Rocky is Released

Altogether now! Ner-Der-Derrrrr, Der-Der-Derrrrrrr. Yes, as that unmistakable music indicates, today we are celebrating that remarkable movie marvel Rocky, which turns 40 years old today. Total nobody (at the time) and occasional naughty film participant Sylvester Stallone had the idea for a film concerning a rags to riches boxer after watching the bout between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner in 1975. He knocked out the screenplay in three days and managed to convince the studio that he should star in the picture, despite being a complete unknown.

The movie was a massive success, becoming the highest grossing film of the year and winning three Academy Awards, eventually spawning an entire Rocky industry that, at last count, featured six sequels. There have also been a variety of video games based on the franchise, toys, clothing, and even a musical based on the film. And let’s not forget that without it we’d have no Eye of the Tiger. And then what would I sing at karaoke?