Rocky. People still don't get it!

[Road Warrior]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16689513/

ALMOST 30 years ago, Rocky won best picture at the Academy Awards. It beat Taxi Driver, Network, and All the President's Men. And, even though it was 30 years ago people are still puzzled as to why the film won.

Isn't it simple, folks? The film was released in 1976. 1976 was the U.S. bicentennial and here comes this movie about a classic underdog. People simply related to the film a lot more than the others. HECK, people still relate to Rocky more than the main characters of the other three movies. So, why is this STILL a debate?

Discuss.

 

[enterthemadness]

I've never seen all of 1-5, but have seen the new Rocky movie. However, I guess the critics don't get it: People like to root for the underdog.

 

[dogwonder78]

Wow, 4 unbelievable films were competing against each other. Can we please give Taxi Driver Crash's best picture award?

 

[Catman]

Wow, 4 unbelievable films were competing against each other.

1976 was a good year for movies.

 

[Hush]

That is a pretty hard bunch of movies for Rocky to go against but in the end i think maybe his had more heart.

 

[Catman]

Or the ONLY heart. lol. The other movies were very dark.

 

[Mike059jig]

I did not know rocky won best picture at the academy awards....very suprising!!!!!.....i seen them but could never watch them out.....

 

[Max J Power]

IMDb's forums made me tired of this topic.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

I really don't get Rocky, and especially how it could possibly win an Oscar over those others.

Meathead wants to be a boxer, trains, falls in love, loses fight.
w00t!

 

[3dman27]

maybe the audience gave him credit for trying

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

So, kind of a Special Olympics type thing

 

[Catman]

I really don't get Rocky, and especially how it could possibly win an Oscar over those others.

Meathead wants to be a boxer, trains, falls in love, loses fight.
w00t!

It was 1976, dude. Rocky is the story of an underdog accomplishing his goal through the American dream. People related to that. As great as the other films were they were just a bit too dark and negative. Audiences at the time preferred stuff like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O8xoN9NSzw

 

[Cinemaman]

I loved only 1st movie, the new one I will see this weekend

 

[Addendum]

At least the underdog didn't win until the sequel

 

[Catman]

^ The boxing scene in the 2nd one is still my favorite. I love how they knock each other out.

 

[Joker]

Taxi Driver should have won, but Rocky is probably the 2nd best movie of those that were nominated, IMO

 

[The Dark Defender]

I really don't get Rocky, and especially how it could possibly win an Oscar over those others.

Meathead wants to be a boxer, trains, falls in love, loses fight.
w00t!

It wasn't a story about boxing, it was a story about life.

 

[Warhammer]

Rocky was a top-notch, quality film, regardless with what it went up against at the Oscars.

Bias should interfere with quality.

For example, I don't really care for Dances With Wolves, but to say that it wasn't a damn good movie just because it was about a guy who befriended Sioux Indians is ridiculous.

 

[Killgore]

What I dont get is how Dances With Wolves and Kevin Costner could beat Goodfellas and Scorsese. Or how Ordinary People beat Raging Bull. Or Chariots Of Fire beat Raiders of the Lost Ark. Rocky still retains its power as a great movie. It even made the AFI's 100 greatest movies 20 years later, so I don't think it was just the bicentennial. As much as I love Taxi Driver, it's not one of those films you pop in and watch every year, unless you want to be depressed. Network, I saw it and that's as far as it goes. It's too self-important for my tastes. Rocky on the other hand genuinely makes me feel good while I watch it.

 

[Killgore]

Rocky was a top-notch, quality film, regardless with what it went up against at the Oscars.

Bias should interfere with quality.

For example, I don't really care for Dances With Wolves, but to say that it wasn't a damn good movie just because it was about a guy who befriended Sioux Indians is ridiculous.

Dances With Wolves is a BS Noble Savage bloated buffalo of a propaganda flick.

 

[Warhammer]

What I dont get is how Dances With Wolves and Kevin Costner could beat Goodfellas and Scorsese. Or how Ordinary People beat Raging Bull. Or Chariots Of Fire beat Raiders of the Lost Ark. Rocky still retains its power as a great movie. It even made the AFI's 100 greatest movies 20 years later, so I don't think it was just the bicentennial. As much as I love Taxi Driver, it's not one of those films you pop in and watch every year, unless you want to be depressed. Network, I saw it and that's as far as it goes. It's too self-important for my tastes. Rocky on the other hand genuinely makes me feel good while I watch it.

I agree.
Scorsese always gets screwed at the Oscars.

...However, DWW, (while I don't care for it) deserved to be nominated.
I like Goodfellas better, but I can't say that DWW winning the Oscar wasn't deserved, as well.

 

[Killgore]

I agree.
Scorsese always gets screwed at the Oscars.

...However, DWW, (while I don't care for it) deserved to be nominated.
I like Goodfellas better, but I can't say that DWW winning the Oscar wasn't deserved, as well.

Costner > than Scorsese?

 

[Warhammer]

Costner > than Scorsese?

I agree that Scorsese is among the Top 5 directors, ever, but the point that I am trying to get across is that even though Goodfellas deserved the Oscar, DWW winning wasn't as bad as people make it out to be, IMO.

 

[Killgore]

I'm talking about Costner getting best direction.
But we'll both agree that Pan's Labyrinth will be this years unsung best picture.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

i still think one of the biggest oscar questions is should have saving private ryan beat pulp fiction