Rocky III

Last updated
Rocky III
Rocky iii poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Written bySylvester Stallone
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Bill Butler
Edited by
Music by Bill Conti
Production
companies
Distributed by MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
Release date
  • May 28, 1982 (1982-05-28)(United States)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$17 million [1]
Box office$270 million [2]

Rocky III is a 1982 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. [3] The film is the sequel to Rocky II (1979) and the third installment in the Rocky film series. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. In the film, Rocky Balboa (Stallone) faces stiff competition from Clubber Lang (Mr. T), a powerful new contender, and turns to his old adversary Apollo Creed (Weathers) to help him train.

Contents

Development of the film began soon after the release of its predecessor. Stallone began a strict diet and workout regimen in preparation for Rocky III. Despite the returns of the original cast being secured quickly, casting for Lang proved difficult, with real boxers Joe Frazier and Earnie Shavers attached to the project at various points. Mr. T was hired in 1981 after appearing on the television series Games People Play and the film is considered his breakthrough role. Rocky III is the first film in the franchise not solely distributed by United Artists, due to the company's merger with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1981.

Rocky III was released in the United States on May 28, 1982, by MGM/UA Entertainment Co. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its action sequences and music but criticism for its screenplay, with some critics deeming the film unnecessary. Retrospective reviews have been more positive and the movie gained a strong cult following. [4] [5] [6] [7] Rocky III grossed $270 million worldwide, surpassing its predecessors to become the then-highest grossing film in the franchise, and the fourth highest grossing film at the domestic box office and the second highest grossing film of 1982 worldwide. Its theme song, "Eye of the Tiger", became a hit single and received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 55th Academy Awards. The sequel, Rocky IV , was released in 1985.

Plot

In 1981, five years after winning the world heavyweight championship against Apollo Creed, Rocky Balboa has had a string of ten successful title defenses and his fame, wealth, and celebrity profile have increased. Rocky's manager, Mickey Goldmill, worriedly eyes a young and powerful contender rapidly rising through the ranks, James "Clubber" Lang. While unveiling a statue of himself at the stairway by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rocky begins to announce his retirement, but is cut short when Lang, now the number-one contender, publicly challenges him. Lang accuses Rocky of intentionally accepting challenges from lesser opponents and goads Rocky into accepting his fight for the title.

Mickey initially wants no part of it; pressed by Rocky, Mickey confesses that he handpicked the opponents for Rocky's title defenses in order to spare him from another beating of the kind that Creed gave him in their rematch. He explains that Lang is young, powerful, and "hungry"; by contrast Rocky is "civilized" and no longer has the stamina and strength to fight a boxer of Lang's caliber. Rocky, shattered by the realization that all of his fights have been stacked in his favor, convinces Mickey to work with him for one last fight. Despite his promise to Mickey to "live in the gym", Rocky insists on allowing the public to watch him train in a crowded hotel ballroom filled with distractions. In contrast, Lang trains alone with ruthless determination and vigor.

Lang and Rocky meet at Philadelphia's Spectrum on August 15, 1981. Pandemonium erupts backstage as Mickey is violently shoved by Lang, resulting in a heart attack (Mickey had a heart issue earlier in the film during Rocky's charity fight with pro wrestler Thunderlips). Distraught, Rocky wants to call the match off, but Mickey urges him on while he receives medical care in the dressing room. Rocky's lack of preparation is worsened by his concern for Mickey, preventing him from fully concentrating on the fight. The match begins with Rocky pounding Lang with several huge blows, looking for an early knockout, but Lang quickly recovers and takes charge, dominating Rocky and finishing him off with a haymaker left hook in the second round, winning the world heavyweight championship. After the match, Rocky tells a dying Mickey that the match ended in a second round knockout without saying who the victor was. Mickey tells Rocky, "I love ya, kid", and dies. Rocky, lapsing into severe depression, mourns over Mickey's death.

Stopping by Mickey's closed gym, the forlorn Rocky encounters his former rival, Apollo Creed, who witnessed the match as a guest analyst. Apollo offers to help train Rocky for a rematch against Lang in exchange for a future favor, which Rocky accepts. Apollo then takes Rocky to the gym where he once trained, Tough Gym in Los Angeles. Apollo becomes frustrated by Rocky's lack of effort, as the latter is still haunted by nightmares of Lang and unable to train without Mickey by his side. However, Rocky regains his focus after Adrian helps him come to terms with Mickey's death. Apollo and his manager, Tony "Duke" Evers, infuse Rocky's undisciplined brawling style with more of Apollo's trademark footwork, skill and speed, rebuilding him into a more complete fighter. During the training process, Apollo and Rocky become close friends.

After months of training, the rematch takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Apollo lends Rocky the American flag trunks that he wore during their first match. At the outset of the match, Rocky sprints from his corner, battering Lang with a level of skill and spirit that no one ever expected. Rocky completely dominates the first round, leaving Lang enraged and bewildered after the bell. Lang gains the upper hand in the second round, and Rocky adopts an entirely different strategy that angers and confuses Apollo by intentionally taking a beating from Lang, even getting knocked down twice, all the while taunting Lang that he cannot knock him out. By the third round, Lang, who is used to winning matches swiftly with knockouts in the early rounds, loses his temper and starts throwing punches wildly as Rocky taunts him, gradually running out of stamina. With Lang rattled and vulnerable, Rocky strikes back with a flurry of punches, culminating in a brutal knockout to reclaim the heavyweight championship.

Afterwards, Rocky fulfills Apollo's favor: a third, private rematch with him at Mighty Mick's Gym. The film concludes without showing the result, [N 1] but freezes into an oil painting of two boxers simultaneously throwing the first punch, showing two equally skilled athletes facing each other not as rivals, but as friends.

Cast

In addition to the main cast several others had cameo appearances. Bill Baldwin and Stu Nahan returned as the fight commentators for the two Rocky-Lang fights. Veteran ring announcer Jimmy Lennon was the ring announcer for the first Lang fight, while boxing judge Marty Denkin was the referee. Lou Filippo returned for his third appearance as a referee during the second Lang fight. Dennis James ( Price Is Right ) and Jim Healy appeared as the commentators for the Rocky–Thunderlips match, while LeRoy Neiman was the guest ring announcer. Jim Hill was a TV announcer. A then-unknown Morgan Freeman auditioned unsuccessfully for the role of Lang's trainer. Footage of Stallone's guest appearance on The Muppet Show was incorporated in the opening sequence, with Jim Henson dubbing Kermit the Frog's announcement that the episode's guest was Rocky Balboa, rather than Stallone.

Production

Development and writing

For the role of Clubber Lang, two real world-class heavyweight boxers were first considered: Joe Frazier and Earnie Shavers. Both were about the same height as Sylvester Stallone and had the powerful physique he was looking for, but, according to casting director Rhonda Young, Frazier had a stuttering problem, while Shavers had a high-pitched voice which would have undermined the character's menacing presence. After looking far and wide (even going to prisons in the hope of finding a suitable antagonist), Rhonda Young stumbled upon a television program on NBC, America's Toughest Bouncer , showcasing a sports competition, and was mesmerized by the winner's physical prowess as well as his charisma. She then called the producer, Don Ohlmeyer, to ask him about "the man with the mohawk". It turned out that not only was Mr. T a perfect fit, but he also proved tremendously determined to give the best possible performance right from the first screen test, for what would be his breakout role. [8]

In preparation for the film, Stallone claims to have got his body fat percentage down to his all-time low of 2.6% and weighed 155 lbs. He stated that he ate only ten egg whites and a piece of toast a day, having a fruit every third day. His training consisted of a two-mile jog in the morning followed by two hours of weight training, a nap during the afternoon followed by 18 rounds of sparring, another weight training session, and finishing the day with a swim. [9]

Music

Soundtrack

  1. ↑ In the 2015 film Creed , Rocky reveals that Apollo won the fight.

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References

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Rocky III: Original Motion Picture Score
Rocky III Soundtrack.png
Soundtrack album by
Bill Conti
ReleasedMarch 9, 1982 [10]
Genre AOR, pop rock
Length32:00
Label Liberty
Rocky soundtrack chronology
Rocky II
(1979)		Rocky III
(1982)		 Rocky IV
(1985)
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