The golden age of cinema, according to many, was the time when action films were at their peak, and action stars were treated like real-life superheroes.
Among the many names that were at the pinnacle of Hollywood during those times, the name of Sylvester Stallone has always been kept in the highest of regards by his fans and audience alike.
The man behind some of the most iconic films and characters, Stallone has a way of striking gold whenever he’s on the creative side of things, the most pristine example of which has to be his iconic Rocky franchise.
But the story behind the story is something that is even more inspiring with a deeper message that the star wanted to relay to the world.
How Sylvester Stallone Brought Back Morality In Cinema With The Rocky Franchise
Sylvester Stallone in a still from the Rocky franchise
He is the face of some of the most successful and popular franchises in cinema history, The Expendables and Rambo to name a few, but by far, Sylvester Stallone as the titular protagonist of the iconic Rocky franchise is an entirely different emotion for the fans and the audience.
Hailed as the inspiration behind modern sports drama films related to boxing, the series was based on the story that the star has lived in his own life, and with the determination to bring back the good old-fashioned values from the past, brought the films for the world to life.
In a past interview with Far Out Magazine, the Tulsa King star talked about how during the time he was working in the industry, he didn’t have any major roles or opportunities for his career to flourish, even going so far as to do a p*rno film when desperate times hit.
Therefore, to give it his all and see where it took him, he decided to write the first Rocky.
His idea behind the story was also to bring back the morals from the old days that people could believe in since at the time, everything was Anti-Christ in the industry. He said:
“I felt at the time that cinema, at least the movies I had been seeing, was at an all-time low, Everything was anti-society, anti-Christ, anti-government, anti-everything, and there was no one to root for. I was known as atmosphere, I was in the background, the drunk that was being stepped over in the gutter and other lame roles.
But I felt that if I was gonna go down into professional obscurity, I wanted to at least have the opportunity to say to myself, ‘Well, you tried. You put your best foot forward, and you didn’t make it’. I just knew that I had to do it one time, and I knew it was in me,”
Thus, through an unwavering determination and a desperate need to find success, the star became one of the biggest names in cinema history.
Why Is The Rocky Franchise Considered A Masterpiece?
A still from Rocky IV
It is no surprise seeing the rich and extensive history of the films of the past why the Rocky series is widely considered the best sports drama films/franchises of all time.
Surpassing generations, the films created by Stallone are something that brings the fighting spirit of the audience out while also inspiring them in their personal lives, something that only a few movies have ever been able to do.
Apart from that, the sequels constantly build up on the character of Rocky Balboa, pinning him against the odds and developing his character in the process, which has always kept the franchise fresh and exciting, which are some of the reasons why it is considered a masterpiece to this day.
