Rocky 3

Rocky 3 clearly stands apart from Rocky and Rocky 2. Rocky and Rocky 2 are very similar whereas there appears to be changes in the third part.

Rocky takes part in a bizarre charity boxing / wrestling match against 7ft tall Thunderlips, (aka Hulk Hogan), defends his title on ten occasions, convingly loses his title against Clubber Lang, (Mr T), Mickey very sadly dies, Rocky loses his confidence in himself but then manages to regain his Heavyweight title at the grand old age of 34.

However, there are the constants. Paulie is feeling sorry for himself and is jealous of Rocky's success. After a night out drinking he walks into an arcade sees the Rocky pinball machine and throws a bottle of whisky at it, (and ends up spending the night in prision).

'Nobody owes no-one nothing - you owe yourself' - Rocky to a sorryful Paulie.

One clear criticism is the Eye Of The Tiger music. Its been overplayed since 1982 and how Apollo must say to Rocky, 'You have the Eye Of The Tiger,' on at least ten different occasions.

As per usual the film starts with a recap from film two. Perhaps Rocky has taken his eye off the ball because he is doing lots of adverts and he even appears in the mupetts show, (alongside a punch bag)! Throughout his title defence, Clubber Lang intently watched him. According to Mickie, Rocky hasn't been hungry because the title defence fights were easy. Rocky was nasty but the worst thing that could happen to anyone happened, that was he became civilised. Mickie warns Rocky before his bout with Clubber.

Rocky : 'Can I get a kiss?!'

Mickey to Rocky : 'He ain't gonna kiss you he is gonna kill you!'

Rocky to Clubber :

'You know you've got a big mouth.'

Clubber has a big mouth and all these years later its hard to take his character seriously. I don't believe that he was meant to be sounding daft as he mouthed off throughout the film, but that's how it sounds, although its highly entertaining!

Clubber : 'I don't hate Balboa, I pity the fool,' which saying has since passed into film folklore.

Before the fight with Clubber in the rush of the backstage crowds Clubber pushes Mickey over and he ends up dying in front of Rocky straight after the fight. Rocky was knocked out in round two and he lies to Mickey as he dies saying he won it. That is surely a good example of when its good to lie?!

Apollo agrees to train Rocky for his rematch against Mr T.

Apollo to Rocky : 'Its quiet isn't it? We're too young to retire.'

The whole crew move over to Apollo's gym in downtown LA, (unsurprisingly a rough area). Where Rocky is put through his paces.

Apollo to Rocky : 'When you fought you had the eye of the Tiger, maybe we could win it back togther.'

Rocky looks around all the young boxers in the gym and they have that look in their eyes.

Rocky has to take up swimming, (and makes a hash of it) and learn to get lighter on his feet. His training goes badly.

Rocky to Apollo in the ring :

'I will carry on tomorrow,'

Apollo : 'Tomorrow! - There is no tomorrow!'

He has a real crisis in confidence on the beach explaining to Adrian he never used to care, because he had nothing to lose. Now, for the first time in his life he has things to lose his money, his house, his wife, his kid. Yet Adrian seems to talk him round, so then he carries on with his training.

This training sequence is preditably good and the Getting Stronger song is played alongside. Never fails to impress.

Apollo tutors Rocky that at best he will only be able to last seven or eight rounds. During the fight he takes lots and lots of hits from Clubber, which turns out to be on purpose. The tactic being so that he exhausts himself through effort and rage and then Rocky finishes him off.

The ending isn't as emotion as the first two films. A fair ending but not as good, (no, 'Yo Adrian!')

In an interesting twist as an agreed favour to Apollo, Rocky and him fight behind closed doors in his gym. The fight starts.. and then the viewer never gets to see the outcome. - Would they have taken it serioulsy though?! - I think so!