Theater Release Date: 1976 Format: Special Edition Length: 119 minutes Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 04/24/2001 Director: John G. Avildsen Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, Carl Weathers, Thayer David, Joe Spinell, Aldo Silvani, Frank Stallone, Joe Frazier, Jimmy Gambina, Bill Baldwin
Plot: Director John G. Avildsen's Rocky is the stand-up-and-cheer saga of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), an underdog boxer who gets his million-to-one shot at love, self-respect, and the world heavyweight title. Rocky is a down-on-his-luck Philadelphia southpaw who works at a meat-packing factory while fighting at a local club. He's given the chance of a lifetime when the world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), chooses him as an unlikely opponent in his championship bicentennial fight. What was originally planned as a publicity stunt becomes a chance for Rocky to prove himself as a prizefighter while training with his cantankerous manager, Mickey (Burgess Meredith), to rise to the challenge. Thrilling scenes of Rocky's arduous training, including his unforgettable run up the Philadelphia Art Museum steps, are interspersed with a sweet and touching love story between the fighter and his best friend's shy sister, Adrian (Talia Shire). With the love of Adrian on his side, Rocky struggles to overcome the odds, fighting with all his heart in the glorious and brutal finale. Shot with gritty realism on the mean streets of Philadelphia, Rocky introduced a new American cinematic hero, spurred on by rollicking action sequences and a rousing soundtrack. A triumph for star and screenwriter Stallone, who himself came from nowhere to reach the top, Rocky is crowd-pleasing entertainment at its finest.
Theater Release Date: 1979 Length: 119 minutes Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 03/18/2003 Director: Sylvester Stallone Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young, Tony Burton, Joe Spinell, Leonard Gaines
Plot: This sequel to the Academy Award winning picture Rocky finds the champ disenchanted and down on his luck. Through the encouragement of friends and his manager, Rocky agrees to a rematch against Apollo Creed--and that's when the fighting really begins. Sylvester Stallone wrote and directed this exciting follow-up, with Burgess Meredith, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, and Burt Young all reprising thier roles from the first film.
Theater Release Date: 1982 Length: 100 minutes Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 03/18/2003 Director: Sylvester Stallone Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Hulk Hogan, Mr. T
Plot: The third chapter of the life of Rocky Balboa finds Rocky's lifestyle of wealth and idleness suddenly shaken when a powerful fighter challenges him to a bout. After soundly losing, the previously overconfident champ begins training for a rematch. Sylvester Stallone once again directs himself in the film, with Talia Shire by his side. Mr. T makes an excellent villain in this film as the loud and decisive Clubber Lang, who is trying to prevent Rocky from getting the "eye of the tiger."
Theater Release Date: 1985 Length: 91 minutes Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 03/18/2003 Director: Sylvester Stallone Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers
Plot: Rocky is back and this time he's fighting an unbeatable Russian automaton named Drago (Dolph Lundgren). What does this huge Russkie have in store for Rocky? Can he remain the champ? Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone and starring familiar faces Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, and Burt Young, Rocky Iv finds Balboa maturing, having to deal with a growing family as well as reevaluating his career and his future. The intense battles between Balboa and Drago were representative at the time of the last gasps of the cold war.
Theater Release Date: 1990 Length: 105 minutes Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: 03/18/2003 Director: John G. Avildsen Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Tommy Morrison, Sage Stallone, Thunder Wolf, Jeff Langton, Richard Gant
Plot: In John G. Avildsen's Rocky V, times are different for boxing champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). A lifetime of taking shots has terminated his career, and a crooked accountant has left him bankrupt. In this final chapter of the Rocky series, the Balboa family is forced to return to their gritty beginnings in the old neighborhood, attempting to start their lives anew. Life in Philadelphia means a lot of adjustment for the once-wealthy Balboa family--Adrian (Talia Shire) has to return to her job at the pet store, Rocky Jr. (Sage Stallone) struggles to endure a punishingly tough high school, and Rocky is forced to face that his championship career is finally over. Soon, though, Rocky returns to what he knows best--boxing. He becomes a manager for Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison), an up-and-coming boxer, teaching him all of the tricks of the trade. Inspired by the memory of his own trainer, Mickey (Burgess Meredith), Rocky is able to find glory in training. However, Tommy leaves his tutelage for George W. Duke (Richard Gant), a flashy Don King-like promoter, and Rocky's rage and sense of betrayal inspire him to fight one final grudge match. Young Tommy and Rocky duke it out in a bloody streetfight that recalls the brutal glory and hard-knocks finale of the original Rocky.
