Paulie Pennino: The Real Star of The Rocky series

40 years ago, Sylvester Stallone introduced the world to a true champion and American symbol in the character of Rocky Balboa when Rocky first hit theaters.  Over the next 39 years -- 5 sequels and a spin-off -- that character would continue to endure and connect with audiences around the world.  However, there is one character throughout the original six films whose presence holds much more weight than we all first thought...


Paulie, as played by the wonderful Burt Young.

Throughout the 30-year timespan of the original films, Paulie remains a powerful character, often steering the plotline and setting events into motion, making him perhaps almost more important than Rocky himself!  Let's take a look shall we?


Rocky (1976) - In an Academy Award-nominated Supporting Actor role, Burt Young introduces the world to Paulie, Rocky's best friend and future brother in-law in a stink hole of a bathroom tucked away inside a Philadelphia corner bar.  Almost immediately, Paulie's character is defined with a short fuse, proclaiming (numerous times) that "I'd like to kill the freakin' moron who broke the mirror" and that sometimes his sister Adrian gets him so mad "that I could split her head with a razor".  Charming, right?  But, since Rocky is good friends with him, there must be something loveable about him...


In perhaps the most important act of the entire Rocky franchise, Paulie essentially masterminds the first date between Rocky and Adrian!  Granted, he was a bit of a violent dick about it -- throwing the turkey that Adrian had in the oven out in the alley and pretty much forcing his younger sister out on the date -- but it's a significant moment that sets the tone for not only the rest of the film, but also the series as a whole.  Later on, Paulie even begins to resent both Rocky and Adrian for the relationship where he drunkenly confronts them, demanding...something.  It's not really clear what exactly Paulie demands here; respect? acknowledgement? credit? a good word with Gazzo?

In yet another tremendous move that solidifies their lifelong friendship, Paulie is the first true person to get in Rocky's corner (albeit for his own financial gain of course) once it's announced that he's been chosen to fight Apollo Creed for the Heavyweight title. This of course results in Rocky getting his infamously baggy boxing robe for the big fight (itself spawning a joke reference before Superfight II in Rocky II).  Later, after the fight, Paulie is instrumental in getting Adrian into the ring to reunite with Rocky, by causing a ruckus with a Philly police officer! 
Perhaps one of Rocky's most famous training techniques wouldn't even have been possible had it not been for Paulie:

Sure, Rocky "invented" punching the meat, but Paulie let him into Shamrock Meats to do so -- and did it again in Rocky Balboa!


Rocky II (1979) - A leaner (perhaps meaner?) Paulie has finally gotten out of his dead-end job at Shamrock Meats and now is collecting for mobster Tony Gazzo (obviously since Rocky is now legit and gone straight).  The entire time, it's Paulie who insists that Rocky should keep fighting, all the while he's trying to make a living off his winnings from the fight with Apollo and trying to parlay his career into TV commercials.


When Rocky's big break in commercials and his search for a cushy desk job don't pan out, who takes ownership of the Trans Am and picks up the payments Rocky can no longer make?  Paulie.  Of course, he also condones violence towards his little sister as well at this point with the hilariously sage advice of "Is my sister giving you a hard time?  If she is, ya break her teeth." 

When Adrian first pulls her defining character trait of "You should retire/My husband is retired" in this first sequel, seemingly forcing guilt at Rocky making him take up Paulie's old meat-packing position to make ends meet (only to get laid off anyway), it's Paulie who steps in to level things out.  Again, he does this by being a complete jackass to his pregnant sister, forcing her to fall into a coma after prematurely giving birth to Rocky Jr.  See?  Paulie is even responsible for Rocky Jr. being born!!


It's also worth noting here that Paulie seems to be off the sauce, as his leaner and healthier appearance indicates a man more keen on being a Wiseguy than a Budweiser Man.


Rocky III (1982) - Perhaps the sting of seeing Rocky's rise to the top after defeating Apollo and winning the Title in Rocky II -- events all spurned by Paulie's actions -- got the best of our lovable loudmouth.  He constantly sees Rocky getting all kinds of adoration and attention, while no crumbs are thrown his own way.  He turns back to the bottle and lands himself in the clink, forcing Rocky to come bail him out.


In this second sequel, Paulie's biggest contribution is that he's the one constant on Rocky's side.  Early on, he's now officially in Rocky's corner, working the charity fight against Thunderlips -- even showing a bit of courage by smashing a wooden chair over the giant wrestler's back and whipping out a switchblade (who carries a switchblade as a cornerman into a boxing match?!  Oh that's right...Paulie does!) to help cut off Rocky's gloves when the fight turns into a circus!  He even delivers some awesome, overlooked (especially in light of Mickey's many inspirational nuggets) words of wisdom in this scene:  "Rocko, remember the neighborhood!"  This quote seems to suggest the hardships that Rocky and Paulie came from growing up together, no doubt, rumbling and feuding with bums from the neighborhood, with Paulie whacking them out of course.  Now there's an interesting prequel idea:  a young Rocky and Paulie, brawling with neighborhood lowlifes in a bizarre combination of Bum Fights and Jean Claude Van-Damme's Lionheart!

Sqaushin' sterno bums since 1982.

Throughout the rest of the film, Paulie remains the one constant during the ups and downs that Rocky sees; when Mickey falls ill, it's Paulie who calls the doctor....when Mickey dies, Paulie is still there for Rocky.  When Rocky begrudgingly agrees to be trained by Apollo for a rematch with Clubber Lang, Paulie is the only one who still has faith in Rocky -- granted, "he's a bruiser, he ain't no boxer" isn't the most endearing endorsement, but it's better than the fear and uncertainty that's permeated from Adrian and Apollo.  Paulie knows Rocky can hit!  Besides, most importantly, during Rocky's training for the rematch, Paulie carries the boombox with the instrumental "jungle junk music" version of "Eye of the Tiger" . . . this is almost as important as Rocky himself during a training regiment!


Later in the Clubber Lang rematch, it's Paulie who knows exactly what Rocky is doing:  "He's not getting killed, he's getting mad!"


Paulie also acts as a "wonderful" babysitter for Rocky Jr. during the statue unveiling.  This is probably one of his funniest scenes as he hilariously finishes the story of Goldie Locks & The Three Bears:  "...busted for trespassing and 30 days in the cooler."


Rocky IV (1985) - At the height of the Cold War, Paulie represents the jingoistic sentiments many Americans felt at this time by sporting a Don't Tread On Me flag on the back of his coat when the team arrives in Russia, which Paulie quickly dismisses with "it don't look so tough."  He's also the first to stand up to Communism by mouthing off at Michael Pataki's Nicoli Koloff by pointing out the violent nature of the Russian government (keeping their people behind a wall with machine guns) and declaring that he's "the unsilent majority, bigmouth!"

Once again, Adrian delivers one of her famous "you can't win/don't do it" speeches . . . and Paulie is still there, encouraging Rocky to "blast this guy's teeth out."

Perhaps, in the film's most famous bit of advice, during Rocky's grueling fight with Drago, as he's starting to see "three of 'em out there", Paulie's wisdom shines through once again:  hit the one in the middle. 


Rocky V (1990) - It's safe to say that the entirety of Rocky V is Paulie's fault.  When meeting with Rocky's financial advisor after all of his assets are stolen by a crooked accountant, Adrian even exclaims "we are here because of you, Paulie!" 

"Fightin's the ticket Rocko!"

Once Rocky's fortune is gone, who was smart enough to keep the keys to his old place in the neighborhood?  Paulie, that's who!  With that, the entire family moves back into the split house that Paulie and Adrian lived in during Rocky.


When young upstart Tommy Gunn starts hanging around, who is immediately skeptical of him and his goals?  Paulie, once again.  Of course Robert (Rocky Jr.) and Adrian soon follow suit, but it was always Paulie right from the beginning who never liked Tommy and didn't trust him.  In fact, Paulie is also the first one to notice the "ship is sinking" when George Washington Duke gets involved and leers Tommy Gunn away from Rocky! 


As Rocky becomes more and more blinded by the shine of Tommy Gunn's wins under his management and training, Paulie is keenly aware of the scams and deceptions going on.  He can't watch his good friend fall down and become a victim to all of it . . . during the Christmas celebration as Rocky desperately tries to connect with the family and Robert in particular, Paulie immediately detects the young boy's unease and embarrassment in front of his friends and decides to drop the charade and continue drinking while watching Christmas Vacation!  Later on, when Tommy "The Machine" Gunn fights a seemingly rigged title fight under George Washing Duke, Paulie can barely stand to see his friend wallow in the brief glory he experiences by seeing his former protégé victorious.  It's Paulie's decision (at Adrian's behest) to go down to Andy's Bar and put their teeth around a few beers . . . after all, what are friends for right?


It's also here where Paulie becomes the main catalyst for the climatic streetfight between Rocky and Tommy, by standing up and declaring to the latter "Tommy, you're a piece of garbage, you know that?" before getting punched out himself!  Paulie getting punched out by Tommy is the spark that sets Rocky off to beat the shit out of Tommy once and for all! 


To top it all off, while Rocky's schedule is filled up with training Tommy Gunn throughout most of the film, who helps train Robert to whack out the local bullies at his new school?  Paulie (obviously the more technical training comes from Jimmy [Gambina]), but Uncle Paulie is there to help Robert focus on the tasks at hand and for encouragement! 

Rocky Balboa (2006) - Who introduces Rocky to the "cartoon fight" pitting current Heavyweight champion Mason "The Line" Dixon in a fantasy battle against a prime Rocky Balboa?  That's right...Paulie.  This ultimately awakens Rocky from his peaceful existence as a retired boxing legend/restaurant owner in the wake of Adrian's untimely passing. 


Who is a receptive ear, listening to Rocky as he discusses the "stuff in the basement", ultimately forcing our hero to come to terms with his own demons and questions of mortality?  Once again, it's Paulie.  Fittingly so, right before the actual fight (where Paulie is, once more, working Rocky's corner), Paulie urges his old friend to leave it behind after this. 

During Rocky's annual runs of "The Tour" of Memory Lane on the anniversary of Rocky and Adrian meeting, who's always right there by his good friend's side?  Paulie...always. 


Unfortunately, by the time 2015's Creed spinoff rolled around, Sylvester Stallone decided to retire the Paulie character, by having him buried right next to his sister Adrian, for Rocky to visit daily.

So there, you see, while some people might have said "drop that bum", Paulie turned out to be quite the catalyst for many of Rocky Balboa's greatest triumphs.  A true unsung hero of The Italian Stallion. 

ROCKY: 40 Years of The Eye Of The Tiger

The piece which you see before you probably isn't so much a review or a retrospective of the Rocky series.  In fact, it's more a document of how the Rocky series and character has touched my life through some of the toughest challenges I've ever faced. 


40 years ago today, a small film was released.  It was a film that no studio particularly wanted to make, least of all with its unknown, struggling screenwriter in the starring role.  It was a film that spoke to every single underdog who gave it their best shot.  It was a film that spoke to American spirit of never giving up, no matter how stacked the odds may seem.  It was a film that would go on to win three Academy Awards -- including Best Picture and Best Director.  It was a film that was spawn an enduring 40-year franchise and give birth to an indelible title character. 


Rocky.


I've always considered myself an underdog.  Perhaps that underdog spirit was ingrained in me at a young age, maybe even before I knew what it was.  The character of Rocky Balboa is the underdog for every person who's ever felt like a nobody, a loser, or like they just needed their one shot at their dreams.  Rocky Balboa is the voice for the voiceless who feel they deserve their "shot", but cannot find that voice within themselves.  Rocky Balboa is a heart of gold encased in a rough exterior; coarse edges with what is perhaps not the most eloquent delivery at times.  Rocky Balboa is the wrinkled, favorite t-shirt in a room full of neatly pressed dress shirts and ties. 

I am Rocky Balboa.


The first time I met Rocky Balboa, I was a mere 3yrs old.  My parents took me to see my first big-screen movie in a movie theater -- Rocky IV -- at the old Barn Theater in my hometown of Frenchtown, NJ.  Maybe it was the fact that the screen itself may as well have been 30 feet high or that my parents had hyped up the experience that I would be seeing "a really big TV" (but I had to be very quiet during the movie) . . . but I was instantly hooked.  Of course, sitting atop my parents piled-up coats, I wound up falling asleep.  Though my memory is fuzzy of that experience, I do remember key scenes from the film and, of course, that soundtrack!  Almost immediately after seeing Rocky IV, I remember my mom buying me the soundtrack on cassette -- something I played almost exclusively and literally wore out from so many plays!


From that point on, Rocky Balboa was a personal hero of mine -- along with Indiana Jones, Mr. T. and, later, Freddy Krueger.  I had the Rocky and Clubber Lang action figures from Rocky III, as well as some strange erasure-like rubber figures of Rocky and Drago from Rocky IV.  Whenever a Rocky movie was on TV, I'd watch; though at that young age, they all kinda blended into one film.  As I grew older, the Rocky films sort of got buried in my totem of fandom and, strangely, became a sort of embarrassment for me...to the point where I remember playing the Rocky IV soundtrack for a friend and lying to him that it was some sort of Christian Rock!


In 1990, I clearly remember seeing local news stories out of Philadelphia while Rocky V was filming and my dad clipping and saving newspaper articles for me about how Sylvester Stallone was going to kill off the character in a street-fight at the end of the film!  Philadelphia was pretty close to home and I begged and begged my parents to take me down their while they were filming, but it never happened.  Even when the film was released, for some odd reason, we didn't go see it in the theater!  Instead, I wound up catching most of it on Request Pay-Per-View (the first 10 or so minutes in perfect condition and the remainder of it through a scrambled signal like the Playboy channel!).  Again, not really sure why I didn't just rent the VHS when it came out! 


Again, Philadelphia wasn't too far from where I grew up and, as a kid, my parents would often take me into the city to visit the Franklin Institute or other various museums.  We'd almost always find ourselves driving by the Philadelphia Museum of Art at some point, but I never had the chance to get out and run up the stairs like my hero!


In 1996, the original Rocky celebrated its 20th anniversary and I recall a great deal of fanfare at the local Suncoast video as all five movies were re-released in a snazzy new VHS boxset.  I shrugged at such a release and moved on, ultimately feeling that maybe I'd outgrown the character. 


In the summer of 1999, I enrolled in a Video Production workshop class at the Art Institute of Philadelphia.  It was basically a week-long summer camp and we were housed in the Freshman dorms of Drexel University.  Early in that week, I'd heard that there was a free movie screening of Rocky actually ON the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art!  After some asking around, I managed to get approval to get some of us together and pile into a cab to head over to the screening!  Watching Rocky at that place, while sitting on those steps, surrounded by Philly locals was an absolute treat!  Naturally, the crowd exploded when Rocky actually runs up the steps.  Although the famous Rocky statue first introduced in Rocky III was no longer at the museum, there was a cool little plague with Stallone's Chuck Taylor footprints commemorating the film and character at the top of the steps! 


In 2000, I graduated high school and started at a local community college.  At the same time, I also started working a video store where I quickly re-acclimated myself with the Rocky series, as any one of them were my sort of "go-to" movies to put on while at work.  On 9/11/01, though I wasn't scheduled to work, I ended up coming in so that my boss could take some time off and reach out to his loved ones.  That night, I played Rocky IV on repeat as its sense of American pride and spirit spoke to me and brought comfort on that horrible day. 


By this point, I'd say I was pretty much a full-fledge Rocky fan once again and I didn't care who knew it.  By now, I'd manage to not only investigate, apply, get accepted to, and start classes at Rutgers University, but I was also the first in my family to do so.  I was determined to be the first to graduate from college and, not unlike a certain down-on-his-luck boxer from Philadelphia, it was all a million to one shot in my eyes. 


In 2005, Stallone announced the release of a mens' health book he had written called Sly Moves and that he was to embark on a book signing tour across the country.  Somehow, I'd heard that he would be in New York at Barnes & Nobel and I decided that I needed to be there.  After a train ride that seemed to take forever a short cab ride, I found myself walking towards the end of a line that never seemed to end, stretching across multiple city blocks.  "There's no way this is gonna happen," I thought to myself.  The entire afternoon, as I waited, there seemed to be a sense that NOT everyone would get in and get a book signed.  Of course, as soon as I got there, I grabbed up two copies of the book in the hopes that I'd get them signed.  Sure enough, once the signing started, the line started moving and continued at a brisk pace.  Before I knew it, there I was....inside the store and Stallone was mere feet away from me.  I couldn't believe it that right there was a man whom I'd looked up to for as long as I could remember.  [Just thinking about it while writing this is making me tear up actually - ED]  I could really use some of that Rocky spirit to push me through my remaining time at Rutgers towards graduation in 2006!  We were given the following instructions:  no personalized autographs and no photos with Stallone.  Fair enough.  Next thing I knew, a worker grabbed my books, opened them to their title pages, and placed them on the table that Stallone was signing at in front of me.  


My eyes were huge with amazement as the man sat there, not 5 feet from me, signing and looking up at the hundreds of fans in line.  My books were up and I immediately thought to myself "I have to take advantage of this moment...."


"Thanks Sly."  It just blurted out.  I don't even know how I managed to get those two words out.


He looked up after signing my books and looked right at me with his crooked smile of his.


"You're welcome."


Goosebumps.  [Then, and of course even now as I relive the memory 11 years later! - ED]


Throughout the series, Rocky had Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago, and Tommy Morrison.....I had Math.  Math has always been my greatest and toughest opponent, often pounding me into defeat and tears of frustration and heartbreak.  Throughout 2005, I worked my ass off trying to finish school and potentially graduate in December of that year, earlier than expected.  I literally did a bunch of classes in the Spring '05 semester, took some during the Summer semester, and then loaded up again in the Fall.  One of those classes that Fall was an uncredited Math course -- the second of which were required for my English Literature major.  The rest of my courses were a breeze; sitting in hours-long lectures?  Writing 20+ page papers?  I didn't bother me.  In fact, my grades in those courses were great as a matter of fact!  That Math class was all that was standing between me and "the title" of Graduation.  I'll never forget going into my Math final pretty much knowing that I was defeated...there was no way I could pass as my back was against the wall and the bell wasn't gonna save me this time.  I was done. 


Right before Christmas that year, I got my grades and, low and behold, I failed that Math class.  Surprisingly not by much...but I still failed and my fate was sealed in terms of an early graduation.  That day, I immediately signed up to retake the class during the Spring semester.  As I was reeling from the defeat, literally my life played out like the scenes following Mickey's death in Rocky III; I was mopey and needed some motivation.  As it turned out, Stallone was actually in Philadelphia filming Rocky Balboa, and so in January 2006, with a good buddy of mine, I set out to the city to see if maybe I could find the production and maybe catch a glimpse of my hero again.


Our first stop was the Sports Complex where the Rocky statute had been housed (when it wasn't in storage) after the filming of Rocky V.  As it turned out, the Philadelphia Museum of Art deemed the statue to be a mere movie prop, not fit to be on their property, so it had be moved to the more fitting Sports Complex near the Philadelphia Spectrum [RIP - ED].  It was a sight to behold as I suddenly found myself face to face with the Rocky statue!  To some, yes, it was a mere film prop symbolizing a franchise to (at least in the eyes of many) progressively went down in quality.  To me, though, it was a symbol of hope...a beacon of strength even...telling me that I could do this.  Shouting at me, as Mickey told Rocky in Rocky V "Get up, you son of a bitch!"

Soon after, we headed for the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the steps.  Now, going into it, I'd see hundreds of people run up and do the "Rocky dance" tons of times.  I probably even did it myself the first time I went there in '99 (though it was probably a little more subdued as I was around people I didn't really know, ya know?).  This time though...all bets were off.  Aside from two fellow sight-seeing fans that we ran into early at the Spectrum, no one else was around.  I remember walking up with every ounce of baggage about my seemingly crushed dream on my shoulders....and then I darted up those steps with every ounce of energy I had in me.



This pic here sits at my desk at work, reminding me that I can beat any odds.

From the top of the steps, I stood exactly where Rocky Balboa did in both Rocky and Rocky II, throwing my arms up in victory and triumph while I surveyed the city in front of me.  It was truly an empowering and exhilarating feeling.  The spirit of Rocky was now in me and I was ready to give the fight of my life!
When classes started back up, I reacted to this final Math class in a way that I never had before; with no fear and no pain.  I made sure that I either sat in the first or second row directly in front of the teacher's desk.  I made sure that I asked at least one question about the previous night's assignment; ensuring a discussion and How To was done for at least one problem I may have been struggling with.  When it came time to do my homework each night, I did not just once...but at least two or three times in a row.  However many Math problems -- fractions, equations, word problems (my toughest opponent probably) or whatever the hell I was doing -- I'd do 'em all multiple times to ensure they were engrained in my brain!  For each test leading up to the Final, I received the best Math scores of my entire school life!  It was working.  I had the Eye of the Tiger!  In fact, just before going in to take my Final, I vividly remember cramming one last study session in one of the commissaries.  I was cranking the Rocky IV soundtrack through my iPod, psyching myself up to go in and give everything I had...one...last....time. 


I passed with a strong score, effectively acing the class this time!  And, in May of 2006, I became the first person in my family to graduate from college.  It's a moment that I'll never forget and a win that I will cherish forever.  Not only did I pass the class and graduate, I also made the Dean's List either my second to last or final semester; another feat which I believed to be an impossible goal!   Much like how all of the Rocky films end with a freeze-frame, capturing that film's absolute peek moment for the character....that is how I will remember my time at Rutgers University.


December of 2006 saw the release of Rocky Balboa, a film that many scoffed at the mere idea of.  Stallone himself met such opposition in getting the film made that it seemed as though he were facing an incredible opponent the likes of which Rocky himself had never seen before!  Left and right, people were telling Stallone "No" and "you can't do this" . . . much like I had experienced throughout my atypical journey to and through Rutgers as a matter of fact.  When I saw the film on its opening day, I remember getting choked up and sobbing as it's revealed that Adrian has passed away and Rocky had very little left aside from a restaurant named after his late wife and his old pal Paulie, who was still stuck in the same dead-end job he'd been in 30 years prior in the original film.  Seeing the character of Rocky break down and speak about "some stuff in the basement" and a "beast" inside of him that needed to get out....it was powerful stuff that I easily connected with on almost every level.  It was truly a remarkable film and a fitting cap to an inspirational film series. 


 In 2014, my youngest cousin got married in Philadelphia and my wife and I traveled back home to visit my family and attend the wedding.  The day before we headed home, we made a pilgrimage to several filming locations from the series in South Philly...namely, the area where Mighty Mick's gym, J & M Tropical Fish (Adrian's pet shop) and Andy's Bar from Rocky V exist.  We also hit Rocky's apartment (and street) which isn't actually too far from these locations.  Gotta admit, visiting these locations was incredibly awe-inspiring and just as moving as standing at the top of the "Rocky steps" in '06!


Yo, how ya doin' Mick?

J & M Tropical Fish...long since closed up.



This is pretty much the site of the street fight in Rocky V.

Of course, nearly a decade after Rocky Balboa, Stallone would once again revisit the Rocky character one last time (in fact, pretty much every single Rocky sequel was supposed to be "the last time") in a very different film called Creed.  Here, Rocky was more of a supporting character, finally at peace with his past and his fighting career effectively in his rear-view mirror.  He lives a somewhat lonely, quiet life outlined by daily routines of ordering/delivering food for his restaurant and visiting the cemetery where he visits the side-by-side graves of Adrian and her brother Paulie.  Into the mix though, comes Adonis Creed, the illegitimate son of Rocky's one time rival and best friend, the late Apollo Creed.  Rocky reluctantly agrees to train young Donnie, only to face his own toughest opponent yet:  Cancer. 


I'm not ashamed to admit it:  when Rocky first receives his Cancer diagnosis and refuses treatment (Adrian died of "woman Cancer" as Rocky calls it, despite going through various treatments herself), I was a blubbering mess.  I went into Creed essentially believing that Stallone would finally kill off the Rocky character, as his story had pretty much reached its apex.  I'd come to terms with that very real possibility, believing that I'd have to say goodbye someone -- although fictional -- who has been both inspirational and friend-like for my entire life.  [for those of you who haven't yet seen Creed, you didn't really think I was gonna spoil the ending did you? - ED]


Today, when I watch a Rocky movie or listen to any soundtrack from the series, it's ON as far as I'm concerned.  I get hyped up to take on whatever challenge is in front of me.  I'm inspired to kick as much ass as I can and give my entire heart to whatever task is ahead.  Or, I just feel like fighting people!  Hey, Eddie Murphy wasn't lying about what happens when we see Rocky!


So, it is with this . . . me spilling my Rocky story, that I say a heartfelt THANK YOU to Sylvester Stallone for not just writing a screenplay and creating a character.  With the original Rocky (and its sequels), Stallone birthed a symbol for hopes, dreams, and success.  Rocky Balboa has always been and continues to be an inspiration to me.

12 Films That Have Stayed With Me

Recently, I was tagged in a Facebook post to rattle off 12 films that have stayed with me.  The instructions were A.) Not too think about it too hard and B.) To only use one film per director.  Obviously, the point of this blog entry goes against Rule A., but, I just thought this was too cool of a thing to pass up (plus, my buddy Richard Diaz gave me the idea of breaking each film down and why they're so important to me).  On with the list, shall we?

 
1.) Dawn of the Dead – the fact that I wrote one of my college papers on why I love this film so much speaks volumes.  To me, it goes together with me the way oxygen does…it’s just a simple part of me.  From the first time I saw this film, as a wide-eyed 5yr old who dug the sounds and images of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, to the time I rediscovered it as an 11yr old and falling head over heels for it, to ultimately meeting many of the film’s creators and visiting many of its filming locations. 

There’s a sense of comfort and familiarity that goes along with this film; it’s unmistakable soundtrack like a sweet lullaby or calming force.  In short, Dawn never gets old for me!

2.) Rocky IV – this was the first film I ever saw in a theater and, even though I was only 3yrs old, I still have very vivid memories of seeing it.  Both of my parents telling me that it was like watching a really big TV and that I had to be quiet (a rule that I’ve never forgotten nor broken) as they piled their coats up on a seat so that I could see.  I sat there in pure amazement, ignoring my parents as they offered me popcorn, candy, or a drink.  The only time I broke my fixed attention was…when I fell asleep.  BUT, I do clearly recall the scene of Apollo visiting Rocky at his home with his intentions to fight Drago. 

Perhaps one of the first albums I ever owned was the soundtrack to Rocky IV (I’ve since gotten it on CD and vinyl now too); each song inspiring me to climb mountains and beat up Russians.  It’s safe to say that, yes; this is another one that never gets old for me.

3.) Indiana Jones And The Temple of Doom – while I can’t say for sure whether I saw this or Raiders of the Lost Ark first, this one has always held a special place in my heart.  Sure, a lot of people would choose Raiders over Temple of Doom, but not me.  Maybe I saw a little of myself in Short Round, as I day-dreamed about going on adventures with one of my first childhood heroes, Indiana Jones.  Maybe it’s the borderline horror movie elements that creep their way throughout the story and set pieces; admit it, the Temple of Doom itself, with its towering Khali statue is incredible!  Speaking of which, who doesn’t love a lei made from human skulls and a grass skirt made from severed human arms??  Plus, John Williams’ score is fantastic in this; sure Raiders has some incredible themes on its own, but Temple of Doom has its titular piece that places during the human sacrifice sequence….if I had a band, that music would totally be our intro theme! 

As if further proof was needed of just how deeply ingrained Temple of Doom is in my psyche, as a kid, every time I’d see a rope or wire bridge, I’d INSTANTLY want to run/play on it because of the movie.  Hell, to this day, I can’t not see a suspension foot-bridge and not want to cut it in the middle and drop twenty or thirty advancing bad guys on either side of me into the waters below!

4.) Rocky – why yes, I am including two Rocky movies…different directors.  Next to Indiana Jones, Rocky was an early childhood hero to me (thanks mostly to Rocky IV).  As a kid, I remember seeing all the Rocky movies at various points, often getting them confused with one another – no thanks to the previous endings being repeated at the start of each sequel.  However, I didn’t really fall in love with the original film until high school.  I saw and still see a lot of myself in the Rocky character.  I’ve always felt like an underdog – especially in elementary school and, to some extent, in high school where I was considered popular and pretty much everyone liked me.  “His whole life was a million to one shot” . . . my million to one shot was going to college and becoming the first person in my family to do so an earn a degree.  Much like Rocko training for the big fight with Apollo, I busted my ass during my final semesters at Rutgers University (another instance where the Rocky IV soundtrack came in handy…listening to it as I studied for my absolute final exam literally before I walked over to take it!). 

In life, I’d also consider myself an underdog; sort of marching to the beat of my own drum and never really finding myself fitting in with the so-called status quo (whenever I tried to do so, it came off disingenuously). 

5.) A Nightmare on Elm Street 4:  The Dream Master – some of you may say “the sequels sucked! Freddy became a wise-cracker instead of a skin-carver!”  While this may be true to a fault, the first Nightmare film I ever saw was either Nightmare 3 or Nightmare 4.  In fact, this was the one that I remember seeing TV spots for around its release.  Regardless, it’s always been the one I’ve felt closest to.  The kids in it are all great and, to me, are realistically fleshed-out instead of the cardboard stereotypes you’d see in other horror franchises of the time.  Actually, they’re all kids I either wanted to be or at least hang out with!  Lisa Wilcox’s transformation from shy Alice to ass-kicking Dream Master is a great, believable arc.  Danny Hassel’s Dan reminds me of the jocks I was friends with in high school.  Andras Jones, as Rick, is the kinda dude I’d hang out with and/or secretly want to be.  To this day, I’m not afraid to admit that I still have a crush of Brooke Theiss as Debbie.  Haha.    

As for Freddy….well, this is MY Freddy.  As a kid, watching the entire series on VHS, I always felt that the first two films (especially the original) had Freddy “all wrong”.   From the sleeves with no stripes and hobo look (and voice) in Nightmare 1 to the general all-around evil nature in Nightmare 2, it all felt like the filmmakers were still trying to perfect the character. 

Plus…that soundtrack!  At the time, The Fat Boys and “Are You Ready For Freddy” was my jam.  There’s not a time that goes by where I don’t play Dramarama’s “Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You)” and not want to work out or kick some ass at something! 

6.) Back To The Future – growing up in the 80s and early 90s and being your average American boy, it’s safe to say that Marty McFly was a dude you were required to look up to and emulate!  In my eyes, anyone with a skateboard or riding a skateboard was Marty McFly.  Even though I have very fond memories of seeing Part II and Part III in the theater, it’s the first film that solidified my love for the series.  Marty was just so cool in pretty much every situation and always outsmarting Biff!  Maybe I saw some of that in myself, since I was never a big, muscular brute and I always thought I could charm or talk my way out of potentially bad situations.  Plus, what kid at that time didn’t think the DeLorean was the raddest car of all time or who didn’t want to rock out on a guitar like that?  Why yes…I did play air guitar on a broom to “Johnny B. Goode” many, many times.

7.) Aliens – I can still vaguely recall the first time I saw Aliens on TV, through the lenses of a pair of 3D glasses.  I kept switching from one eye to the other, making the picture either totally blue or completely red.  The thinking of a 5yr old, right?  Of course, another early memory revolving around Aliens was, or course, the accompanying arcade game released in 1990 . . . loads of fun that one!   Anyway, as a film, Aliens is exactly like a rollercoaster thrill-ride!  It was never “scary” to me, but always a fun ride with memorable characters – who didn’t want to be Hicks or even Drake?  In the early 90s, instead of just playing “guns” or “war” with my buddies, we’d play Aliens or Predator (especially when we get toy mini-guns!).  I was so obsessed with Aliens that I remember one night during a snowstorm, which was almost guaranteeing no school the next day, I took an old pair of greyish pants and colored black camouflage all over them to resemble the Marines’ gear!  True story.

Around 1992 when Alien3 came out, I managed to tape Aliens off of Request Pay-Per-View, which was for some reason airing it as a free movie.  Of course, I missed the very beginning and so the tape that I always watched -- until I bought the first DVD boxset in 1999 or 2000 – always started with the Marines rushing formation for inspection as they prepared to board the Dropship.  Also, don’t even get me started on the toys from Kenner….had them all…well, most of them.  Some of the mutant, hybrid Aliens were a bit too goofy-looking for my taste as the line started to die out.  In fact, when I first heard there was going to be a toy line from Kenner, I daydreamed of what the figures would look like – almost exact recreations of the movie, though the finally released line (based in part on an unproduced cartoon series) still fit the bill for me. 

Today, it’s one of those movies that I can quote verbatim and, in any given situation, I tend to throw out a line or two . . . I still say “I’m on it” just like Hudson after Hicks gives him orders later in the film!

8.) Michael Jackson’s Thriller  - “But this isn’t a film…” you say?  Bullshit.  Of course it is.  The reason for its inclusion on my list is pretty simple:  it was my exact introduction to all things Horror and monsters.  Being born in 1982, Michael Jackson was part of my being and the Thriller album as a whole was a huge part of that.  I can still vividly recall watching the Thriller music video in pre-school in 1985/1986 and being terrified of the were-cat monster (which I always thought was a werewolf anyway) and not really scared by the “monsters” in the second half of the short film . . . of course, then I saw Dawn of the Dead and my entire notion of zombies (and, most importantly, what they are and what they can do) made Thriller absolutely terrifying to me!

Let’s not forget that ending either . . .still creeps me out!!   Hell, even though I’m almost 34yrs old, just the intro of the song itself still kinda creeps me out.  Those memories and emotions I felt while watching Michael Jackson’s Thriller way back when I was knee-high to a duck have stayed with me for evigt!  And so, it’s because of Michael Jackson’s Thriller that I can trace the roots of my Horror fandom back to today.

9.) The Crow – the first time I read about this film was in an issue of Comics magazine and, while I’m not 100% certain, I’m pretty sure it was before Brandon Lee’s tragic death.  At this point, I had seen Showdown in Little Tokyo and Rapid Fire and so I knew Brandon was “Bruce Lee’s son” and that he was an all-around badass just like his father before him.  My interest was definitely there from a photo in the mag of Lee, in character with the make-up and trench coat.  This would be a cool movie.  And then he died and an entirely different vibe swept over the film and its release.

I was obsessed with The Crow . . . even though I absolutely hated the way people would point out to me that I was.  To this day, I kinda still loathe the word “obsessed” mainly for this very reason.  Ultimately, what attracted me to The Crow so much was that it was a story about love (which, given that I was 11/12yrs old when it was released and I was starting to have “those feelings”, I was looking for love) and revenge (hey, there’s still a part of me that would love nothing more than to turn the tables on those who tormented and wronged me).  This is a film that came along in an awkward period of my life…if I ever had a Goth or emo phase, this was it….grew my hair out (mostly because I wanted to be Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction and/or because Metallica had long hair), wore a lot of black (mostly because of Metallica though) and started to immerse myself in music and movies and was basically finding my own identity.  Ultimately, I never owned a black trench coat, wore white pancake makeup, dyed my hair jet black, painted my nails black, or wore eye makeup…so yeah.  Of course, I was The Crow for Halloween that year, but that was about it.     

The film itself was awesome . . . it was one of the first movies that I rented and double-taped (as it wasn’t yet available to own yet) and got smacked in the face with macrovision copy-protection!  So, even though the tape copied, the picture constantly went from very bright to very dark throughout the entire running time!!  But, at least I had the movie!!

Speaking of music, this is one of the last great soundtracks that I can listen to front to back with no complaints.  Every track is great and, more importantly, is actually in the damn movie!  Nope, none of this “music from and inspired by” bullshit here! 

Over the years, my “obsession” with The Crow seemed to have waned a bit as there was a time where I literally didn’t watch the film or listen to the soundtrack for, at least, 10 years.  It’s one of those films (and soundtracks) that I can revisit and fondly recall those earlier emotions as well as continue to enjoy the story.

10.) Pulp Fiction – another film that I can quote endlessly (and still throughout lines from in almost everyday conversation) with an outstanding soundtrack from start to finish, this is one for the ages as far as I’m concerned.  Actually, the first time I heard of the movie was by seeing the theatrical trailer at the start of The Crow VHS that I had copied!  At first, when I saw Bruce Willis, I thought it was going to be a Die Hard sequel and that Travolta was the villain . . . imagine that scenario for a moment, will you?!  Anyway, that trailer kinda blew me away and I knew right there that I needed to see this film.  Ultimately, I missed it in the theater, but I do remember staring fondly at its theatrical poster in the light box at the movie theater that I’d eventually work at 4 years later! 

As a matter of fact, I had the soundtrack for Pulp Fiction almost 21 years ago to this day!  Yup…bought the soundtrack before I ever saw the movie and I can remember wondering aloud how some of the dialogue bits fit into the film – did Samuel L. Jackson play a preacher man (or at least pose as one) who got shot up?!?!  It’s safe to say that I wore that CD out because I actually did and took it back to The Wall music store, under their “Lifetime Music Guarantee” and got a fresh disc.  Side note:  how many of us just switched out cassette or CD cases with these famous blue stickers when something happened to the music?  Haha.  

My local video store was awesome; they had a killer Horror section and I never got carded for the stuff I’d rent – whether it was I Spit On Your Grave or, in this case, Pulp Fiction.  I actually reserved the very first rental of the VHS at my store and I remember being excited as hell when the day finally arrived that I could go pick it up!  As soon as the end of the day bell rang at school that day, I walked my narrow butt the mile or so down the road to the video store – straight from school.  I even remember waving to my teacher as he drove by while I was walking along the shoulder of the road!  My life changed that afternoon when I brought the movie home . . . in fact, one of my buddies was over and watched it with me.  I think both of us heard many words and phrases that neither had heard before (which we soon added to our vocabulary of course!) and, if I’m not mistaken, he got in trouble with his parents for watching the movie at my house! 

Good times!

11.) The Adventures of Milo & Otis – I’m pretty sure I didn’t see this in the theater, but it was one of the first movies that my mom rented for me on Request Pay-Per-View (along with Elvira: Mistress of the Dark).  To this day, it cracks me when people view my Film Aficionado collection listing and this is at the top since it’s alphabetical! 

Before I was all about blood, guts, zombies, and heavy metal thunder, I was a cat person (and still am, though I don’t have any pets any longer).  This movie and its story of a curious cat and a pug-nosed pup has always spoken volumes to me about the true meaning and values of friendship.  No matter whom you are or what your differences may be – even if you’re a cat and he or she is a dog – it doesn’t mean that you can’t be the best of friends!  Everything is just too cute about this film; from the adventure that Milo & Otis go on and all of the other characters they meet along the way, to the late Dudley Moore’s excellent narration.  One day, I’d love to see the original Japanese version of this film, though I’m sure it doesn’t have that great theme song!

12.) Night Patrol – to some, this is a film that is bottom of the barrel, lowest of the low-brow comedy at its worst.  To me, it’s one film that I will NEVER forget seeing for the first time in my life!  It was a New Year’s Eve party at my cousin’s house – 2002 into 2003 – and one of his friends had brought it over for a screening.  I was literally in pain from laughing so hard at those guys laughing at the movie!!  Everything about it friggin’ KILLS me!  The diner scene is worth the price alone, but just do yourself a favor and check it out . . . especially if you’re into or get the comedic styling of The Unknown Comic!