Paulie's reaction and language about their relationship? The repercussions of the fights with Paulie and Adrian's moving in with Rocky? How was she transformed, her clothes, supporting him, especially in the important vigil sequence before the fight, her not watching the fight but coming to him at the end? How rounded a characterisation was that of Adrian? How plausible a character?

12. The world of Apollo Creed and his plans for self-promotion? The world of the promoters? The managers? The offices compared with the Philadelphia slums? Bicentenary celebration and ballyhoo? The plan to give a newcomer a chance? The business side of the fight and its promotion? The basis for the choice of Rocky and his name, Italian background? The glimpse of the business side of the boxing world?

13. TV interviews and Rocky's seeming to be made a fool of? Saying it didn't matter when it did? Adrian and himself watching the television? His greeting Adrian from the television? The importance of the interview in the meat freezer and illustrating his boxing methods?

14. Rocky and his visit to the managers, his reasons for accepting? His reaction to this opportunity and the change in his attitude? The fact that there was a chance to do something more? What did it stir in Rocky?

15. The significance of Mickey's visit and the clash between the two? Rocky telling the truth, Mickey reminiscing about his prime, the amount of truth told between them? The importance of Mickey's dejection as he went down the stairs, Rocky going after him? The significance of their reconciliation and arrangements in long shot? The audience supplying by imagination the bonds between the two?

16. The transition to the strenuous training? At the gym, Mickey's skills? Rocky and his running and not being able to run fast and the contrast with the later triumph in his training? The fanfare, the music, the early rising, the eating of the eggs, going out on to the street and the gathering momentum and the collage of his training? The final triumph at sunrise?

17. Character of Paulie as an ordinary man without chances, wanting to work for the loan shark, bossing around his sister? The love and hate between the two? His idea of promoting Rocky in the freezer? Supplying the robe for the match?

18. The significance of the vigil sequence and Rocky's fears and anticipation? His going to the ring, his meeting the manager, the determination to go the fifteen rounds?

19. The solemn night vigil? And then the real night? The dressing room, the prayer, Adrian and his being ready?

20. The contrast with Apollo Creed and the showing off and the George Washington tableau?

21. How well filmed was the fight, the determination and desperate nature of the fight? Creed and his skills, Rocky and his staying? The piercing of his eye? Attacking Creed's ribs, getting advice to lie down? The passing of the rounds? Where were audience sympathies and why?

22. Rocky's final achievement in staying the fifteen rounds? His calling to Adrian and her coming? His not wanting a re-match but just to have achieved staying with the champion?

23. How much was communicated about human nature via this film's story? As a fable about opportunity and an optimistic view of human nature?