What's The Big Deal About Rocky?
Last night my friend Tom came over to have dinner and watch the Sugar Bowl with us. I spent the first half of the game enjoying the vegetarian chili I'd made, offering up Hail Mary's and promising God that I'd be good for ever and ever if Notre Dame beat LSU.Somewhere in the third quarter, it became apparent that my praying and bargaining with God was not making a difference. Notre Dame's quarterback, Brady Quinn, was too focused on showing us his skill in throwing the ball both into the ground and into the hands of the LSU players.
Since a Notre Dame win was clearly not going to happen, Tom and my husband pretty much stopped watching the game. Put the two of them together and they can debate for days about anything under the sun. Last night, they ended up yapping about all sorts of random topics, including whether Halle Berry and her scene with Billy Bob Thornton deserved an Oscar for Monster's Ball and whether it's wrong for a rapper to swear on a record if it's not gratuitous cussing but instead adds to the artistic merit of the song.
In the midst of the swearing on records debate, a commercial for "Rocky Balboa," the latest in the series of Rocky movie came on. They got to talking about the film series and about Sylvester Stallone. I couldn't really contribute much to the conversation since, as I shared with them, "I don't get the whole Rocky thing, but that's probably because I've never seen any of the movies."
I might as well have admitted that I drink bleach for fun.
"You've never seen a Rocky movie?" Much spluttering and falling off the couch ensued in
reaction to my response, "No."More confusion and then looks of pity as they repeated over and over, "Oh my God. You've never seen Rocky!!"
Maybe this is a guy thing, but honestly, I've never wanted to see Rocky. I hate boxing and I've never thought Stallone is particularly hot. I mean, I know a little about Rocky. I know his girlfriend was named Adrian and the "Eye of the Tiger" song came from the movie. I just didn't realize that not seeing the actual film was such a big deal.
They were so shocked that I figured it was probably the wrong time to also admit I've never seen Purple Rain.
Tell me I'm normal and they're blowing this Rocky thing out of proportion. Or, am I really the only person on earth who's never seen a Rocky movie?
Comments
kari
I have a confession, too. I didn't care for Star Wars and declined to watch the second one, although my ex took the kids to it.
I KNOW that's weird.
Purple Rain...now that was a highlight of sixth-grade cinema for me. I hope you've at least heard the soundtrack...
Hmm, maybe this is actually proof that Elarryo isn't that into it either since in the 17 years I've known him, I've never ever seen him rent Rocky. And, if you're from the Land of Prince and you haven't seen Purple Rain, then I don't feel so bad.
HISF,
The recent Star Wars movies or the old school ones? I was opposed to sequels until Pirates of the Carribean II. Too much eye candy there to be truly objectionable.
Not Star Jones,
Shh, I've never seen Flashdance either.
Noel,
And I bet everyone says they've seen it!
Chas,
I know, I know. I'm going to go sing "Oaktree" as a penance right this second.
MT,
Did Mr. T box with all the gold chains around his neck?
I've never owned a copy of the Purple Rain soundtrack but I've heard it. I think. Or maybe I've just heard When Doves Cry a thousand times.
Colleen,
Gosh, I don't even know if either of my parents have even seen the original Rocky. When I finally get a copy of Purple Rain, I'll have you over and you can watch it with me.
I've seen both Rocky and Purple Rain, but have to say that it wouldn't have made much of a difference in my life if I hadn't.
-velvet
I've never seen Taxi Driver or Karate Kid or Mission Impossibles.
The Godfather though...I've probably seen I and II at least a dozen times. I always cry when Marlon Brando dies in the garden in the second one.