The Sigla Blog

When: This morning
Where: The Savoy cinema
What: A screening of Rocky Balboa, that at first glance looked as though it might be a car crash of a film.

When I mentioned that I was going to see a new Rocky film to some friends, the handful that were interested asked if it was a) a remake or b) who was playing Rocky. Most didn’t believe it when I told them Stallone was back in the gloves, looking not quite 60-and-a-half (as he is) and a little worse for wear from plastic surgery. Not only does he play the iconic boxer, but he wrote and directed the film - which is actually rather good. Ok, the dialogue hits corny patches, but mostly it ditches all the clichés you’re expecting (don’t want to give too much away here). In it, Rocky is an aging man who is facing up to his mortality. Adrian is dead, his kid works in corporateland and although tired, he still has fire in his belly and wants closure on one aspect of his life. In the dark I couldn’t tell, but I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who smiled when that opening epic blast of brass of the theme music started up (you don’t ear it until near the end). The end credits run alongside various people running up those famous Philidelphia steps and jumping up and down in the air (who hasn’t mimicked this?). More than anything, you can’t help admire Stallone for dusty off his blood-soaked gloves and getting so unbelievably fit and agreeing to do it in the first place. What’s more, he’s back next year with another Rambo installment.

Speaking of unexpected career paths, it appears that Morrissey is in talks with the BBC to be this year’s UK Eurovision entrant. Yes, you read that correctly. Moz has often expressed his admiration for the camp song contest and the video for his single ‘You Have Killed Me’ featured a mock 70s Eurovision setting. Forget jiggling girls clad in Bedouin scarves and boy bands dressed uniformly in white, this is the way to go. But what would kind of song would he sing? I suppose he can always ask his old pal Sandie Shaw, who won the Eurovision 40 years ago.