Rocky III

Rocky IIIis a 1982 Americansportsdrama filmwritten, directed by, and starringSylvester Stallone.The film is the sequel toRocky II(1979) and the third installment in theRockyfilm series.It also starsTalia Shire,Burt Young,Carl Weathers,andBurgess Meredith.In the film,Rocky Balboa(Stallone) faces stiff competition fromClubber Lang(Mr. T), a powerful new contender, and turns to his old adversaryApollo Creed(Weathers) to help him train.

Rocky III
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sylvester Stallone
Written by	Sylvester Stallone
Produced by	Irwin Winkler Robert Chartoff
Starring	Sylvester Stallone Talia Shire Burt Young Carl Weathers Burgess Meredith
Cinematography	Bill Butler
Edited by	Don Zimmerman Mark Warner
Music by	Bill Conti
Production companies	United Artists Chartoff-Winkler Productions
Distributed by	MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
Release date	May 28, 1982(1982-05-28)(United States)
Running time	100 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$17 million
Box office	$270 million

Development of the film began soon after the release of its predecessor. Stallone began a strict diet and workout regimen in preparation forRocky III.Despite the returns of the original cast being secured quickly, casting for Lang proved difficult, with real boxersJoe FrazierandEarnie Shaversattached to the project at various points.Mr. Twas hired in 1981 after appearing on the television seriesGames People Playand the film is considered hisbreakthrough role.Rocky IIIis the first film in the franchise not solely distributed byUnited Artists,due to the company's merger withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer(MGM) in 1981.

Rocky IIIwas released in the United States on May 28, 1982, byMGM/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.Rocky IIIgrossed $270 million worldwide, surpassing its predecessors to become the then-highest grossing film in the franchise, and the fourthhighest grossing film at the domestic box officeand the second highest grossing film of 1982 worldwide. Itstheme song,"Eye of the Tiger",became ahit singleand received a nomination forBest Original Songat the55th Academy Awards.The sequel,Rocky IV,was released in 1985.

Plot

In 1981, five years afterwinning the world heavyweight championshipagainstApollo Creed,Rocky Balboahas 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 thestairway 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'sSpectrumon 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 inLos 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 atMadison Square GardeninNew York City.Apollo lends Rocky theAmerican flagtrunks 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 byintentionally 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,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

Main article:List of Rocky characters

• Sylvester StalloneasRobert "Rocky" Balboa,"The Italian Stallion": the heavyweight champion of the world who continues to defend his title against other fighters. When Lang challenges Rocky and wins, the public cries for a rematch. As Rocky is reluctant following Mickey's death, former rival, Apollo Creed, befriends and trains The Italian Stallion in his preparation to take on Clubber Lang.
• Talia ShireasAdrian Pennino Balboa:Rocky's wife and supporter throughout his boxing career.
• Burt YoungasPaulie Pennino:Rocky's best friend and brother-in-law.
• Carl WeathersasApollo Creed:The former Heavyweight Champion and Rocky's former arch-rival, who agrees to train him after the death of Mickey. In the process, the two become very close friends.
• Burgess MeredithasMichael "Mickey" Goldmill:Rocky's friend, manager, and trainer, who unexpectedly dies; a former bantamweight fighter from the 1920s and the owner of the boxing gym where Rocky trained for his first fight against Apollo.
• Tony BurtonasTony "Duke" Evers:Apollo Creed's father figure, friend, trainer, and manager, who helps Apollo train Rocky.
• Mr. TasJames "Clubber" Lang:The underdog challenger who beats Rocky in a championship fight, amidst the unexpected death of Mickey. The public's general dislike and lack of respect for him as the Heavyweight Champion of the World leads to a rematch with Rocky. Orphaned at an early age, Lang spent most of his childhood on the streets of Chicago's South Side as well as spending time in orphanages and juvenile facilities. As an adult, Clubber was sent to prison for five years for one count of a felony and/or assault charge. While serving his sentence, he discovered his talent as a boxer. Boxing was a way to let out his frustration, which led to the events ofRocky III.
• Ina FriedasRobert "Rocky" Balboa, Jr.:Rocky and Adrian's only child.
• Hulk Hoganas"Thunderlips":The current world wrestling champion, who fights Rocky in an exhibition charity event.

In addition to the main cast several others hadcameo appearances.Bill Baldwin andStu Nahanreturned as the fight commentators for the two Rocky-Lang fights. Veteran ring announcerJimmy Lennonwas the ring announcer for the first Lang fight, while boxing judge Marty Denkin was the referee.Lou Filipporeturned for his third appearance as a referee during the second Lang fight.Dennis James(Price Is Right) andJim Healyappeared as the commentators for the Rocky–Thunderlips match, whileLeRoy Neimanwas the guest ring announcer.Jim Hillwas a TV announcer. A then-unknownMorgan Freemanauditioned unsuccessfully for the role of Lang's trainer. Footage of Stallone's guest appearance onThe Muppet Showwas incorporated in the opening sequence, withJim HensondubbingKermit 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 FrazierandEarnie 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 firstscreen test,for what would be hisbreakout role.

In preparation for the film, Stallone claims to have got hisbody fat percentagedown 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.

Music

Soundtrack

Rocky III: Original Motion Picture Score
Soundtrack albumby Bill Conti
Released	June 14, 1982
Genre	AOR,pop rock
Length	32:00
Label	Liberty
Rockysoundtrack chronology
Rocky II (1979) Rocky III (1982) Rocky IV (1985)
SinglesfromRocky III
"Eye of the Tiger" Released: May 1982

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

1. "Eye of the Tiger"(bySurvivor) – 3:53
2. "Take You Back (Tough Gym)" – 1:48
3. "Pushin'" – 3:10
4. "Decision" – 3:20
5. "Mickey" – 4:42
6. "Take You Back" – 3:37
7. "Reflections" – 2:05
8. "Gonna Fly Now"– 2:52
9. "Adrian" – 1:42
10. "Conquest" – 4:40

Personnel

• Frank Stallone– vocals (2, 3, 6)
• DeEtta Little, Nelson Pigford – vocals (8)
• Mike Lang – piano (5)
• Ray Pizzi – saxophone (3)
• Jerry Hey– trumpet (3)
• Vincent DeRosa– French horn (5)
• Henry Sigismonti – brass
• Rich Perissi – brass
• Arthur Maebe– brass
• Dave Duke – brass
• Paul Neuffer – brass

The version of "Eye of the Tiger" that appears in the film is actually a demo—the "finished" version is what appears on the soundtrack. Also missing from the soundtrack is the instrumental version of the song played when Rocky is training in Apollo's old gym.

A re-release Rocky III: Original Motion Picture Score CD was released on July 23, 1996

Chart positions

Chart (1982)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	13
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	36
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)	5
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	9
USBillboard200	15

Reception

Box office

Rocky IIIwas an enormous box office success and surpassed the gross of its predecessor.The film grossed $16,015,408 in its opening weekendand earned $125,049,125 during its North American theatrical run,becoming thefourth highest-grossing filmof 1982;its worldwide box-office earnings stand at around $270 million.Roger EbertandGene Siskelattributed the film's success to the positive reaction from critics and audiences towardsRocky IIand the production team's "quality control"of that film. Siskel stated" if you want a hugely successful series, then make sure that the second one is a winner. "

Critical response

Rocky IIIholds a score of 66% rating on review aggregatorRotten Tomatoesbased on 44 reviews, with an average of 5.7/10. The film's consensus reads, "It's noticeably subject to the law of diminishing returns, butRocky IIIstill has enough brawny spectacle to stand in the ring with the franchise's better entries ".OnMetacritic,the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 based on reviews from 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".The film is one of the few which has received the rare A+ grade from audiences surveyed byCinemaScore.

Gene Siskelgave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four and wrote, "Sorry to say this, but there's not anything new inRocky III,and we sit there wondering why it exists. "He added that" we see nothing new about Rocky's character, except that the tender side of his soul, which made him so appealing, is now virtually missing. Rocky Balboa inRocky IIIis no longer likable. "Pauline KaelofThe New Yorkerstated, "The firstRockywas primitive in a relatively innocent way. This picture is primitive, but it's also shrewd and empty and inept. "Sheila Bensonof theLos Angeles Timeswrote, "Somehow, Sylvester Stallone has kicked life into what you might imagine is a pretty tired Rocky Balboa and has gotten him up on his feet again...Rocky IIIworks, possibly even better than numbersIandII."Rita Kempley ofThe Washington Postcalled it "as much fun as ever, a ground-meat-and-potatoes movie, with guys beating hell out of each other to a disco beat."Tom MilneofThe Monthly Film Bulletinwrote, "Starting off with a replay of our hero's second miraculous return from the dead to win the championship back at the end ofRocky II—itself a virtual repeat from the originalRocky—Rocky IIIsoon demonstrates that it has nothing to offer but more of the same... There are fleeting moments, thanks chiefly to a personable performance from Carl Weathers, but the time has surely come for Rocky Balboa to take the final count. "

Accolades

Award	Category	Recipients	Result
Academy Awards	Best Original Song	"Eye of the Tiger" Music and Lyrics byJim PeterikandFrankie Sullivan	Nominated
British Academy Film Awards	Best Original Song		Nominated
Golden Globe Awards	Best Original Song		Nominated
Golden Raspberry Awards	Worst New Star	Mr. T	Nominated
Japan Academy Film Prize	Outstanding Foreign Language Film		Nominated
Jupiter Awards	Best International Actor	Sylvester Stallone	Nominated
NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding Motion Picture		Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Awards	Hall of Fame – Songs	"Eye of the Tiger"	Inducted
Satellite Awards	Best Overall Blu-Ray	Rocky: The Undisputed Collection	Nominated
Young Artist Awards	Best Family Motion Picture		Won
	Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture	Ian Fried	Nominated

Year-end lists

The film is recognized byAmerican Film Institutein these lists:

• 2004:AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
  • "Eye of the Tiger"– Nominated

Other media

Sequel

Main article:Rocky IV

A sequel titledRocky IV,was released in November 1985.

Rockystatue in Philadelphia

Further information:Rocky Steps § Bronze Rocky statue

A bronze statue of Rocky, called "ROCKY", was commissioned by Sylvester Stallone and created byA. Thomas Schombergin 1981.Three statues were created, and one was placed on the top of the steps of thePhiladelphia Museum of Artfor the filming ofRocky III.After filming was complete, a furious debate erupted in Philadelphia between the Art Museum and the City's Art Commission over the meaning of "art".Claiming the statue was not" art "but rather a" movieprop"the city considered various alternative locations and settled upon the front of theSpectrumin South Philadelphia. It was later returned to the Art Museum where it was used in the filming ofRocky V,as well asMannequinandPhiladelphia.Afterward, it was again moved to the front of the Spectrum. The statue was returned to the bottom of the museum's stairs on 8 September 2006.The steps leading to the east entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art are also known as “The Rocky Steps.”Asimilar statueis located inŽitište,Serbia.

Novelization

Anovelizationby Robert E. Hoban was published byBallantine Booksin 1982.

Video game

A video game based on the film was released in 1983, titledRocky Super Action Boxing,designed byColecoand released forColecoVision.Players can play as either Rocky Balboa or Clubber Lang either against the computer in a one player game, or against each other in a "Head to Head" two player mode. In 1987,Rocky,based on the first fourRockyfilms, was released. In 2002,Rockywas released, based on the first fiveRockyfilms. In 2004,Rocky Legends,based on the first fourRockyfilms, was released.

See also

• List of boxing films

External links

• Official Rocky Anthology Site
• Rocky IIIatIMDb
• Rocky IIIatAllMovie
• Rocky IIIatBox Office Mojo
• Rocky IIIatRotten Tomatoes