Rocky II

Rocky II opened in the US on 15 June 1979. After the first film, directed by John G. Avildsen, producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff handed the director's chair to Sylvester Stallone, who also wrote it. It grossed about $200 million worldwide.

An injury that rewrote the ending

While getting in shape, Stallone tore a pectoral muscle bench pressing around 100 kg with bodybuilder Franco Columbu. After surgery he could no longer punch normally on one side, and the script changed: Rocky fights orthodox for most of the bout to protect his damaged eye, then switches back to his natural southpaw stance in the last round. Boxers will recognise the idea: switching stance forces the opponent to read reversed angles.

A 45-day fight

The final fight took 45 days to shoot, with punches heavy enough that the rivalry between Stallone and Carl Weathers looks real. The staging is very much of its time: little defence, endless exchanges and an impossible double knockdown. The run through Philadelphia, with around 800 schoolchildren following Rocky up the art museum steps, became a fixture of the series.

Reception

Critics were cooler than for the original (68% on Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences turned up and it won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture. Bill Conti returned for the score.