Boxing is considered a type of entertainment; people watch as two boxers brutally beat the living day out of each-other and it is seen as a pleasurable view. But there are many perceptions unfairly given to a boxer by their audience. In films like Champion (1949) and Raging Bull (1980), the boxer is perceived as two different beings inside and outside the ring, and similarly in Fat City (1972) the spectators are unaware about the life boxers lead outside of the fight. There's also misconceptions and judgement unjustly place on a boxer's background and what they look like. This is prevalent in films like Girlfight (2000), Million Dollar Baby (2005), and Creed (2015). In this blog post, I will be looking into how certain boxers are perceived by their audience and analyze the effect that has on the boxing movie. stereotyping boxers
I believe this is extremely important because it is alerting the audience that the boxer is aware of the judgement place on them by their audience. It is sad that the reality of boxing is that the boxer must try to prove themselves to the public eye. When looking at a boxer, the audience shouldn't have pre-judgments, and they should just wait till they truly learn what the boxer can accomplish.
boxers inside versus outside the ring
I think a key part of boxing films is the reality it casts, not everyone is as great as they are perceived. In Champion, Connie chooses to leave out the part of his brother being a complete asshole for people to keep viewing him as this great role model. The boxer is usually seen as something people look up to. I think this is another reason why the audience is so blind to what goes on inside versus outside the ring. There is this mystery at play in the ring because you only know the boxer by what is being shown. If someone finds out there hero is a complete asshole, it sort of breaks their spirits. Just like in an article "Glutton For Punishment", the author says "Once you’ve swallowed it, it’s impossible to watch fight films with a sense of escapism." The audience just perceives the boxer as a great guy because that's how they are shown to the public.
Ultimately, boxers are perceived as something they are not because there is something underneath the surface that spectators do not get to see. The great part about portraying boxing in Hollywood films is because it helps reveal the true effects of boxing. We see that the saying "Do not judge a book by it's cover" is very important in these films because there is much more to a boxer than just their physicality. When perceiving what a boxer will be like, it is important that there cannot be much judgement place on the boxer because you will never truly know what they are like until you spend every minute with them.
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In the article, Glutton for Punishment, by Dante A. Ciampaglia, Ciampaglia states "Redemption? That’s only in the pictures. But Hollywood approaches the inherent danger and venality of the fight game cautiously, never staring too long into the abyss. To do so would be to stray too far from the formula: audiences should go home cheering, if not for a champion then for a guy who failed stoically and with class. No one wants to spend time—or, more importantly, money on a downer." I like this quote because the author makes note of how Hollywood portrays boxing. I think for a subject like this, once you watch a lot of boxing films, you forget that there is an actual reality behind these films. Like in Champion (1949), or Million Dollar Baby (2005), the audience is reminded of a fate like death, but it is truly in films like Fat City and Raging Bull that emphasize mental effects contributed to boxing. The soul starts to deteriorate just like body, and it is hard to find a certain meaning as to why the boxer is competing. In the end of the film, Tully wins the fight, and yet he is reminded by a cut over his eye a crucial experience that left a toxic taste in his mouth. He's an alcoholic and nothing, not even winning can change that. Boxing turned him into a bum because he wasn't fighting for the right reasons. I think this is important because there isn't necessarily a happy ending to this film. In the beginning, we hear the song "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and it once again plays to the audience in the very end. It highlights just how miserable these people are, and how nothing is going to change that.
The boxer as loner finds expression in both Tully and Ernie. But the film never gives these fighters a villainous rival upon whom to project the wrongs they are combating; instead, a meaningful similarity between boxers emerges. Obviously, Tully and Ernie have similarities of lovers and boxing skills, and yet Ernie is solely there to juxtapose Tully. We see that Ernie is viewed as a successor of Tully. Tully sees himself and what he could have been in Ernie. The audience is meant to view both as unsuccessful men, and yet I believe Ernie can be argued to be successful. He doesn't give up on boxing because he doesn't see it as a source of income, but something that amuses him. He still continues to balance work and his personal life with boxing, whereas Tully cannot. I believe that in this sense, Ernie is achieving happiness because he is still doing what he loves. Something also very telling in this situation is how the boxing matches play out.
In this scene, there is a moment when no words are spoken, and Tully realizes everyone is lonely in their own world. He is sitting next to Ernie and the two exchange awkward facial expressions and body positions. The two men are in their own worlds, and nothing will take them out of that. That's important because it in a sense shows Tully accepting his fate. He is an alcoholic, depressed man. There is a harsh reality in this scene and I think the director did a wonderful job in encapsulating feelings without words being spoken. Overall, this movie is trying to prove to the audience that the state of mind is what truly will help to achieve happiness. Tully was not a successful boxer because he was not happy in his life. Boxing was not sufficient enough for him to receive pleasure out of the sport. The boxer was defeated by his passion and it is not easy to admit to that feeling of defeat. Through the use of comparing Ernie and Tully, I think it helped the audience note that happiness is in the eye of the beholder, and doing what you love is important for your soul.
This is an idea I've noticed quite a lot while watching some of our recent films, the boxer is not just defined by the sport. There are many other aspects that people have to take into consideration. I think that this scene ultimately reminds the audience of that because it ties back into the previous Rocky movies, when Rocky was the boxer. Rather than just focus on Adonis's inspirations, the director wants us to make note of the people that helped influence Rocky. After this scene, Rocky agrees to help train Adonis because he was reminded of the influence and motivation Adrian and Paulie gave to him. In a sense, he takes on the role of Mickey, and acts as the motivator for Adonis.
Throughout the movie, you are rooting for Adonis. He is the dynamic protagonist and you want him to succeed. When Rocky says this, emotions flood Adonis, and once again, we see someone other than just a boxer. This familial bond is important to Adonis because it is the closest thing he will ever have to his dad. In the article "How 'Creed' Saves Rocky From Himself", Dave Zirin wonderfully points out that "He is asking Rocky to pay a debt owed to his family and be the “Unc” (short for Uncle) that Apollo would have wanted him to be. Rocky doesn’t become Donnie’s savior. Rocky becomes family." It's extremely rewarding once Rocky agrees to take the treatment because it reinforces the fact that Rocky now is truly considered family. He is doing something he never thought he would for the greater good of a person in his life.
In an article titled "How 'Creed' Saves Rocky From Himself", writer Dave Zirin says "My first and greatest fear was that it would be a “white savior” film: Think Different Strokes with more punching. Rocky would rescue Adonis and be the great white father the troubled but gifted young black man always needed yet never had." I think it's important to note that both of the characters save each other. It is not a discussion of race, but rather worth. Creed feels a certain need to prove something to his "family."
This final scene meant more than just winning, because Adonis proved his worth. In the end, you hear chants of "Creed!" and Rocky remarks "Yeah, talk to him." This line said by Rocky is important because it shows how glad he is to have been on this journey with Creed. They both worked so hard to create something for Adonis. By having Rocky in the ring with him, it strengthened their family dynamic. They went on a journey together and ultimately succeeded.
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Author(savannah hink) |