What appears to be a new variation on the trailer from July for Rocky Balboa (the old one which Dave covered here) has arrived and with it my hopes that we’ll see Cuff, Link, Butkus, and Father Carmine resurrected from their spots in Abe’s Pet and Priest Graveyard. Adrian and Mickey? Fuck ’em. While they’re at it, I want Joe Spinell brought back from the abyss to resume his great work as Rocky’s back-breaking gangster pal. The plot centers around the sport of boxing from what I can surmise, though I have a feeling Mr. Stallion will spend a portion of it wondering what happened to Rocky Jr. and his Sage Stallone-esque features in the past few years. I jest of course as Mr. Sage is roaming the West bringing Grindhouse films to the masses and unable to emote before a camera at this time. He’s a busy gentleman. I do not jest about my desire for a CGI Joe Spinell. What’s good enough for Oliver Reed…
I have a bit of a hard-on for this flick as I have for all the films in the saga and even though they can be a bit gooey and manipulative there’s something very enrichingly patriotic about ol’ Rocky that I can’t deny. Rocky’s become George Foreman without all the shilling and dopplechildren, but an older puncher is better than no puncher at all, my Grandpappy always told me.