Sylvester Stallone never meant for Rocky to be a Karate Kid like underdog story, although it certainly had elements of that. No, he always meant for it to be a love story. You know Rocky and Adrian. Funny thing though, millions and millions of fans from the U.S. and around the world fell in love with Robert "Rocky" Balboa, including me.
Rocky III was my introduction to the series. I was a young boy and remember my mother and father taking me to the third in this series of movies. Back then, a night at the movies was a VERY BIG deal. We weren't poor, but a night at the movies only happened once or twice a year, so I was a little more than excited. I still get goosebumps thinking about the first time I heard that Bill Conti score kick in as the title flew in from the left. Wow, I'm getting goosebumps now. I remember crying like a little baby when Mick died. Yes, I'm tearing up just a little now and I remember cheering like a school girl (along with nearly everyone else in the theater) when Rocky overcame all the odds and punished that mean 'ol Clubber Lang into the mat. "Rocky, Rocky, Rocky." Remember when people actually showed emotion at the theater?
After that, I just knew I had to see what I had been missing. What happened in the first two movies? How would I ever know? Well, I just happened to be in luck. Mom and dad had finally saved up enough money to purchase one of those "Video Cassette Recorders." There was this place in the city where you could go and rent movies that had recently been at the movie theater and you could actually watch them in the comfort of your own home. What a concept!I then had the opportunity to watch Rocky I and Rocky II. Wow! That's all I can say. As a kid, I loved the action, but I knew even then that these movies were not just about the action in the ring, but something much deeper. At the time I wasn't sure what it was, but I thought it had something to do with that word L O V E.
My interpretation of this character Stallone brought to life known as Rocky was that he was just a nobody, from no where, who just had this incredibly huge heart. A heart that just wanted someone to love it as much as it loved them. Rocky found that love in Adrian. A shy, quiet girl who was a complete 180 from the larger than life Balboa. Yet, she knew, much like I did, although, like me she wasn't sure in the beginning what it was. We all know now, don't we?
Last night I once again went to the movies and viewed the last in Rocky series titled Rocky Balboa. I will discuss the movie in detail in a later post, as this post is just about saying goodbye. Stallone was right, Rocky V just didn't seem like the end, although it certainly looked like and was billed as the last one. It just didn't sit well with me or the millions of other fans I spoke about earlier. As I left the theater last night, with JM, my absolute best friend in the world, I was just a little bit sad. Rocky Balboa met all my expectations. Almost too well, as this one felt like THE end. The end of Rocky (not literally) and the end of an era. I guess we're just getting older, much like Rock, but we still have heart. Isn't that what it's all about? Life that is. Don't you always think about the good old days and think "I got one more good...," whatever, fill in the blank, left in me. That's what Rocky Balboa is all about.
Sly, I want to say Thanks. Thanks for Rocky and thanks for not letting Rocky V be the end. Thanks for giving us that grew up with you one last hooray. Thanks for the memories, we will always love you and for the last time - "Goodbye." It WAS worth the ride.
One last thing to my pal JM - "Yo, we did it, we did it!"
That's Nice. MH
Originally posted December 22, 2006 at http://jmhentertainment.blogspot.com/
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