Rocky Balboa - The Early Years: Part I

With the release of Rocky Balboa in the UK on 19 January, I thought I’d take a look at the five preceding films. Yes, believe it or not, Rocky Balboa is the sixth.

Seems like a lot doesn’t it? Well the original was released in 1976 and won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film editing as well as seven other nominations including two for Sylvester Stallone as writer and actor. So it must be a good film?

Well it is, but it’s not as good as I remember. Don’t get me wrong, Sly is fantastic in it, the story seems predictable but isn’t, the supporting actors are great and it has a gritty, realistic feel which is lacking from the later ‘Rockys’. It’s just that it’s a product of it’s time. Admittedly I was watching it on VHS so the picture quality was poor, but it’s more the pacing than the picture. It was a lot slower than I remember and I found myself crying out for the training montage (see below for the video). It’s probably the best bit in the film (apart from the end), when he jumps up those last steps with ease you can’t help but smile. [Read more]

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