In the event you ever forget about the Cold War in the 80’s and how it ended, just watch Sylvester Stallone’s magnificent Cold War opus Rocky IV.

I don’t know what they’re teaching in high school social studies these days but if they’re spewing some garbage about Ronald Regan and Mikhail Gobachev to bringing an end of the Cold War, I’m here to set these bitch ass school districts straight.

I saw Rocky IV in a movie theater when it came out in 1985. I was but a wee Johnny Hong Kong and the two clearest memories are of my friend and I walking down railroad tracks to get to the theater (it was like Stand by Me but since we were in San Francisco, the tracks were for the West Portal MUNI train) and how virulent the hatred was for Ivan Drago, Rocky’s big, Russian opponent.

People booed and hissed and threw popcorn whenever he was on screen or had the upperhand in the match. It wasn’t like seeing a normal movie bad guy. It was as if the entire Russian nation was embodied by Dolph Lundgren, a big Swede who might have actually had more brains than braun and acting talent combined (he was Fulbright scholar at MIT for chemical engineering, can you dig it?). I had never seen anything like it before or since.

You certainly don’t need me to explicate the “cinematic text” because as I found out when I saw it again over the weekend, if you’ve seen the movie once, you know them all. Not only is the imagery, text, and music all working together to suffuse the movie with meaning, it’s also about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But just in case, here’s the quick and dirrrty:

Drago (Russians) kills Apollo Creed (Founding father of America and America itself). Rocky (the American dream) must go to Russia and seek vengeance in a boxing match.

Like I said, as subtle as a sledgehammer.

What I’m more interested in is the ending where Rocky gives his “If I can change” speech to the Russian people (the Russians), the multi-national press (the UN), and the politbureau (the politbureau).

Sure, it’s awkward and not the most eloquent call to end the cold war, but hey, Rock just took the beating of his life, going toe to toe with the Siberian Express. I’d like to see you do the same and be able to string together any words. Just because it’s not the most elegant delivery or collection of words does not make it - in the context of the movie - any less rousing. His little speech causes the entire arena to burst into cheers and applause. Even the entire politbureau stands up to applaud.

Fanciful Hollywood ending? Yeah, sure - at the time. The crowd at the Empire 3 in West Portal cheered in 1985, even when they saw Drago standing at the end of the match, having been beaten, but also having gotten back up, as if to show the strength of the nation (those Russians are a tough people).

So I’m thinking Reagan and Gorbachev see themselves some Rocky IV at the White House and Kremlin and by the end thinking, “If Rocky can change, then we all can change! It’s Miller Time.”

Of course my theory falls apart if the endgame of the Cold War began BEFORE Rocky IV was released.

It wasn’t. Rocky IV predates the following milestones to the end of the Cold War:

• Glasnost
• Perestroika
• Reagan’s famous “Remarks at Brandenberg Gate“
• Which will lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall

So which is it? Fanciful Hollywood ending or having the pulse of two nations?
And just three years later in 1988, Stallone comes out with Rambo III which is dramatizes America arming and training Afghan Mujahadeen fighters in their struggle against the Russians. At the time it was only known for being the most violent and expensive film ever made. Rambo III becomes poignant 11 years later when one of the Mujahadeen fighters who we armed, trained and fought with in real life, through the Afghan/Russia stuggle declares war against America.

In three years of filmmaking, Sly Stallone begins the domino effect leading to the end of the Cold War and foretells of the political entanglements that will lead to the War on Terror, the next great threat to the safety of people around the world.

Who knew that Sly Stallone was such an astute Cold War observer. He’s not just some meatball from Philly who made it big, he’s actually an Academy Award nominated actor and screenwriter with a thing or two to say.

And with Rocky VI coming out and Rambo IV in the works (with pirates!), you bitches better recognize!

NB: So just before hitting the publish button, I cruised over to wikipedia to see what the community had to say about Rocky IV and two things of interest: Sly Stallone actually got an award from President Reagan that year so that proves that the Gipper saw the movie and here’s a fun little write up about the movie.

Word.

• BROWSE / IN TIMELINE
• « an infernal movie date
• » Zombies on a Plane

• BROWSE / IN flicks popularity contests recommendations
• « an infernal movie date
• » Zombies on a Plane