America's Underdog: John G. Avildsen's Rocky & Sylvester Stallone's Rocky II

Jumping into the world of underdogs (last week's Popeye), Mr. Chavez & I look at one of the great American Cinematic creations - Rocky Balboa. The Balboa character's screenplay origin rivals that of the character's struggle in the film(s). From a real life adaptation of the 70s Muhammad Ali/Chuck Wepner bout, Stallone is legendary for having written Rocky and forcing studios to accept him as the lead in order to produce the film. It was an incredible gamble that paid of beautifully for Stallone. This week we look at the character, the role of the hero, Rocky's place in 70s Cinema, and the beginning of the legacy of the original film - and character - that would continue for close to fifty years. Take a listen as we look at these first two films and their importance in and for the American public. You can reach us at [email protected]. Many Thanks.

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