Three years after the success of Rocky II, Sylvester Stallone went back to the mats with the third film in the franchise and made yet another box office smash. But was Rocky III as good as it could have been? Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Rocky series with Stallone’s 1982 film Rocky III.
We look at the formula that Stallone has created with this franchise so far, what works about it, and what’s getting old with it. We talk about the cast – Stallone, Mr. T, Burt Young, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith and Carl Weathers primarily – and look at how well they work in this film. We look at the success of Survivor’s song “Eye of the Tiger” and its integration into the film, especially paired with Bill Conti’s score. We touch on the boxing matches and if they’re bringing anything new to the table here. We look at the hard work the actors have to do to prepare themselves for these roles. And we discuss the possible overuse of montages here.
It’s a fine entry into the franchise but not the best one so far. We have a good time talking about it regardless, so check it out then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.
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- Script Transcript
- Original theatrical trailer
- Original poster artwork
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
