ROCKY is much more than a boxing movie. Boxing is used as a metaphor for self respect. Neither Rocky nor Adrien has much self worth or respect. They both grow to gain it in this beautifully directed film. It was Bill Conti's first score and the theme ("Gonna Fly Now") has become a standard. The cast has the perfect chemistry. It was made for about 1 million dollars and won best picture, best director (John G. Alvidsen), and best original screenplay. Stallone got the idea from seeing a club fighter, Chuck Weptner, almost go the distance with Ali and also score a knockdown. Stallone wrote the screenplay over 1 weekend. It is THE movie which defines empathy! Stallone knows how to push your emotional buttons! Everybody loves an underdog! It's my all time favorite film.

Too formula, too trite.

I forgot how good Rocky is. It's on today, being Independence Day. Rocky is really a humble guy, a guy with talent who was very close to being a never was if it weren't for a lucky break - Apollo Creed feeling a bit like a good samaritan, or just wanting to get some local publicity, comes to Philadelphia, feels the brotherly love and decides to give a nobody a shot. Still Rocky doesn't want to do it, he's a very simple, humble guy, almost lethargic, hardly passionate about anything. But it grows, people like Paulie and Mickey and Adrian believe in him when he doesn't. Most of the movie's not even really about boxing, it could be about anything, the American dream really. Makes you think about how many never-was's there are out there, because they have the talent but just don't have the drive, and didnt have the people surrounding them who cared enough to push and encourage.

The fact that Sly's character just stands there most of the time and gets his face bashed in...all ifght long and throws in a punch here & there... then completely screws up Apollo ... Ugh.. lol I LOVE the Rocky movies but the more I think about how fake they are.. the more it kinda angers me. Overall I love the underdog concept and how cocky people get that they deserve in the end ;)

Dreadful. First frame to last. Stupid, predictable, cliche-ridden script, murky camerawork, hokey over-choreographed ring scenes, and Stallone is a truly crappy actor. Beside these minor drawbacks, it's a great film that foisted a totally mentally-retarded franchise on those folks with a half brain who were unfortunate enough to witness this ongoing exercise in cinematic debasement. Of course, the slobs and goons love this crap, but, consider the source.

Classic underdog flick.  This is the movie that spawned all those sequels and started Sly's Hollywood career.

Inspiring story and Stallone's best IMO. My only gripe with the Rocky series and much of Hollywood's portrayals of boxing in general is the amount of punches that the hero takes before finally winning the match. Most people that take a beating like that would be dead or at least brain-dead.

I thought this was a very good movie.Sylvester Stallone really CAN act,(although after this role he was given a bunch of dud roles in abysmal "action" movies),and in Rocky,he was superb.Although I am a fan of Boxing,I'm tired of people who refuse to watch this movie because they "hate that sport"- although the main character was a boxer,this movie was about much more than the Ring.It's about hard work,perseverance,and rooting for the "underdog".It's about a human being giving his ALL to achieve his dreams.It's definately worth seeing if you haven't already.

ADRIAN!

One of the best sports movies ever made. This movie almost didn't get made. It was written by at that time and unknown(Sylvester Stallone) and acted by largely a cast of unknowns as well and shot on a very low budget. It was also the first movie to use the steadycam. Yet it won best picture at the 1976 Oscars overcoming all odds..just like Rocky did in the movie. I can totally relate to the character of Rocky, a man so down in life and nobody gives him a chance they look down on him. It's just a movie about overcoming obstacles in life..and even if you don't succeed completely, atleast you went all the way.

rocky 4 might be the best ever.

ive never been a big rocky fan. i just thought they were not all that interesting.i like sylvester stallone but his movies are watchable just not great

It is amazing that this movie fooled so many people into believing that they are watching a realistic and well written and directed movie.I mean, even common sense is slaughtered here.Stallone probably put all his teenage frustrations into this one, and turned it into a hilarious movie.The extra star is for the involuntary humour.Everything is so clichee and boyishly macho that you can't help but wonder what audiences found in this.It is probably an American thing that I don't get,about going forward against any odds, bla, bla,bla,and macho, macho, macho.The dialogue is completely idiotic,and the Rocky's character is completely absurd.The poem in the hospital scene in Rocky II was hilarious.This movie is was probably the main source of inspiration for another crap of the century: Karate Kid 1,2 ,3,4,5.... (and let your imagination run freely).One positive: One of the greatest unvoluntary comedies ever.

Good but not my favorite sports movie.

I'm so glad to see so many positive reviews for Rocky. This is my favorite boxing movie of all time. In January or February of 1976 I was a young boxer training at the Main Street Gym, in Los Angeles, California, when I got a call from my manager/trainer, Mel Epstein, telling me that they were filming a movie about the life of Rocky Marciano at the gym. He asked if I would like to be an extra in the movie. Well, of course I said yes. Well as it turns out, they were not making a Marciano Bio. As the filming got under way, I had a chance to meet Sylvester Stallone, at that time I was not very impressed, since the only other time I had ever seen him was in The Lords of Flatbush. He was not yet the superstar he would later become. Infact he was really an unknown. He was, however a very nice guy. I got a picture with him and I've since had it blown up into an 8 X 10, it's my pride and joy of a long ago time. In case anybody is interested, the scene that I'm in is when Rocky and Mickey are argueing after his gear was removed from his locker and hung on skid row. I'm in the upper right hand corner, in the ring that's on the right of the screen. I'm sparring with Monroe Brooks, who was the California State champ at the time, and a very nice guy, by the way. I'm wearing an off white or tan colored trunks and head gear. Actually these were my Navy Swim trunks. Brooks, I believe, was wearing red trunks. Not that it matters but just for identification only, he's the black guy. (I hate doing that). Burgess Meredith had lunch with Mel (my trainer) and picked his brain for his Mickey character. They filmed at the gym for three days, and I got paid forty dollars a day. I would have done it for free. I was glad to see the movie get an Oscar, and was dissapointed that Stallone did not get the best actor award. It's funny but my kids always tease me, they know I like showing the movie and the picture, whenever someone is over for the first time. I've tried to stop because I think it embaresses them. Rocky was a classic story about an underdog who gets his shot at respect. For all these reasons, Rocky is one of my favorite movies, definetly my favorite boxing movie.

it was the best boxing movie ever!

It had been some time since I watched this movie, and in my last review of it I really trashed it. But I guess the years have done something to me, because this time around I really enjoyed it. Slyvester Stallone was so raw and full of talent during this film that you could almost feel it...the only thing I didn't like about this movie was some of the supporting cast..they just were such extreme overactors that it was almost pathetic...but I now own this movie..and I love watching it on rainy afternoons.....good movie !

The first 2 times I saw this I came out of the theatre shadow boxing (couldn't help it).

An amazing film

I have seen all the rocky films hundreds of times and i still dont get bored watching them it's very hard to say witch rocky is the best many people find the 5th one to be quite crap but that might just be cause there was to many of them i'm sure that if that was the 2nd or 3rd rocky film people wouldnt find it crap. what better story could you ask for but a no name guy to world icon because he went the distance with the champ. when stallone made the film he had got the idea from a Muhammad Ali fight (i cant rember who it was ali fought) but he was inspired because that Ali's apponent was taking so much of a beating and he keep cumming back to fight and avetually knocked the champ down. stallone went home and for three days strait wrote the entier rocky script he even rote the fighting manovers they where going to use. i have heard there's a 6th one comming out i hope it dose aswell as the others.

The Rocky series are my favourite films ever for so many reasons, the acting, the fighting and everything else is all brill! The Rocky series also brought hope to "the little guy" in which they never get a chance (or in Rockys case never got a shot at a decent title) My favourite line of the whole film has to be in RockyIV where Apollo(just b4 his fight)says "i feel like i could eat nails, Stallion!" Rocky replies "I'v seen them snails in the garden but i'v never wanted to eat them"Every time i see that clip i always laugh. After watching every film roughly 30times i still dont know my favourite. Thats how good these films are.I heard a rumour that a RockyVI is on the cards in which Rocky steps back into the ring 1 more time but we all no when Rocky says just one more fight he really means just another 20.Hope the rumour is true.ROCKY! ROCKY! ROCKY! ROCKY!

Best Movies I've ever seen!!!

Great

Good movie. Established Sylvestor Stallone as a good actor and also presented dramas with a lot better outlook.

All of the Rocky Movies were great, I especially liked the 3 one. The are great.

Everyone loves the Italian Stallion. It is a great story of how the underdog can rise up and become the champion of the world, even beating Mr. T and the "Russian."

this is one of those movies I did not want to see but was glad I did. A young man named Rocky who is a boxer. Is chosen to play against Apollo Creed a professional boxer. I loved the fact that this was a movie about the underdog. Sylvester Stallone was very good as Rocky and he wisely showed the human side of Rocky.With his dertimination to work out to be a good boxer. Hs crush on a woman and his dating her.I found myelf realing caring about this character and rooting for him.a very well done movie.

A simple guy with simple goals but who conquered the world...who couldn't like a movie like that whether it's sports or something else?

This was a good movie. I like boxing movies and this is my favorite one. I am also a big fan of Sylvester Stallone.

Gotta see it. It is old but very cool.

Great all time classic. Full of action. It is a bit cheesy to think of Rocky making it, but it gives everyone the feeling of hope for doing and becoming their dreams.

This is one of my favorite movies. I loved the storyline. The fighting is also good. This movie really shaped American culture with the catch phrase "Yo Adrian", and the tough guy image of Rocky.

Great story of triumph and success. Even more amazing that Stallone wrote the screenplay. The best boxing movie I have ever seen.

I still watch Rocky today, so you know it was good when it first came out. Rocky was the best because towards the end he always had style to him.

It's great because it's about a super underdog who gets a break and takes advantage of it. He also gets the chick he wanted.

Greatest boxing movie of all time. The script was originally written by Sylvester Stallone. It shows the outstanding triumph of the human spirit. Stallone had to actually train to box, making the movie that much more awesome.

Rocky is a symbol of underpriviledged America rising up from the depths to overcome all odds and be a champion. Although Rocky doesn't win the fight, he truly is the victor. I've seen this movie over twenty times and I still love it.

Don't like it.

This was the ultimate American hero movie. It had an underdog, love and of course a wonderful ending where the underdog wins. Hurray Rocky!

Written and directed by Sly Stallone it provided an in depth look at the struggle of Italians in the 80's. An epic movie that started the equally epic series.

It's a clsasic movie that Sylvester Stallone will always be famous for. It's one of the all time greatest man movies. Everytime I see it I get all riled up. A classic.

how on earth did this piece of crap get into the top 20?

An absolute classic. Who doesn't get goosebumps during those training scene when that song starts playing, and Sly puts on his game face, and the blue collar residents of Philadelphia rally around him. I mean come on, this is what the movies are all about.

What a fantastic movie! And, amazingly, it was written by Sly himself. Rocky has something for everyone. It has action, there's a good love story, you see the bonds of friendships, and there is a tremendous underdog trying to do the unthinkable. The fight scenes are some of the most realistic in movie history and the cast is wonderful. It seems that Stallone was forever type-cast following Rocky (his portrayal of him in five movies obviously played a role in that), but that doesn't diminish the great job he did in it. Talia Shire, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, and Carl Weathers were also perfectly cast. Rocky is one of the best sports movies of all-time.

Hey Rock..(rocky) What? (driver) Remember what I told you (rocky) Yeah what'd you tell me?...(driver) Take her to the zoo. Poor Rocky eveyone seems to want to take a jab at him one way or another. But don't worry it all turns out in the end,,, he even get the girl! One of the best movies of all time partly, I think, because of it's simplicity. It's just so basic and so good, can you believe Sylvester Stallone actually wrote the whole damn thing?!?!

An American classic - Stallone was at his best.

Rocky is a movie that can motivate even the most unmotivated person to succeed

Rocky is my favorite movie b/c it gives me inspiration for life.