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Legendary actor Sylvester Stallone is still known for his action-hero persona of the ‘80s and ‘90s despite not being on the top now. He has a lasting legacy that is cemented by films such as theRockyfranchise, theRambofranchise, and theExpendablesseries, which have made him the bonafide action star of the past few decades.
Stallone was at his peak of stardom in the ‘80s when he was competing with fellow action star Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, his brand of films captured the energy of the crowd along with the dream-like blockbusters made by the likes of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Hence, directors like Martin Scorsese rarely had a spot in the top brass in Hollywood.
Also read:Robert De Niro’s Regret of Rejecting ‘Pirates’ Franchise Led To 1 Desperate Role in Charlie Cox’s 2007 Film
Sylvester Stallone’sRockyWas The Best Man In The Ring
The story behindSylvester Stallone’sstruggle to getRockymade is legendary. Written by him in a few days after being inspired by a Muhammed Ali match. He shopped around the script to many studios as he also wanted to star in the sports drama. The film was finally picked up by United Artists who only budgeted it at $860,000.
The film was a global phenomenon upon release, earning over $225 million at the box office and becoming the highest-grossing film of 1976. United Artists had actually gambled withRockyand were hoping to recover their losses with Martin Scorsese’sNew York New York. However, it worked in the opposite direction as Scorsese’s musical was a flop.
Martin Scorsese would go on to talk about his struggle to keep up with the frenzy created by the likes of Stallone’sRockyin an interview withThe Rolling Stonesmagazine,
“I was making a certain kind of film. Films at that time… don’t forget, it was the beginning of the Reagan era. Sylvester Stallone had created his own new mythology and people were more into that. I mean, after the experience of ‘New York, New York’ (1977), I realized the kind of pictures I was going to make, even if I was dealing with the genre”
Sylvester Stallone’sRockywould go on to spawn multiple sequels and a spin-off, the latest of whichCreed IIIwas released earlier this year.
Also read:“Only reason you’re here is because the hanger didn’t work”: Sylvester Stallone’s Mom Never Wanted to Have Him, Now He’s Worth $400M
Martin Scorsese’s Career Was Almost Ruined By Sylvester Stallone’sRocky
As mentioned, Sylvester Stallone’sRockywas produced at the same time asMartin Scorsese’sbig-budget musical filmNew York New York, which starred Robert De Niro and Liza Minelli. The film was on the heels of Scorsese’s hit neo-noir thrillerTaxi Driverand was budgeted at $14 million, the largest for Scorsese at the time.
Martin Scorsese reportedly wanted to break away from his image as a gritty and realistic director and hence decided to make a musical. But the production of the film was incredibly troubled, owing to improvised dialogues, scene changes, and Scorsese’s rampant use of cocaine. He also reportedly had an affair with lead actress Liza Minelli.
Also read:Unlike Al Pacino, Martin Scorsese Couldn’t Care Less About GOAT Music Icon Eminem Despite Having 1 Thing in Common
The film was a huge flop upon release, earning only $16.4 million and its failure apparently drove Scorsese to more drugs due to depression. He only got back to his full energy when he decided to make the boxing filmRaging Bull, which although was not a huge success, it as received well critically.
Scorsese mentioned that he almost gave up on his career as it was the time when Sylvester Stallone’s brand of films ruled the screen and directors like Spielberg and George Lucas were winning with their escapist films. He said,
“So at that time I knew which way the wind was blowing and I knew it certainly wasn’t in my direction. Therefore I just did the best I could with ‘Raging Bull’, because I had nothing and everything to lose. I knew that I’d probably get movies to make in Europe or something. But I’m an American.”
However, Martin Scorsese kept his chin up and continued to make film his way and is now considered to be one of the most legendary filmmakers.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2415
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
