A tale of resilience, hope, and victory in the face of low odds and measly resources, Rocky’s release in 1976 not only revived the American dream but established Rocky Balboa as an enduring icon for almost half a century, and still counting. In a post-Vietnam and post-Watergate America, Rocky’s victory reflected the aspirations of the common man. Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, John G. Avildsen’s Rocky centers on an ordinary man, Rocky Balboa, a small-time Philadelphia boxer and debt collector, who gets an improbable shot at fighting the world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed, in the ringOn the one hand, the movie swept up awards left and right (three Academy Awards in 1978, including Best Picture), and on the other, it became a template for all future sports and action films. Rocky’s success paved the way for eight sequels, under the franchise, each one featuring its own iconic training montage. Yet, the first Rocky's training montage became a blueprint for training scenes across genres. In this article, we’re looking back at the iconic training montage in the first Rocky movie, which has inspired countless other training montages. The Montage The montage opens with Bill Conti’s upbeat “Gonna Fly Now” background music. The day is just breaking. Rocky, in his sweats, jogs down onto the street, warming up before his training. On a steadicam, we follow him as he runs all over Philadelphia. Right after his run, he is at his training, practicing punches, doing one-handed push-ups, pull-ups, and more. His...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Wednesday, 20 August