Rocky's first title defense

[roccobalboa]

Ever notice at the begining of Rocky III when they go through all of his title defenses ..... he looks soooo different in his first defense from when he just defeated Apollo? What, did he wait 4 years for his first defense? They should have avoided showing too much of his physique for the first few defenses, only to make it look more acceptable.

[rocco]

roccobalboa said:

Ever notice at the begining of Rocky III when they go through all of his title defenses ..... he looks soooo different in his first defense from when he just defeated Apollo? What, did he wait 4 years for his first defense? They should have avoided showing too much of his physique for the first few defenses, only to make it look more acceptable.

Man, you are 100% right. From Rocky II to Rocky III Sly's fat percentage dropped from 12,5% to 2,5% , he even won an award from the international body building federation for "best body for a non-professional bodybuilder". All he did between II and III was dieting and hitting the gym, that's why he looked so different. His dieting regime was so strict that during the filming of the Clubber rematch he used to eat cookies between takes to avoid passing out while shooting

[stevepre]

I know exactly what you guys mean. I guess we're just gonna have to face the reality that Rocky II and III were 3 years apart and Stallone did have a life outside of Rocky, and his body went through a change. In the defense of Stallone, it's hard to make him look like he did 3 years before when his body went through such a dramatic change. I liked the new and improved gold shorts with black trim though.

[thebumfromthedark]

Yeah this is just movie stuff. Ya should really cut him a break.

As to the 4 years thing... hey, it's possible! Rocky III claims to be 3 years after Rocky won the title but the movie itself identifies that it's 1981... so maybe Rocky didn't have a title defense for 4 years... in 1980!

[rocco]

stevepre said:

I know exactly what you guys mean. I guess we're just gonna have to face the reality that Rocky II and III were 3 years apart and Stallone did have a life outside of Rocky, and his body went through a change. In the defense of Stallone, it's hard to make him look like he did 3 years before when his body went through such a dramatic change. I liked the new and improved gold shorts with black trim though.

The intro of Rocky III had also to show how Rocky went from being an underdog against Apollo to being the one to wipe out his opponents in his 10 title defenses, and the "new body" helped him out in such purpose IMHO. During the 10 title defenses he also goes from being cut above his right eye (first defense) and being put in the corner (second or third defense, don't remember exactly) to demolish his opponents virtually untouched (all remaining defenses).
Later on we come to know that those opponents were not exactly the cream of the noble art, but let's face it: before time was time when there's a Clubber around and you are the champion I guess your manager "manages" to keep you away from him until he doesn't have a deathwish for both of you ;D

[stevepre]

I liked how Sly had Clubber as a spectator for Rocky's fights. I thought that was real neat. I may be mistaken, but I actually think you can see Clubber clapping a little in one of the shots throughout the title defenses. If not clapping, he was certainly acknowledging the champ a little. But then you can see later in the montage how Clubber is getting more serious (and is also ranked higher and higher), and is seen leaving the stadium with one last look back at Rocky after one his knockouts (where he gives a bow to Adrian). He set up the plot perfectly.

[thebumfromthedark]

stevepre said:

but I actually think you can see Clubber clapping a little in one of the shots throughout the title defenses.

I was wondering if Clubber was clapping too!

[rocco]

stevepre said:

I liked how Sly had Clubber as a spectator for Rocky's fights. I thought that was real neat. I may be mistaken, but I actually think you can see Clubber clapping a little in one of the shots throughout the title defenses. If not clapping, he was certainly acknowledging the champ a little. But then you can see later in the montage how Clubber is getting more serious (and is also ranked higher and higher), and is seen leaving the stadium with one last look back at Rocky after one his knockouts (where he gives a bow to Adrian). He set up the plot perfectly.

that's huge! do you remember which title defense was it? one of the very first I guess........

BTW I'm still mad at Sly for cutting out the scene of Clubber harassing Rocky after the Thunderlips bout........I think the statue scene would also have been different since when Clubber shows up at the statue presentation Rocky acts pretty much as he never saw him or almost like that

Not to mention the scene with Apollo presenting the first Rocky-Clubber bout, holding the wrists of both guys........now that would have been a couple of juicy scenes

[stevepre]

It was Rocky VS Big Yank Ball I believe, when Rocky lifted him of the canvas with his knockout punch. You can see clubber is sitting down.

[thebumfromthedark]

rocco said:

Not to mention the scene with Apollo presenting the first Rocky-Clubber bout, holding the wrists of both guys........now that would have been a couple of juicy scenes

[/color][/i][/quote]
That's actually a scene publicizing the rematch, not the first bout. It would have been placed just before the newscaster's interview with Clubber, you know "Apollo who?! You talkin' bout that old foo' Apollo Creed?!" (note he's wearing the same clothes in that scene as in the stills).

[rocco]

thebumfromthedark said:

rocco said:

Not to mention the scene with Apollo presenting the first Rocky-Clubber bout, holding the wrists of both guys........now that would have been a couple of juicy scenes

[/color][/i][/quote]
That's actually a scene publicizing the rematch, not the first bout. It would have been placed just before the newscaster's interview with Clubber, you know "Apollo who?! You talkin' bout that old foo' Apollo Creed?!" (note he's wearing the same clothes in that scene as in the stills).[/quote]

You know what? From the photo I saw I kinda suspected that, expecially because Rocky has a bruise under his right eye (where he was hit by Clubber's killer left hook that knocked him down) and he's wearing the same stuff he's got when he gets to Duke's Gym in L.A. ghetto, of course you are 100% right, Clubber's wearing the same clothes he has in the "Apollo who?" interview. Once again if we speak logic I must admit that such scene after the "you wanna jump? Jump! C'mon Creed!" on the ring before the first bout would have been kind of awkward. Not to mention the whole speech Clubber gives during the interview talking trash of two men he just took a photo shooting session with.
I just guess that as you told us months ago in the original script there was a lot more of Clubber than we saw on the big screen, and even if it was truly a pity that we didn't see as much as we wanted of that it might have been made on purpose by Sly in order to let the audience get Clubber as the 100% bad guy, period.
Nobody could have done that knowing the dude was the 11th son of one of the poorest families on Chicago's suburbs, got to jail as a minor for stealing to eat, learnt boxing in jail and probably helped out his whole family with the money he made boxing (and winning the title).

[thebumfromthedark]

Yeah... kinda takes away the humanity, doesn't it? :/

And like I said before, in the script, Clubber apologizes to Rocky at the end, telling him everything he did was just to get the hype up for the fights.

[rocco]

thebumfromthedark said:

Yeah... kinda takes away the humanity, doesn't it? :/

And like I said before, in the script, Clubber apologizes to Rocky at the end, telling him everything he did was just to get the hype up for the fights.

And Rocky brings him to Russia for training purposes before the Moscow bout

Now that would have been the movie I aways wanted to watch!

[rocco]

thebumfromthedark said:

Yeah... kinda takes away the humanity, doesn't it? :/

And like I said before, in the script,

Clubber apologizes to Rocky

at the end, telling him everything he did was just to get the hype up for the fights.

Tyson did the same with Lennox Lewis after being knocked out