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Rocky (1976)
Simply Brilliant
Probably the second-best boxing movie ever made, Raging Bull being the best (in my humble opinion), this is the picture that made Sylvester Stallone a star, and a household name. His bravura performance as Rocky Balboa, "The Italian Stallion" who gets a million-to-one shot to fight the heavyweight champion is at the heart of this rousing film. Never mind that such theatrics simply don't happen in the world of professional boxing. Stallone's writing captivates and draws in the audience such that we cheer along with the crowd in the climactic (and brilliantly choreographed) fight scene. I remember seeing this in its first theatrical release and being so caught up in the moment that I was cheering as loudly as anyone else; I never heard half of that final sequence until I saw the picture on HBO years later.
Rocky features stand-out performances by everyone, most notably Talia Shire (taking a break from playing Connie Corleone) as Rocky's plain-Jane girlfriend, and the always-brilliant Burgess Meredith as Mickey, Rocky's gravel-voiced trainer and manager. Ex-football player Carl Weathers give a nicely understated performance as Apollo Creed, a role that could have all-too-easily been played over the top. Look for cameos by Joe Frazier and Stu Nathan. Probably the best performance (other than Stallone's) is turned in by Burt Young, who in this picture perfected the greasy low-life that's become his signature. One can only hope that he's acting, as he's so convincing in his portrayal that the viewer just wants to beat the crap out of him on general principles.
John Avildsen perfected his directorial signature in this effort, a signature that would later appear in the Karate Kid pictures with Ralph Macchio. His camera captures the gritty, seamy side of south Philadelphia perfectly and, like Stallone's script, sucks the audience into his environment totally. Notice, though, how the lighting appears to brighten and intensify as the story progresses and Rocky gains confidence. Most of the first third of the picture seems to be shot in dim lighting, slightly out of focus, and with a narrow, claustrophic feeling. As Rocky gains strength, both physically and otherwise, Avildsen's lens seems to open wider and the light to come up. The focus sharpens until the scenes appear almost three-dimensional in their intensity.
If I had to pick one flaw in this cinematic masterpiece, I'd have to quibble with the physical appearance of the fighters, both Rocky and Apollo Creed. Neither is truly built like a heavyweight boxer; their waists are too narrow and their muscles too "cut." Either one of these guys, if he were to step into the ring with a Mike Tyson or a Buster Douglas, would be pounded to a pulp before the end of three rounds. And, let's face it: if any heavyweight fight were to get that bloody in reality, it would be stopped before any more damage could be done. But, hey, it's just a movie, right?
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
This one gets a 4.0 for sure!
John Landis's directorial debut, and John Belushi's first starring role make this screw-ball comedy about college life in the early 60's a must-see. I saw this picture for the first time when it was released to theaters and laughed my buns off; it still holds up today, almost 30 years later.
Every actor in the show gives a bravura performance, with stand-out debuts by the likes of Thomas Hulce, Tim Matheson, Karen Allen, Bruce Davidson, and others. In addition, there's a sense throughout the picture that we all knew these guys at one time or another in our lives. Shoot, I think I may have BEEN one or two of these guys at some point in my life. Of course, the picture revolves around Belushi's terrifically over-the-top Bluto Blutarsky; but you simply can't ignore characters like Boone, Otter, Niedermeyer, Gregg Marmalade, and my personal favorite, D-Day.
The writing on this picture is really far better than the loosely-structured plot first indicates. Each character is introduced neatly at their entrance; and, by extension, the other characters are set up by the entrances of their surrounding characters. For instance, when we first meet Belushi's character, he's holding a schooner of beer in one hand and drunkenly taking a leak on the Delta Tau Chi lawn. Right away, we know what the rest of these guys are going to be like. Then, when D-Day makes his entrance, driving his hawg through the front door and up the stairs to play the William Tell Overture on his throat before pulling a beer out of his jacket and popping the top, our fears are confirmed. Meanwhile, we get to meet the uptight, repressed, and mildly facsist other frat through similar vignettes. Kevin Bacon is particularly hilarious in his initiation ("Thank you, sir! May I have another?").
John Landis made his debut with this picture, and what a debut it was! His camera follows each of the characters and events at near breakneck speed, giving the audience little time to recover from one laugh before getting slapped in the head with another. Lots of natural lighting, and sharp, steady pacing with smooth transitions keep the story moving. Refreshingly, the film doesn't rely on over-the-top special effects to hold our attention. Then again, is there really any place for SFX in a picture like this?
The whole picture is one long laugh, from beginning to end. If you're a college grad, you'll forget what it was really like to have to work hard, study, and generally bust your tail to graduate. If you haven't yet gone to college, this picture will give you all the wrong ideas. On the other hand, you've gotta see this one, if for no other reason than to learn all the right (and wrong) things to do at a college party.
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Hilarious screw-ball comedy!
Probably the funniest film John Belushi made in his all-too-short career, The Blues Brothers builds on an old Saturday Night Live skit to send Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues on a riotous tour of Chicago to collect $5,000 to pay the taxes on the orphanage where they grew up. Along the way, they gather up their old bandmates from their day jobs, buy their instruments (on credit, of course), play their first gig at a redneck joint behind a chicken-wired stage ("Oh, we have both kinds: country AND western."), trash a shopping mall, incur the wrath of a group of Illinois Nazis ("I hate Illinois Nazis."), and lead the police force of what seems the entire state of Illinois on a mad chase through Chicago and the immediate vicinity.
From the opening sequence where Jake Blues is released from Joliet Federal Penitentiary to the closing car-chase, this picture will keep you in stitches. The soundtrack kills, showcasing a who's who of blues performers from John Lee Hooker to Cab Calloway to Aretha Franklin. The Band rocks in their performance bits; and, yes, these are actual musicians, most of them top session-men of the day. Look for cameos from such stars as Frank Oz ("One unused prophylactic. One soiled."), Steve Lawrence, and a very young Steven Spielberg. You'll be quoting lines from this picture forever.
If your video store has it, buy the extended version with the footage that was left out of the theatrical release. The longer musical numbers alone make it worth the price. And the scenes where Elwood quits his job help to explain events later in the movie. All-in-all, this is a must-see if you like the blues. Even if you don't, give it a chance, you'll laugh yourself into a stupor.
Stripes (1981)
Hilarious! A must-see for any potential recruit.
Probably the funniest service comedy ever made, stacks up beautifully with such films as "No Time for Sergeants," "Mister Roberts," and Abbott & Costello's riotous "Buck Privates." This is the picture that boosted recruitment for months and made stars out of John Larroquette (sp?) and John Candy. I won't summarize the picture; we've all seen it, some of us over & over & over again.
Look for bravura performances by John Larroquette as Capt. Stillman (this is the role that brought him to the attention of the producers of "Night Court" and gave birth to D.A. Dan Fielding), Warren Oates as Sergeant Hulka ("You don't say 'sir' to me; I'm a sergeant. I work for a living."), and John Candy (his big-screen debut) as Dewey Oxburger. If you're thinking of joining the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines; see this movie first. ..
"That's the fact, Jack!"