Movement Review

Training montages help a lot when it comes to creating the best camera movement. With Rocky that’s exactly what we get. Running through the city of Philadelphia allowed for great camera movement with cranes, dollies, and hand held. As rocky runs through the city we get to see all these great camera movements utilized. Being side by side while Rocky gets ready for the biggest fight of his life is a great feeling but when we get in the ring with Rocky and Apollo we get to see what it’s like to fight the greatest.

            Close up shots are used a lot during fight sequences and the slight movement of the camera lets us feel like the fighter in the ring. For a brief moment in time we get to feel like Rocky Balboa. We also get to feel like we are the coaches at ringside moving back and forth as the fighters move around the ring. My personal favorite is the slow motion shots incorporated during the fight. We get to see and feel the moment of impact as the arms and fists cut across the screen.

            Camera movement is a big deal in action movies. But in a closed quarters fight it’s even more important to make the viewer feel like they are involved in the fight. From the training to the actual fight we get to be moving around with Rocky as he tries to go the distance.

Rocky Sound Review

In 1977, Rocky was Oscar nominated for best sound. The scenes in Rocky are accompanied by different types of sounds. For example, when Rocky is down the background music makes you feel how he feels. When Rocky is more upbeat, the music reflects that. Then when the training sessions begin, the viewer is about to jump up out of their seats and train with Rocky because the music gave them a heads up.

            The main theme of rocky is song, “Gonna Fly Now” composed by Bill Conti. This song was such a hit that it made it to the top of Billboard magazine Hot 100 list! Other classic songs have made it through Rocky and are iconic whenever they are heard.

            Not only is the score for the film iconic and can stand alone. But the sounds of the punches, the fighters and the crowd are all in affect at the end of the film. The sound effects were placed very accurately during the fight sequences and were made to be louder than normal for the “ooh aah!” affect. The audience was meant to feel those punches to really get behind Rocky. Also the fighters and all the sniffling and heavy breathing was very accurate and played up for the viewer.

            They didn’t have enough extras to stand in for the crowd during the final fight. They had cut in extras from other actual fights and used other audience’s cheers and doubled over their won to get the “Rocky!” chants accurate.

Rocky Editing Review

In 1977, Rocky won an Oscar for best film editing. It won this because of the precise timing of cuts and keeping what needed to be kept. Richard Halsey and Scott Conrad were the editors in charge of Rocky. They brought feeling to all the scenes in Rocky but the most famous edits in the film come from the training montages and the actual boxing match scenes.

            When it comes to Rocky’s famous run Richard and Scott were able to give us a look at Philadelphia as a whole. But truly how far did he run? It was calculated that the run totaled 30.61 miles! Honestly, it’s not impossible to run that far but I don’t think Rocky was able to run that far that quickly. That’s the beauty of Richard and Scott’s editing! They were able to fool an audience who hasn’t been to the city of Philadelphia! After all isn’t editing just making the audience think a certain way? Never the less, as an audience member we were able to feel that Rocky ran very far in his morning runs. But did he actually run that far? No.

            The boxing matches are some of the best in cinematic history for the way they were put together. Scott had looked at over 14 hrs of film before making a single cut! He also says that he went through it about 3 times before making an edit so he would know how the boxing scene needed to be told. The boxing match between Rocky and Apollo has many cuts in it but they all flow together easily. From a single punch being thrown in slow motion, to the same punch at a different angle continued in slow motion. To a constant back and forth and the chaos that is a boxing match.

            The cutting in the boxing match really gets the audience members on board with the match seeming like an actual boxing match! It adds to the suspense of who will win in the fight and having cuts to Adrian, Paulie, and everyone else to see how they cringe at the strikes being thrown makes the audience cringe with them.

            In the end of the film, you will be so enthralled and please with the boxing match you will find yourself standing and cheering as if you are there in the arena with them.

Rocky Mise En Scene Review

In this picture we see Rocky standing atop stairs leading to the Philadelphia Museum of art. He holds his hands up in victory for completing his morning run as part of his training to fight Apollo Creed. Rocky and the Washington Monument fountain both face the city of Philadelphia. We are also placed behind Rocky letting us see what Rocky sees. But this placement is a way of Rocky, and his importance, looking over the great city.

When looking at this picture the first thing we notice is Rocky has a full shot in the camera and is almost centered. Being in this position Rocky has plenty of room to run around. We could even see him run back if he chose to and we wouldn’t lose sight of him until the fog got too thick. The low key lighting used in this picture lets us know how early in the morning it is and the blue tint lets us feel the morning dew along with the cold.

Having such an open frame in here makes us want to look around. We are able to see the trees in the parks. Cars driving up and down the road, the office buildings, and the sun breaking through the clouds. This is one of, if not, the most iconic scene from all the Rocky films. The Mise En Scene used in this frame captures everything you need to know what this movie is about.

Rocky Photography Review

Through the slums to the big city of Philadelphia, James Crabe takes us through it all. James Crabe was the director of photography of the film. Throughout he captures the emotion of the characters in each picture. He was able to keep each scene consistent with the next to create a beautiful and easy to watch film.

            He gets you to feel how dirty the gyms are with the spit buckets. He lets you feel the movement of rocky walking down the street bouncing his ball. He brings you in close and gets you to look at yourself in the mirror when you’re mad. Finally, he takes us through Philly’s city, parks, and monuments so the viewer can stand side by side with rocky as he looks to go the distance with Apollo Creed.

Rocky Acting Review

Sylvester Stallone did not become a star until his role in Rocky. He took a big chance on not selling his script if he wasn’t the lead but it paid off in the end. When Carl Weathers began auditioning he spared with Sylvester Stallone and hit him on the chin. Carl said if he was sparing with a real actor it would be better. Carl found out that Stallone was the lead and said, “Well, maybe he’ll get better”. After that Carl Weathers became Apollo Creed.

            Due to Stallone having written Rocky, he was able to collaborate with the director of the film to get spots Stallone felt was needed. Such as when Rocky tells Adrian all of his fears before his big fight. The director wasn’t going to do it but Stallone convinced him they needed it.

            The acting in the film comes across as very real. The film is very simple with nothing to flashy but really hits home for most viewers because they can relate. Sylvester Stallone only had a little over $100 in his bank account before he sold the script. He was able to relate with Rocky on having hard times and reaching the American dream. 

Rocky Ideology Review

Rocky is clearly set as the good guy in the movie. Although he is a collector for a loan shark, he tries to take it easy on the guys and doesn’t break their fingers. Sylvester Stallone wrote and produced Rocky. When writing the film he saw himself being the lead. He refused to sell the script unless he was going to be Rocky. With that mindset he knew exactly who Rocky needed to be.

The overall tone of the film is serious. It portrays a normal guy in the slums of Philadelphia and it slowly picks up through the training montages all the way to the final fight scene between Rocky and Apollo Creed.

            The costumes did have some ideological weight to them. Rocky, being a big Italian guy, almost greaser like, had all black on with a leather jacket. Apollo Creed would always wear nice suits and clothing to show how much higher he was above rocky money wise. At the end, the boxing ring was decorated to match the American flag to show that Rocky was given a chance to reach the American dream.

            Throughout the film, there is only one woman who has a significant role. Adrian, who is Rocky’s love interest and Paulie’s little sister. At the start of the film she is portrayed as almost helpless and incredibly shy. Until her and Rocky get to spend some time together she doesn’t talk much. But she begins to stand up for herself when Paulie yells at her for not taking care of him.