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The ‘70s and ‘80s saw the rise of a new chapter of action movies in Hollywood. Aspiring faces such as Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sylvester Stallone brought in a wealth of talent and pulled crowds to the screens with their franchises ofTop Gun,The Terminator,andRocky,respectively.
Among these, the latter star and his tale of the iconic Rocky Balboa came across as a grounded and rise-to-fame storyline that captured the popular imagination.
The production forRocky III,which began in 1981 for a 1982 release, the Stallone starrer made crucial decisions and finessed each fine detail to perfection to keep the name of the franchise untainted. The course of actions saw tough calls being taken, axing some key moments entirely.
Surprisingly, one of those crucial decisions not only gave the film a beloved montage but also carried that success to another acclaimed sports drama.
ARocky IIIremnant that carried itself over toThe Karate Kid
After defeating Apollo Creed, Rocky Balboa faced a scathing loss to Clubber Lang, in part because of his complacency. A tale of resilience and determination to regain the fighting spirit in the face of adversities and tragedies outlinedRocky IIIand made it one of the most beloved entries to the series. To aid this gritty portrayal, composerBill Contibrought in Joe Esposito’s song,You’re the Bestfor a montage sequence. ButSylvester Stallonepassed on the song.
Revealed by the songwriter himself in a 2008 interview on theAdam Carolla Show(via Mental Floss),the movie opted for the rock band, Survivor’sEye of the Tigerinstead. The decision came into effect because of the star’s insistence on a beat that matched the pulse of the high-octane boxing scenes.Reluctant at first, the actor then did not even wait for a re-cut professional version and green-lit the demo version itself.
“There will never be a Rocky 4”: Rocky Fans Should Be Glad Sylvester Stallone Changed Original Plans For His $1.9B Franchise
In turn,You’re the Bestlanded up as the song that played during the montage ofRalph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso’s training and preparation for the karate tournament inThe Karate Kid,which was released two years later thanRocky III.Featuring lines like“history repeats itself”,the piecefits the character’s determination and resilience, and gave it depth and emotion.
Sylvester Stallone tied the fate of the two franchises
Years aftercoming up with the script and story forRocky,Sylvester Stallone helmed the director’s chair for four entries to the franchise, includingRocky III.Moreover,Rocky III‘s decision to pass onYou’re the Bestmarked a win-win situation for both of the franchises and also tied them together. Beyond their shared themes of sports and persistence,The Karate Kidalso brought over John G. Avildsen as its director, the one who also directed the firstRockyfilm.
Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio’s Karate Kid Has More Than 1 Upsetting Update After Latest Release Date Revelation
Thus, one decision byThe Expendablesstar brought the two outings closer than ever. Thereafter,Ralph Macchio’s love for the Rocky Balboa filmsbrought along another string of connections. Moreover, the karate flick also included in-movie references to pop culture with lines like“Rocky III had just come out,”highlighting the significance of Stallone’s films and their impact on the wider pop culture.
Rocky IIIand The Karate Kid are both available to buy or rent on Amazon Video and Apple TV.
Imteshal Karim
Articles Published :120
Bearing a penchant for writing in multiple forms, I love telling a good story and hope to tell impactful ones about the fandom’s side of the Entertainment industry. I found the movie of my life in Christopher Nolan’s 2014' s Interstellar, which fascinated me with the perfect blend of science and cinema, leaving me curious about Hollywood. In my leisure time, you will find me indulging in photography, gardening, and cycling.
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Ralph MacchioRocky IIISylvester StalloneThe Karate Kid
