Heroes & Villains Summer: Rocky

A hero for the everyman, Rocky Balboa is a struggling working stiff who gets an unexpected shot at the heavyweight title and its brash holder Apollo Creed. Made in less than a month on shoestring budget, Rocky was a surprise winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture and made Sylvester Stallone into a household name, launching a franchise that now spans nine films. No one is immune to the film's iconic, blood-pumping score, which still inspires viewers to climb stairs and pump their fists in the air.