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‘Rocky’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan

March 4, 2025 · Rocky (1976) · Drama · Sport · 1:53:04

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 35:31Multiple scenes including the Spider-Rico fight at the beginning, Apollo's bicentennial plan sequence, and Mickey trying to convince Rocky to hire him as manager

Great Shot Gordo Award

Bill Simmons▶ 41:24Running up there
Chris Ryan▶ 41:25Running up there

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 41:32Rocky's TV interview in the meat freezer
Van Lathan▶ 41:47The turkey scene where Paul throws the Thanksgiving turkey and wields the turkey leg as a scepter

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:22The Rocky Adrian courting scenes - 25 minutes of content that's too slow now
Chris Ryan▶ 1:10:40Agrees the courting scenes drag, specifically criticizing how the skating rink date extends unnecessarily to Rocky's house
Van Lathan▶ 1:10:47Discusses the pacing issues with the courting sequence but seems more understanding of the narrative progression

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:24If this movie didn't exist, Philadelphia would basically be Delaware with more attitude, a nicer art museum, and a couple pro sports teams - Rocky really made Philadelphia
Van Lathan▶ 1:16:59Rocky and Apollo is the beginning of the greatest love story of our time

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:49Harvey Keitel — Discusses studio alternatives like Redford, Ryan O'Neill, Burt Reynolds, James Caan but argues they were too established/movie star-ish. Notes Ken Norton was targeted for Apollo Creed, Harvey Keitel for Pauly would have been better, Susan Sarandon too pretty for Adrian, Lee Strasberg wanted too much for Mickey
Chris Ryan▶ 1:19:20James Caan — Proposes James Caan as Rocky with Harvey Keitel or John Cazale as Pauly as an interesting alternate casting scenario

What's Aged the Worst

Chris Ryan▶ 1:24:55Rocky's character conception - they leave him simple in this movie but he gets smarter and more physically talented as he gets older, which isn't realistic for boxers

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:58Sylvester Stallone — Stallone's apex was Rocky 3/Rambo era (1982), Talia Shire yes for Rocky, John Avildsen possibly this over Karate Kid despite Oscar win, shy girlfriends yes, Philadelphia among top moments
Chris Ryan▶ 1:28:05Woman taking glasses off transformation possibly yes, withholding sex during sports training (compared to Bull Durham), Raging Bull over Rocky for desert island pick
Van Lathan▶ 1:28:21Rocky — Glasses transformation would be bigger than She's All That, Rocky more culturally significant than Raging Bull though Raging Bull is better film, one of most notable images of Philadelphia

Hanks or Cruise

Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:49Tom Cruise — Cruise
Chris Ryan▶ 1:34:11Tom Cruise — Cruise (initially said Hanks but changed to Cruise)

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:50Gotso's Driver (wants to add to recurring list going forward)
Chris Ryan▶ 1:39:56Gotso's Driver (agrees the movie is better with this character)

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:41:23What were the odds on FanDuel heading into this fight? Creed is minus 2,000, maybe 30 to 1 for Rocky like Tyson-Buster Douglas
Chris Ryan▶ 1:41:45What happens with the live odds and fight dynamics - after Rocky acquits himself decently for two rounds, he has to go down
Van Lathan▶ 1:41:16Do women weaken legs? No, women do not in fact weaken legs - there's no scientific proof to it

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:44:25Rocky 2
Chris Ryan▶ 1:44:13Raging Bull — Initially suggested Raging Bull but didn't clearly state final pick
Van Lathan▶ 1:44:16Saturday Night Fever

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:45:15Sylvester Stallone — Sylvester Stallone - calls it potentially the number one 'who won the movie' ever, citing his roles as writer, star, and the extraordinary rags-to-riches story
Chris Ryan▶ 1:45:34Sylvester Stallone — Sylvester Stallone - agrees and suggests they could rename it 'the Stallone who won the movie award' because no one's ever done this
Van Lathan▶ 1:46:01Sylvester Stallone — Sylvester Stallone - agrees with the others, emphasizing how rare it is for studios to let someone write, star in, and direct when they're not bankable

Movies Referenced (42)

Creed (2015)

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 25:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raging Bull (1980)

11 mentions · Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky Balboa (2006)

11 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 39:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky III (1982)

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 3:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

All the President's Men (1976)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 31:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rambo (2008)

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 21:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 12:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Creed II (2018)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:48:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky IV (1985)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Godfather (1972)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bull Durham (1988)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

First Blood (1982)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 22:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (5)

Molly Dedham

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Day After Tomorrow, National Treasure▶ 8:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Hughes

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 11:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Julius Erving

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Philadelphia▶ 1:26:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 1:11:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sidney Lumet

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for 12 Angry Men▶ 31:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (66)

Masha Juergens

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 6:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Cruise

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Top Gun, Minority Report▶ 1:33:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kid Cudi

7 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Harder They Fall, Don't Look Up, Need for Speed▶ 11:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Burgess Meredith

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Rocky▶ 32:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sylvester Stallone

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Rocky, Rocky IV, Creed▶ 2:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Spinell

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Taxi Driver, Rocky▶ 1:21:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael V. Gazzo

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Godfather Part II▶ 1:04:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Baldwin

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Rocky, Rocky III▶ 2:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Burt Young

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Rocky, Rocky Balboa, Rocky IV▶ 32:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 2:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Stallone

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Rambo: First Blood Part II, Hudson Hawk, Staying Alive▶ 1:22:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Henry Winkler

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Night Shift▶ 20:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

James Cameron

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 1:13:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 34:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Lucas

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, THX 1138, American Graffiti▶ 1:13:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Goldman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 15:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗