Shake, Rattle and Groan?
Aug 15 '01
The Bottom Line These ten flicks capture the essence of the era in which they were made and shouldn't be overlooked for the sports flick fan...
As Epinions continues to morph out, its disaffected contributors (such as myself) continue to rummage through the aftermath, finding what is left to like or dislike. While perusing WOT'er mickp's review on this subject, I thought, hey, now THAT's something worth checking out, and so, here goes Broadway Turk's Top 10 Jock Flicks Of All Time:
RAGING BULL - This one was voted Best Flick of the 80's and is my pick for Best Sports Flick of All Time. Robert De Niro *became* Jake La Motta, going through a sixty-pound weight change in the process. This is What You Always Wanted to Know About ROCKY Movies (But Were Afraid To Ask). Not for the weak-hearted, kiddies.
ROLLERBALL - This didn't do as much for James Caan as his Godfather stint, but it didn't hurt his hairy-chested macho image either. This gladiatorized version of roller derby in the distant future will have you wondering when the major networks are gonna produce their own non-lethal version.
I LIKE TO HURT PEOPLE - Prolly the best wrestling movie of all time. This semi-documentary on the Sheik (no, not the jabroni from the WWF) and his NWA Detroit promotion is the best time capsule on those blood-and-guts days from the 70's where hardcore wrestling was born.
SLAP SHOT - The best hockey movie ever made. What was a Paul Newman vehicle served to immortalize the Hansen Brothers, who were based on the St. Louis Blues' Plager Brothers. It parodized the brawling style of the big bad Boston Bruins of the 60's and introduced lots of new fans to the rough-and-tumble world of pro hockey.
ROCKY III - Hell yeah, Stallone makes Mr. T an overnight sensation, providing the intro to Hulk Hogan who eventually teamed with T at Wrestlemania. T does a kicka$$ job as Clubber Lang, making EVERYONE root for the Rock at the end. Watch how they hide "Southside Ni&&er" on the back of his ring robe to duck undue criticism.
THE LONGEST YARD - This Burt Reynolds vehicle did a good turn for football as Reynolds borrows from The Dirty Dozen in lining up the toughest inmates in prison for a game against their brutal warders.
WHEN WE WERE KINGS - Lots of this one is of the 'you hadda be there' category, but if you were, it's a damn good flick about the behind-the-scenes manipulations leading to the Rumble in the Jungle between a rusty Muhammed Ali and the seemingly-indestructible George Foreman.
THE NATURAL - Yeah, I know baseball sucks, but Robert Redford as a never-was pro player returning for one last shot at fleeting glory is one that tugs your heart strings right into the game.
PUMPING IRON - Another behind-the-scenes documentary showing how the great Arnold Schwarzenegger played the Jedi Mind Trick on slow-witted behemoth Lou Ferrigno to win the toughest Mr. Olympia contest of its time. Great intro into the true world of bodybuilding.
NORTH DALLAS FORTY - This one, along with A Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football, prolly did more for drug rehab in the NFL than any other. This is the one that gave Nick Nolte's career a big boost as well.
I prolly missed a few but that's what the comments section is for...tell me which ones I should've added on or left off!
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Epinions.com ID:
lansky2000
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