Stallone

J.R. Hudson

J.R. Hudson

Spirit Animal
All this talk of John Carpenter (and his fall from grace) got me thinking of Sly. I like Sly. Films I really enjoy to this day are:


Cop Land - The best film he's done since Rocky 2
Daylight - I liked it
Assassins - The year 1995 thrust Antonio into the limelight
Judge Dredd - Fun comic book film; as good as most comic films in fact
Demolition Man - I thought this was Stallone making a comeback these 2 films
Cliffhanger - See Demo notes
Cobra
Rocky IV
First Blood - The first is great
Rocky III
Rocky II - As good as the first IMO
Rocky - Classic

So what's up? Dude has Rocky and Rambo lined up and his last handful of films have gone straight to video. Get Carter was just boring, Driven was a friggin joke (Renny Harlin of course)................

What happended to Stallone? I look forward to another Rambo even though I only liked the first one, for one reason, I think they'll do it right. I think it will be nothing like 2 and 3.
 
I'm also a Stallone fan, John.

I'd like to add "Lock Up" to your list, and also "Tango and Cash"

I hate to say it, but I don't think Sly can carry a film on his own anymore. He doesn't draw audiences as he once did, and I think it's mainly due to his choices of films over the last 10 years (or so)

Cop Land
Daylight
Assassins
Judge Dredd
Demolition Man
Cliffhanger

None of these movies even come close to his earlier films. Sure some can be entertaining to watch but none of them leave a real lasting impact. That's a large portion of when he was in his prime, waisted on "less than great" films.

I DO think it's possible for him to bounce back. But I think he needs to find a roll/film that will blow us away and restore our confidence in him. (I don't know if resorting to old rolls that made him famous is the way)
 
hmmm, only a personal opinion here. But Stallones fate was similar to that of Schwarzenegger (if it wasnt for the Terimantor franchise).

I think the idea of a big muscely action figure was a product of the 80's. Very much brawn over brain. Chuck Norris, Segal - all those kind of characters died off as the culture significantly shifted. I dont think these days there is any room for this kind of action hero anymore. The Rock has hardly has massive success and i'd put him with this kind of actor (but in his prime).

Where you beleive Sly is a good actor or not, he is pretty much labeled as that kind of actor; so work for him in high profile movies or indeed any serious role has to be difficult. Apart from T3, Arnold has suffered a similar fate.

Look at the action hero's we've had in the last 5-10 years. Matt Damon in Bourne, Ben Affleck, Keanau Reeves in the Matrix, Toby Maguire in Spiderman, etc. These characters exhibit more of an intellectual approach to being a hero and they are modelled on the average human becoming more than that; or at least we as an audience are meant to relate to them more.

All this along with Sly being somewhat past his prime would lead me to think you wont see much great material from him in the future, unless it all goes a bit retro in the next few years :-) The last good film I saw him in was Daylight, but he's not really a name that sells anymore.
 
Yeah, how come you forgot Lock Up, John?

Darkline, you know, that's really an image audience and producers always seen and the reason he almost never got serious roles. Unfrotunately noone seems to see past his muscles and noone seems to remember the dude got 2 freakin Oscars. I do believe he's on another level from Ahnold as an actor, but last time we saw him act was in what, 1997 (Cop Land)?..

Oh, and
Darkline said:
Ben Affleck...intellectual approach
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LOL
 
When I was a kid, besides Star Wars, no other movies gave me the feeling of excitement leaving the theater as the Rocky flicks did. My brother and I used to beat the hell out of each other for hours after coming home. Due to it's cultural timing in the height of the cold war, Rocky IV was my fav growing up. Now, I like them all, except the lame Rocky V installment, for different reasons.

Did anyone watch The Contender? I think Sly created or co-created the show. It was the only reality show that has really sucked me in. The fights were pretty intense.
 
i personally thought the words Keanau Reeves and intellectual were funnier in the same sentance :-)

maybe i should have inserted 'the characters they play' :-)

What did he get 2 oscars for? I tried to look on IMDB, but it says there he was only nominated for Rocky. By contrast tho he has picked up 9 razzie awards!
 
Darkline said:
I dont think these days there is any room for this kind of action hero anymore.
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I wonder the impact of CGI on it all. Arnold and Stallone were larger than life, and so carried the film just with their brawn (and a few explosions; q.v. Conan, Rambo, Commando, etc.). Nowadays, cgi functions as enough of a wow-factor for most films, reducing the need for the hero to be his own FX.

(True, CG began to come into it's heyday with Arnold (Total Recall was cool that way), but it was a natural transition. We've "grown out of" our need for bigness.)

Personally, I'd love for the brawn to make a comeback. Local-kid-makes-big is great, but there's always room for super-heroes!


Darkline said:
hmmm, only a personal opinion here. But Stallones fate was similar to that of Schwarzenegger.
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Where does he govern? :laugh:

Good thoughts, Darkline.
 
Richie White said:
Due to it's cultural timing in the height of the cold war. . .
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Good point, although I'd extend that out to the entire genre (action hero). It gave our collective anxiety something to suck on and go to sleep.
 
I've got to admit a guilty pleasure in Rambo II. "Murdock, I'm comin' for you!!!" Love it.

I'd guess that the slowing of his career was more a result of Hollywood that Stallone himself. Darkline has made some excellent points regarding image. Too many Execs probably can't see him as anything other than Rocky or Rambo, but I think Stallone realizes that he's got more to offer (roles like CopLand are a shining example of this). I think he's a genuinely good guy and a good actor (we can forgive Rhinestone). If John Travolta can make a comeback, then why not Stallone? Maybe he just needs to get a role in Tarantino's next....
 
i love how all of you are remarking on Sly's braun when in fact he's a pretty small guy, like 5'7 or 5'8.

i think he's a good actor. only with the Rocky Balboa movie coming out next year will we see if he's got the goods or not.
 
I think he's even shorter than that....

But, after speaking to the producer who was first approached to do Rocky (and turned it down) I have to give sly his props.

He wrote the story, and shopped it feverishly, insisting he play the part. This guy felt that Stallone's history and mannerisms hindered him in how he was perceived but that he was actually a very bright and ambitious guy. According to him, Sly had no interest in continuing to make eight gazillion Rocky and Rambo movies, but he knew he wasn't getting anything else and might not (at least until he was older) so he kept making them and banking the coin.

Matt
 
Darkline said:
What did he get 2 oscars for? I tried to look on IMDB, but it says there he was only nominated for Rocky. By contrast tho he has picked up 9 razzie awards!
Click to expand...


duh... yeah, my mistake. Still, 2 Oscar and 2 Golden Globe nominations. Not bad, if you ask me. And Razzie is a joke, they seem to be obsessed with him... 2000 - Worst Actor of the Century For 99.5% of everything he has EVER done. Sad poo pooers
 
Darkline said:
hmmm, only a personal opinion here. But Stallones fate was similar to that of Schwarzenegger (if it wasnt for the Terimantor franchise).

I think the idea of a big muscely action figure was a product of the 80's. Very much brawn over brain. Chuck Norris, Segal - all those kind of characters died off as the culture significantly shifted. I dont think these days there is any room for this kind of action hero anymore. The Rock has hardly has massive success and i'd put him with this kind of actor (but in his prime).

Where you beleive Sly is a good actor or not, he is pretty much labeled as that kind of actor; so work for him in high profile movies or indeed any serious role has to be difficult. Apart from T3, Arnold has suffered a similar fate.

Look at the action hero's we've had in the last 5-10 years. Matt Damon in Bourne, Ben Affleck, Keanau Reeves in the Matrix, Toby Maguire in Spiderman, etc. These characters exhibit more of an intellectual approach to being a hero and they are modelled on the average human becoming more than that; or at least we as an audience are meant to relate to them more.

All this along with Sly being somewhat past his prime would lead me to think you wont see much great material from him in the future, unless it all goes a bit retro in the next few years :-) The last good film I saw him in was Daylight, but he's not really a name that sells anymore.
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i agree with you. i think stallone was great back in the day and all but was the last 10 years or so that has made him not draw audience attention.
 
Missed his best performance...

Missed his best performance...

Speaking of Oscars... what about Oscar? Stalone gives his best performance as "Snaps" Provolone. Forget the muscles movies, which have their place by the way, check out Oscar, he shines here. In comedy timing is everything, in Oscar he is spot on. Plus the movie has Marisa Tomei and Chazz Palminteri in it. I know its more of play but it works and is very entertaining.

Jeremy
 
Sly is a shining example of someone who comes off as a complete muscle bound moron, but who is actually a great story teller with a lot to offer as an actor. I think that as he ages and accepts his age rather than run from it (running from it in roles such as the new Rocky and Rambo) and finds roles more along the lines of who he really is (what about a man getting older) he will reconnect with audiences.

The story of Rocky is more inspirational from the fact that Sly worked on that first movie for almost nothing just so he could be in it after he wrote it. He is talented, but we're not going to see the goods until he sheds this, 'I'm your worst nightmare syndrome'.

Copland was a shining example of Sly stepping out of his comfort zone and into a role that cast him as a fat, slow, aging guy and audiences connected with him. I want to see more roles like this from him, but some people (especially Hollywood superstars, and double especially Hollywood superstars who were involved in Planet Hollywood) don't like the idea of changing their mold. I think Sly in a romantic commedy (other than 'Stop of my mom will shoot') would be an interesting spin on it and maybe reawaken his career.
 
I understand the kid who's playing Rocky Balboa Jr in Rocky VI is also playing the same character in Rambo IV.

Nice cross-collateralization there.
 
Darkline; I like your takes on Film Discussion. They always seem well thought out.

David - Unless you're a fan of the comic.
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No. I'm not a fan of comics anyway which is why COmic movies rarely move me. Comics I liked grwoing up were of the Twisted Tales variety, Sgt Rock or any other alternative press (outside of DC of Marvel).

i love how all of you are remarking on Sly's braun when in fact he's a pretty small guy, like 5'7 or 5'8.
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Are you high? Sly is huge. I would'nt want to tango (pun) with him.

stallone.jpg
http://garscontent.com/Commission_Parlementaire/Caricatures/stallone.jpg

Worst Actor of the Century For 99.5% of everything he has EVER done. Sad poo pooers
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That is just unfair. Very uncool and could not be farthest from the truth. He is no worse or better than Bruce Willis, Arnold, Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt or any other Action Star. That's lame.

Sly is a shining example of someone who comes off as a complete muscle bound moron, but who is actually a great story teller with a lot to offer as an actor.
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Nice points!

Did you know he has credits in writing on:

Poe
Driven
Cliffhanger
Rambo III
Over the Top
Rocky IV
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Rhinestone
Staying Alive
First Blood
Rocky III
Rocky II
F.I.S.T
Rocky
The Lord's of Flatbush

That's impressive. I'd be hardpressed to find many writers today with this resume much less starring in them as well.

I have often wondered why the bag on his speech mannerism (John Wayne anyone? Bogart? Cagney? Arnold?)
.
Sly is great in Rocky, First Blood and Copland was a wonderful performance.
Like the start of the thread; I just dont get the bag on him. Maybe its the 80's thing (as mentioned) and people are trying to forget? I dont know.
 
He officially lists 5'9". Most reports I find list him as actually being 5'7". But hey, that's my height and I'm sure you wouldn't want to tango with me either...

:laugh:
 
a_stallone_275.jpg

Here's a pic from Rocky 6. They have begun filming.


I think Stallone is another guy that lost his touch sometime in the eighties. I think Copland is the most underrated film of the 1990's. One great cast and one great story. Mangold knocked that one out of the park.

I actually enjoyed a straight to video he made a few years ago called "eye see you" Kinda like a slasher flick, Stallone plays the cop. Hudson, check it out.
 
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