The ‘70s and ‘80s saw the rise of a new chapter of action movies in Hollywood. Aspiring faces such as Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sylvester Stallone brought in a wealth of talent and pulled crowds to the screens with their franchises of Top Gun, The Terminator, and Rocky, respectively.
Among these, the latter star and his tale of the iconic Rocky Balboa came across as a grounded and rise-to-fame storyline that captured the popular imagination.
The production for Rocky III, which began in 1981 for a 1982 release, the Stallone starrer made crucial decisions and finessed each fine detail to perfection to keep the name of the franchise untainted. The course of actions saw tough calls being taken, axing some key moments entirely.
Surprisingly, one of those crucial decisions not only gave the film a beloved montage but also carried that success to another acclaimed sports drama.
A Rocky III remnant that carried itself over to The Karate Kid
After defeating Apollo Creed, Rocky Balboa faced a scathing loss to Clubber Lang, in part because of his complacency. A tale of resilience and determination to regain the fighting spirit in the face of adversities and tragedies outlined Rocky III and made it one of the most beloved entries to the series. To aid this gritty portrayal, composer Bill Conti brought in Joe Esposito’s song, You’re the Best for a montage sequence. But Sylvester Stallone passed on the song.
Revealed by the songwriter himself in a 2008 interview on the Adam Carolla Show (via Mental Floss), the movie opted for the rock band, Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger instead. The decision came into effect because of the star’s insistence on a beat that matched the pulse of the high-octane boxing scenes. Reluctant at first, the actor then did not even wait for a re-cut professional version and green-lit the demo version itself.
In turn, You’re the Best landed up as the song that played during the montage of Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso’s training and preparation for the karate tournament in The Karate Kid, which was released two years later than Rocky III. Featuring lines like “history repeats itself”, the piece fits the character’s determination and resilience, and gave it depth and emotion.
Sylvester Stallone tied the fate of the two franchises
Years after coming up with the script and story for Rocky, Sylvester Stallone helmed the director’s chair for four entries to the franchise, including Rocky III. Moreover, Rocky III‘s decision to pass on You’re the Best marked a win-win situation for both of the franchises and also tied them together. Beyond their shared themes of sports and persistence, The Karate Kid also brought over John G. Avildsen as its director, the one who also directed the first Rocky film.
Thus, one decision by The Expendables star brought the two outings closer than ever. Thereafter, Ralph Macchio’s love for the Rocky Balboa films brought along another string of connections. Moreover, the karate flick also included in-movie references to pop culture with lines like “Rocky III had just come out,” highlighting the significance of Stallone’s films and their impact on the wider pop culture.
Rocky III and The Karate Kid are both available to buy or rent on Amazon Video and Apple TV.
