{"id":99136,"date":"2025-09-26T23:44:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-27T06:44:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=99136"},"modified":"2025-09-26T23:44:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T06:44:49","slug":"rocky-iii-1982","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=99136","title":{"rendered":"Rocky III (1982)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;You ain&#8217;t been hungry since you won that belt.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Poster-195x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-99137\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Poster-195x300.png 195w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Poster-83x128.png 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Poster-175x270.png 175w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Poster.png 542w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) &#8212; riding high on the hog from his previous successes &#8212; loses his heavyweight title to menacing Clubber Lang (Mr. T.), he receives help from his former nemesis (Carl Weathers) in training for the ultimate showdown.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Boxing<\/li>\n<li>Burgess Meredith Films<\/li>\n<li>Sylvester Stallone Films<\/li>\n<li>Talia Shire Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nIn his review of <em>Rocky III<\/em>, Peary notes that this third film in the franchise &#8212; in which Stallone &#8220;loses his title to vicious killing machine Clubber Lang (imposing Mr. T) and, for some reason, his self-respect in the process&#8221; &#8212; is &#8220;fairly predictable&#8221; and &#8220;lacks the cohesion of [Stallone&#8217;s] earlier efforts&#8221;; but what &#8220;distinguishes it somewhat is that Rocky must cope with fear, a theme that, oddly enough, had not really been explored in boxing films. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Beach-Fear.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Beach-Fear-1024x563.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-99139\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Beach-Fear-1024x563.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Beach-Fear-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Beach-Fear-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Beach-Fear-768x422.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Beach-Fear-491x270.png 491w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Beach-Fear.png 1278w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary&#8217;s right that there&#8217;s not much else to say about this innocuous third installment, other than that it&#8217;s good to see Weathers and Stallone teaming up: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Running-Beach.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Running-Beach-1024x603.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"377\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-99142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Running-Beach-1024x603.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Running-Beach-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Running-Beach-128x75.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Running-Beach-768x452.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Running-Beach-459x270.png 459w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Running-Beach.png 1228w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; it&#8217;s easy to see why Mr. T. got a TV deal: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Mr-T.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Mr-T-1024x605.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"378\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-99141\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Mr-T-1024x605.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Mr-T-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Mr-T-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Mr-T-768x454.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Mr-T-457x270.png 457w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Mr-T.png 1220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and there&#8217;s a silly early sequence in which Hulk Hogan appears to thoroughly thrash Stallone, only for Stallone to suddenly turn things around. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Hogan.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Hogan-1024x602.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"376\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-99143\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Hogan-1024x602.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Hogan-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Hogan-128x75.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Hogan-768x451.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Hogan-460x270.png 460w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Hogan.png 1212w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Rocky-Hefting-Hogan.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Rocky-Hefting-Hogan-1024x598.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"374\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-99144\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Rocky-Hefting-Hogan-1024x598.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Rocky-Hefting-Hogan-300x175.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Rocky-Hefting-Hogan-128x75.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Rocky-Hefting-Hogan-768x448.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Rocky-Hefting-Hogan-462x270.png 462w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Rocky-Hefting-Hogan.png 1216w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bill Butler&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow-1024x569.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"356\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-99140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow-1024x569.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow-768x427.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow-486x270.png 486w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow-1038x576.png 1038w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rocky-III-Stallone-Shadow.png 1284w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Effective use of &#8220;Eye of the Tiger&#8221; by Survivor as a theme song<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; skip this one unless you&#8217;re a Rocky fan. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0084602\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1982\/05\/28\/movies\/for-rocky-iii-a-search-for-problems.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/20807\/rocky-iii#articles-reviews?articleId=70912\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;You ain&#8217;t been hungry since you won that belt.&#8221; Synopsis: When Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) &#8212; riding high on the hog from his previous successes &#8212; loses his heavyweight title to menacing Clubber Lang (Mr. T.), he receives help from his former nemesis (Carl Weathers) in training for the ultimate showdown. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Boxing Burgess Meredith Films Sylvester Stallone Films Talia Shire Films Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: In his review of Rocky III, Peary notes that this&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=99136\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=99136"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99146,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99136\/revisions\/99146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=99136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=99136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=99136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}