Sunday, March 18, 2007

Rocky Balboa

I have been a Rocky fan for a lifetime to say anything analytically, so let me use my favourite cliche - if have not watched Rocky Balboa you are missing something and living an incomplete life

What a way to complete the Rocky epic. And this is not about the fights and being an underdog, it goes way deeper. Its about coming in terms with oneself, the biggest and most worthy of all fights. I watched the last fight sequence holding my breath and my fists clenched, and the most moving emotion during the entire fight were not hate, revenge and wining, instead it was the battle for self-respect that both the boxers fought and in which both won.

Here is a snap of two of the most stirring sequences in the movie :

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Rocky Balboa: You know I couldn't have done nothing without you... Yo Adrian we did it...
[kisses tombstone]
Rocky Balboa: We did it...
[Walks off into distance]

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Rocky Balboa
: Yo, don't I got some rights?
Boxing Commissioner: What rights do you think you're referring to?
Rocky Balboa: Rights, like in that official piece of paper they wrote down the street there?
Boxing Commissioner: That's the Bill of Rights.
Rocky Balboa: Yeah, yeah. Bill of Rights. Don't it say something about going after what makes you happy?
Boxing Commissioner: No, that's the pursuit of happiness. But what's your point
Rocky Balboa: My point is I'm pursuing something and nobody looks too happy about it.
Boxing Commissioner: But... we're just looking out for your interests.
Rocky Balboa: I appreciate that, but maybe you're looking out for your interests just a little bit more. I mean you shouldn't be asking people to come down here and pay the freight on something they paid, it still ain't good enough, I mean you think that's right? I mean maybe you're doing your job but why you gotta stop me from doing mine? Cause if you're willing to go through all the battling you got to go through to get where you want to get, who's got the right to stop you? I mean maybe some of you guys got something you never finished, something you really want to do, something you never said to someone, something... and you're told no, even after you paid your dues? Who's got the right to tell you that, who? Nobody! It's your right to listen to your gut, it ain't nobody's right to say no after you earned the right to be where you want to be and do what you want to do!... You know, the older I get the more things I gotta leave behind, that's life. The only thing I'm asking you guys to leave on the table... is what's right.

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Rocky Balboa
: Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!

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A quick 101 for starters - Rocky Balboa (the character)

Movie Trailers - http://www.apple.com/trailers/mgm/rockybalboa/

The Official Site - http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/rockybalboa/index.html



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