Heroes of my youth - Part 2 - "Italian Stallion"

Welcome to second post of my series about "Heroes of my youth". Today I want to describe an actor whose films I really enjoyed watching when I was young. As a kid I wanted to become a "green beret", boxer or any other kind of fighter :) I love watching action films. Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone they was action films stars those days. This is the time of perfect built heroes with impressive muscles who fought against whole army of enemies. Everyone wants to be as John Matrix(Commando), John McClane(Die Hard), or Nikolai(Red Scorpion). I can watch films with those actors again and again.

But to pick one to be my "Hero of my youth" I definitely chose Sylvester Stallone I have only two reasons. First one Rocky and second Rambo. When any parts of this films was on TV I must have watched them. I wanted to be as tough man as John Rambo when he had burned his wound with glowing metal or like Rocky Balboa when he fought versus Apollo Creed.

"First Blood"

Everyone knows the plot of this film. Maybe the title at the beginning isn't telling much because in Poland this film is know as "Rambo" or "Rambo: First Blood".

Film is based on best-selling novel wrote by David Morrell with the title "First Blood". But as critics say only the title and John Rambo, Vietnam war veteran was the same with the book. This film has many memorial and famous scenes. For example when John jumped from rock edge to the tree and after that he putted stitches in a wound. Of course with help of his knife :)

As a kid I always wanted to have such knife as Rambo has. Who wouldn't ? One with handle that contains an emergency survival kit and a precision compass that is mounted in the pommel.

This was a dream of all my colleges. :)

Rambo trailer

Rocky

This Film made Stallone's a famous actor. He had written the script of "Rocky" in three days after he saw Muhammed Ali vs. Chuck Wepner fight. This was inspiration for an idea of Rocky. He tried to sell the script. His intention was playing the lead role. Producers who liked the script, were planning to get some already famous actor like Burt Reynolds or James Caan. To be serious can we imagine other Rocky than Sylvester Stallone? I can't. The film had only 1.1 million $ budget but revenue was US$117,200,000!!! and was nominated in ten Academy Awards. Rocky won the Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Editing Academy Awards.

Many people think that song "Eye of the Tiger" is a main music theme of "Rocky" series. But this song wasn't introduced until "Rocky III". Which I personally consider as the worst part of "Rocky". But the song rocks!!!

Eye of Tiger

Theme song

The famous scene of Rocky running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art has become a cultural icon. For "Rocky III" need Stallone commissioned a bronze statue of Rocky. One was installed atop the steps for the filming of Rocky III. After travelling from one place to another statue finally on September 8, 2006 was placed on a pedestal near the foot of the steps. The steps are one of Philadelphia biggest tourist attractions. To get some proof go to YouTube and search for "rocky steps" etc. :)

Things that you may not know

Stallone starred in an adult-film "The Party at Kitty and Stud's" in 1970. After success of first Rocky the adult-film was re-released with new title "Italian Stallion". It was taken from Sylvester Stallone nickname from "Rocky".

Questions

What is your favourite film from your youth ?

Do you still enjoy watching them ?

Do you like watching new films with actors from your favourite films form your youth ?

What do you think about them ?