ROCKY, 1976: SYLVESTER STALLONE'S HANDWRITTEN SCRIPT NOTEBOOK
ROCKY, 1976: SYLVESTER STALLONE'S HANDWRITTEN SCRIPT NOTEBOOK
ROCKY, 1976: SYLVESTER STALLONE'S HANDWRITTEN SCRIPT NOTEBOOK
ROCKY, 1976: SYLVESTER STALLONE'S HANDWRITTEN SCRIPT NOTEBOOK
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ROCKY, 1976: SYLVESTER STALLONE'S HANDWRITTEN SCRIPT NOTEBOOK

Details
ROCKY, 1976: SYLVESTER STALLONE'S HANDWRITTEN SCRIPT NOTEBOOK
A Mead college ruled spiral-bound notebook with red paper covers, the cover inscribed Rocky I, the notebook containing 29 pages of handwritten notes by Sylvester Stallone for Rocky, the majority handwritten in black ballpoint pen with numerous edits, amendments and additions in red ballpoint pen, including extensive sections of dialogue for Rocky, Adriana, Apollo, Jergens and other characters, scene specifications and early plot development.
Provenance
Property from the life and career of Sylvester Stallone, Julien's, New York, 5 December 2021, lot 12.

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Lot Essay

AN INCREDIBLE RECORD OF SYLVESTER STALLONE'S EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCRIPT AND SCENES FOR THE FIRST ROCKY MOVIE, 1976

Reportedly writing the screenplay in an astounding three days, Sylvester Stallone not only starred in Rocky as the titular character Rocky Balboa, but also wrote the screenplay. This notebook is an incredible record of Stallone's screenwriting and early thoughts as to how the film should be written and shot, showing his deep commitment and thorough input to the genesis of the movie that became the highest grossing of 1976 and a pop cultural phenomenon.

The dialogue passages are written in a definitive Rocky Balboa tone, with Stallone adding fun details such as He is eating Col. Sander's Fried Chicken out of a bag and changes the direction Rocky enters and the girl shyly tenses to Rocky taps on the window with a chicken leg bone. The scene specifications also include detailed descriptions from Stallone of being in the ring and the fans' adulation after a fight: The fans shove the guards aside and hoist Rocky to their shoulders. Rocky's and Apollo's fans are now competing against one another...Apollo's crowds start chanting Apollo! Apollo! Apollo! Rocky's fans counter by bellowing Rocky! Rocky! Rocky! Both Rocky and Apollo are at the mercy of the crowd. They are being passed overhead...Helpless as their bodies are being floated up the aisle on a sea of hands, the chanting has become deafening...

The script earned Sylvester Stallone an Academy Award® Nomination for Best Original Screenplay, in addition to his nomination for Best Actor, the movie winning the Academy Award® for Best Picture and Best Direction.

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