One More Round

Any casual reader of this blog can see how addicted I am to films. I’ve immersed myself in their lexicon for the last 20+ years (very often to the detriment of reading a good book). While I sometimes feel guilty that I’m not as well read as I should be watching a good movie gives me much more pleasure. I only read books that come highly recommended because I often feel that the time wasted reading a bad book does not equal the time wasted watching a bad movie. I’ll also confess to enjoying many conventionally bad movies or those with absolutely no artistic merit. Entertain me. That’s all I ask.

I became a voracious movie watcher in my early teens when my parents bought me my first VCR in 1984. I started taping my favorite films and watching them ad nauseam. I had to limit the time spent watching them to early afternoons however as said VCR was connected to the living room television. I had an older set in my room (and I would get my own VCR in 1986).

The films that captivated my youth were mostly of the science fiction, fantasy and action variety, with some low-brow comedy thrown in for good measure. A list of films I’ve likely seen between 50-100 times would include: any of the original “Star Wars” trilogy, the first four “Star Trek” films, the first two “Superman” films, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “Ghostbusters,” “Aliens,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Batman” and “Jaws.” I came to drama and horror later on (as I’ve mentioned in previous entries) thanks to the influence of others.

However one drama captivated me as a young teen. I couldn’t explain why because the film had no explosions, space battles or scatological humor. It was a simple drama shot in dingy colors featuring talented young actors. Its popularity was such that it demanded several sequels and along with “Saturday Night Fever” defined the late 70s. Because of its longevity the series has built up a minority of vocal detractors who feel it has gone on long past its prime but it still has the power to move me in a way no other film has. And very soon, to my amazement and great pleasure, Rocky Balboa will return to the screen after 16 years, presumably for the final time.

I’m, a little unclear as to my first exposure to the lovable pug from South Philly. It was either seeing “Rocky III” in the theater with my parents or “Rocky II” on television. Either film was an excellent entrée into the life of this wildly popular character. Many feel “Rocky III” was the apex of the series and while I tend to agree, it’s the original that boasts one of the most inspiring and heartwarming stories in film history. I did not see the original “Rocky” until 1984, eight years after it won the Oscar for Best Picture.

It’s hard to say why we attach ourselves to a particular film, book, sports team, etc. but it’s the attachments we make as young people that remain the strongest throughout our lives. I felt connected to this character in a way I never had to any other. His life was a metaphor for accomplishing the impossible and while the story was larger than life it could be applied to all of us at some point in our lives. Rocky gave us hope. His determination bolstered our own. His humanity showed us our heroes need not be invincible. He faced the depths and clawed his way out. What attracted most people was his humanity, his decency and his desire to make something of himself.

I’m not about to imply that any success I had in life is attributable to Rocky. However all the films offer a story of a man faced with long odds and overcoming them. It wouldn’t be a “feel-good” movie if Rocky did not succeed in the end – whether by actually defeating his opponent or simply going the distance, but more importantly it’s the struggle that counts. That’s the heart of these films. Being told you can’t do something and proving that you can.

In the intervening years the affection I felt for the character has never waned. Sixteen years have passed since the last film and as a fan I had long given up hope that there would be another. Happily everything finally fell into place last year and Rocky will enter the ring once again.

I know there are naysayers out there who think Sly is too old and this character should have been retired years ago. That in itself makes it a perfect scenario for Rocky to return as it essentially parallels the film’s storyline: proving that even as we reach the twilight of our lives we are still viable. We still have something to say. We can still contribute. If George Foreman could do it why not Rocky?

I know in my bones this will be the last Rocky film and I’m OK with that. To me this film is a gift to all of us who have loved this character for 20-30 years and there are a lot of us out there. Sly tapped into something all of us felt on a visceral level when he created this character. He obviously struck gold in more ways than one, giving us someone who could inspire us when faced with a tough situation, someone who felt the crushing weight of adversity and did not know if he could survive, someone who embodied the best parts in all of us, someone who could go one more round when he didn’t think he could. As Rock said that’s what makes all the difference in our lives.