Book Review: All I Wanna Do Is Go The Distance

The 50^th anniversary of the first Rocky movie will be coming up in 2026.  This new book of essays from McFarland publishers examines the Rocky franchise.  Subtitled “Essays on the Rocky franchises and Its Enduring Cultural Impact,” the book is edited by Phillip L. Simpson and Kathy Merlock Jackson.

Sylvester Stallone was a struggling actor getting small roles when he approached producers with a script he had written.  The producers liked his screenplay, but balked at the little known actor’s insistence on playing the title role of a slow witted but amiable boxer who gets a shot at the world champion for a holiday exhibition match.  Eventually securing the role, Stallone went on to not only massive stardom, but Oscar nominations for both his screenplay and his acting, while the film itself won Best Picture.  Now both the actor, and the Rocky character, are cinema icons.  As a result, this book fills a need.

In the book’s  Introduction, the editors state, “Much of the franchise’s lasting appeal is due, in part, to Stallone’s canny understanding of the American zeitgeist and how to tap into it through his original and, for many, his most endearing and indelible artistic creation.”  The book’s essays then examine the original film and the subsequent sequels with insight and intelligence. 

 While all of the chapters offer a great deal, it is perhaps Shane H. Weathers essay on Rocky V that is most interesting.  Even Weathers admits that Rocky V is “the bad Rocky,” a film that Stallone himself dismisses to the point where he tells fans to skip it when binge watching the Rocky movies.  Weathers provides a much-needed re-evaluation of the film, pointing out its tonal and thematic differences.  One point of trivia – Talia Shire was shooting Rocky V while also appearing in Godfather 3.

This collection of essays on the Rocky movie franchise is filled with fascinating studies that break down the significance of each film.  It is a must for libraries, research enters, and especially the many fans of the Rocky film series.

The book is available at this link:  ROCKY