Rocky (1976)
Sometimes forgotten in the blur of the sequels and the real-life cartoon that its writer/star became is the fact that the first Rocky is a very good film. For those that only remember the highlights, the plot concerns bored heavyweight Apollo Creed staging an exhibition match against a working-class, white underdog to coincide with the bicentennial celebrations in Philadelphia. Creed’s Stars and Stripes intro to the ring in the final fight is one of the film’s truly great set-pieces. Also, often forgotten, Rocky loses the fight.
