Since 11/21/2021 was the anniversary of the release of the famed 1976 film Rocky, the people at Ultimate Classic Rock took a look at some of the films of the 1980s, where the main character is an underdog-type person, overcoming extreme odds to accomplish a dream or something else. Here are 10 films inspired by Rocky.
Flashdance (1983)
-The "Rocky" of the dance floor
-This film centers around a blue-collar steel worker named Alexandra "Alex" Owens (Jennifer Beals) who works as a steel welder during the day and a dancer by night, with dreams of acing the audition to get into a prestigious dance school, specifically the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance and Repertory. Along the way, she also finds love in the form of Nick Hurley (Michael Nouri), the owner of the steel plant. There's also an inspirational song and a series of scenes showing her getting into shape, inspired by Rocky
Footloose (1984)
-The "Rocky" of high school
-Kevin Bacon plays city kid Ren McCormack, who moves to a small Midwestern town that outlaws dancing and rock music due to the influence of the local reverend Shaw Moore (John Lithgow). Ren falls in love with Reverend Moore's daughter Ariel (Lori Singer). It's then he decides to not only win her hand and heart, but get the town's ban on dancing removed. Like Rocky, there are scenes showing Ren doing what he does best - gymnastics - and showing his friend Willard (Chris Penn) to dance. Of course, there's also an inspirational song, a song of the same name as the movie by Kenny Loggins
The Natural (1984)
-The "Rocky" of baseball
-This film stars screen legend Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs, a young but already talented pitcher who learns the game of baseball from his dad and even carves his own bat out of wood from a tree struck by lightning. Before his tryout for the Chicago Cubs, a deranged fan shoots him in the stomach, nixing his tryout. Sixteen years later, he's aged and struggling to find a chance in baseball. He gets a chance with a last-chance, no-hope team and his story intermingles with theirs. He manages to lead the team to a one-game playoff and manages to fall in love with the girl he left behind years ago. He goes up to bat and hits a home run into the stadium lights and he and his team are going to the World Series
The Karate Kid (1984)
-The "Rocky" of karate and the West Coast
-Ralph Maccio plays Daniel LaRusso, a middle class kid from New Jersey who moves to the suburbs of Los Angeles with his mother. At his school, he gets bullied by members of the local martial arts school Cobra Kai. Legendary actor Noriyuki "Pat" Morita plays the role of Mr. Miyagi, a Japanese immigrant and the handyman in Daniel's apartment building. He's also a master of karate. He teaches Daniel karate without Daniel even realizing it. He does this by having Daniel do menial tasks around Mr. Miyagi's house and when Daniel finally confronts Mr. Miyagi about karate lessons, Mr. Miyagi then shows him that he has been learning all along, through the tasks he's been assigned. At the same time, Daniel falls for his classmate Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue). The movie comes down to a final fight at the All-Valley Karate Championship. The final fight is between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Daniel wins by using the "Flying Crane" move he seen Mr. Miyagi doing once
Rocky IV (1985)
-"Rocky" on Steroids
-It might be surprising to see one of the Rocky movies here, but this one is here because it's Rocky himself who is once again the underdog
-Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is now a highly successful boxing champion. Because of the wealthy lifestyle he's suddenly gained, he's gone a little soft. When his good friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) takes on a Red Army officer/boxer named Ivan Drago, this fight turns fatal. Drago kills Creed in the ring. Now Rocky decides to take on the Russian himself. Drago uses state of the art technology and a strict training schedule and even the use of the steroids to get himself in shape. Rocky travels to Russia and trains without technology to get himself in shape. When the final fight comes, he is in the best shape he's ever been in. At first, people aren't impressed with his fighting style. But as the fight closes in on the end, even Drago is impressed. Rocky wins the fight and the approval of everyone, including the top Russian government officials in attendance
Top Gun (1986)
-"Rocky" takes to the skies
-Tom Cruise gets his first action role here as Navy pilot Pete Mitchell, nicknamed "Maverick". He gets a chance to train at an elite flight school for pilots. He's considered an underdog due to his father, who was also a pilot, had a misunderstanding in an air battle which resulted in his death. He also falls in love with a scientist (Kelly McGillis)
Hoosiers (1986)
-"Rocky" takes to the court
-Gene Hackman plays Norman Dale, a basketball coach no longer allowed to work the college basketball circuit because he punched one of his own players. With no options left, he agrees to become the coach, in addition to history teacher, at a small, rural school in Indiana. There are obstacles everywhere he turns. The team only has seven players. The best one on the team doesn't want to play. The school is dwarfed by larger rivals in the area. His assistant coach (Dennis Hopper) is an alcoholic. But, through his own wisdom and hard work, in addition to intense training, Dale turns the team around and takes the team to a final game for the Indiana State championship. The team wins and Dale wins the heart of a woman he's interested in (Barbara Hershey)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
-"Rocky" on the 1960s dance floor in New York
-This is one of those classic girl films or "chick flicks". Patrick Swayze plays Johnny Castle, a dance instructor at a wealthy Catskills resort. Jennifer Grey plays Frances "Baby" Houseman, the daughter of a doctor who is on vacation with her family. When Castle's dance partner is unable to fill in for a short time, Baby offers to step in her place and fill in. Castle teaches Baby everything related to dance, all sorts of different dance styles. At the same time, they fall in love. This movie shows scenes where Baby is learning to dance and the movie ends with everyone out on the dance floor for the end of season talent show and Baby's father accepting Johnny for who he is
Over the Top (1987)
-"Rocky" enters the world of arm wrestling
-Some might think there is some favoritism towards Sylvester Stallone because of at least two of his movies being on here. It's not that; it's just this movie is considered one of those "underdog overcomes odds" type situations. Sylvester Stallone plays Lincoln Hawk, a truck driver who moonlights as a professional arm wrestler. He is separated from his wife and his son Michael (David Mendenhall) is living with his grandfather (Robert Loggia), who enrolled him in a military school. When Lincoln finally gets his son back, he shows Michael the world of arm wrestling, which is as foreign a concept to Michael as you can imagine. The only way for Lincoln to get ahead in life is to win the World Arm Wrestling Championship, being held in Las Vegas. The prize is a brand new truck and a cash prize. Not surprisingly, there is that series of scenes showing working out - in this case, Hawk working out to make sure he's in top shape. The final scenes show Hawk at the World Arm Wrestling Championship and his son, now a loyal supporter of his dad, on the sidelines, cheering him on. Hawk wins the championship with his famed move "Over the Top", by putting the thumb over the opponent's hand
Bloodsport (1988) Kickboxer (1989)
-"Rocky" enters the world of kickboxking and martial arts
-As a side note, I'm unsure why some people think of Jean Claude Van Damme as a poor man's Sylvester Stallone. I don't think that. For one thing, Jean Claude Van Damme is an expert martial artist; Sylvester Stallone is not. Both have different acting styles. I have never seen of Jean Claude Van Damme's movies, but I still give him the benefit of the doubt of being a good actor.
-These two films feature a Belgian actor named Jean Claude Van Damme. In Bloodsport, he plays Frank Dux, a US Army Captain/martial artist who is asked to compete in an illegal martial arts tournament in Hong Kong. To win the tournament and avenge one of his comrades, who was killed, he gets himself in shape to fight the top fighter Chong Li (Bolo Yeung). In Kickboxer, he plays Kurt Sloane, younger brother to a kickboxer who is paralyzed from waist down as a result from a fight with a Thai kickboxing champion named Tong "The Tiger" Po (Michel Qissi). To help his brother get some payback, Sloan engages Po in a fight. He makes sure his skills are up to par by training hard and intense.
