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Rocky Steps

Coordinates: 39°57′54″N 75°10′49″W / 39.9649°N 75.1802°W / 39.9649; -75.1802
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The front entrance and steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art

The 72 stone steps before the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania have become known as the "Rocky Steps" as a result of their appearance in the triple-Oscar-winning film Rocky and four of its sequels, Rocky II, III, V and Rocky Balboa, in which the eponymous character runs up the steps to the song "Gonna Fly Now". Tourists often mimic Rocky's famous climb, a metaphor for an underdog or an everyman rising to a challenge.[1] A bronze statue of Rocky was briefly situated at the top of the steps for the filming of Rocky III. This statue, now located at the bottom right of the steps, is a popular photo opportunity for visitors. The top of the steps offers a commanding view of Eakins Oval, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and Philadelphia City Hall.

In 2006, Rocky creator Sylvester Stallone recounted the genesis of the iconic scene: (while filming the 1976 movie) the film crew, bound by a tight budget, identified the steps one night while searching for filming locations around the city. Stallone first thought Rocky should carry his dog Butkus up the steps, but the big bull mastiff proved too heavy for the scene to work. Still, the view from the top of the stairs inspired him to reshoot the scene without the dog. In Rocky Balboa, Rocky lifts his dog Punchy when he reaches the top of the steps.

This scene was one of the first uses in a major film of the Steadicam, a stabilized camera mount that allows its operator to walk and even climb steps while smoothly filming.[citation needed]

British Theatrical Movie Poster
British Theatrical Movie Poster

The Rocky film scene has become a cultural icon. Many tourists visit the steps to recreate the scene themselves.[2] E! Channel ranked it No. 13 in its 101 Most Awesome Moments in Entertainment.[3] During the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay, Philadelphia native Dawn Staley was chosen to run up the museum steps.

The scene is also frequently parodied by the media. In The Simpsons episode "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can," Lisa Simpson runs up a flight of stairs wearing a tracksuit similar to Rocky's.[4] In the film In Her Shoes, Toni Collette's character, Rose Feller, runs up the steps with four dogs. On an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, the character Will, while back in Philly, trains for a big fight against a former childhood bully; the training ends with Will running up the steps to "Gonna Fly Now", and celebrating and passing out, where a passer-by steals his wallet and hat. In the Eddie Murphy movie The Nutty Professor, Sherman Klump runs up the steps to one of his college's buildings, parodying the scene. Also, the closing credits of the 2006 movie Rocky Balboa showed various people running up the steps.

Bam Margera and Brandon DiCamillo parodied the scene to a cover of the song "Eye of the Tiger".

Participants in Philadelphia's monthly Critical Mass bike ride generally finish up by cycling to the Rocky Steps, hoisting their bicycles, running up the steps, then lifting their bikes above their heads.

In a Reebok campaign, Allen Iverson, then with the Philadelphia 76ers, runs up the steps while dribbling a basketball. Other programs such as Viva Pinata, and Hey Arnold! have also parodied it.

In a Fairly OddParents episode, Timmy Turner trains his dad to win the big test after ditching school a few times. They finish it off by running up the Philadelphia Museum Of Arts stairs parodying the Rocky scene.

In 2004, Presidential candidate John Kerry ended his pre-convention campaign at the foot of the steps before going to Boston to accept his party's nomination for President.[5]

In the opening episode of the 2005 boxing reality television series The Contender (which featured and was executive produced by Stallone), Philadelphia native Najai Turpin ran up the steps.

The steps are the backdrop for the annual Independence Day celebration, and have often been featured in large concerts such as Live 8.

Two journalists from the Philadelphia Inquirer spent a year interviewing people who ran the steps, and published a book called Rocky Stories: Tales of Love, Hope, and Happiness at America's Most Famous Steps in 1996.[6]

Christo Love in the filming of his short Soul Awakening Productions film "Run For Love" ends the piece running up the steps lifting his hands in the air for World Love and Peace on the Love Flow mission to get the world to meditate and live together as one.

The intro to the ABC station, WPVI's Action News often zooms in on the Art Museum at the beginning, or zooms in on Independence Hall from the vantage point of the steps.

Bronze statue

File:Philly042107-014-RockyStatue.jpg
The statue, situated just northeast of the steps
View of the Ben Franklin Parkway from the top of the steps

Before Rocky III, released in 1982, Stallone commissioned A. Thomas Schomberg to create a bronze statue of Rocky.[7] Three 2-ton, 10-foot-tall copies were cast. One was installed atop the steps for the filming of Rocky III and was ultimately relocated at the bottom of the steps. The second one is in the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum in San Diego, California. The third was later listed on eBay with a starting bid of US$5,000,000 to raise funds for the International Institute for Sport and Olympic History, but has failed to sell at that price or several times since at $1 million.[8]

After filming was complete, a debate arose between the Art Museum and Philadelphia's Art Commission over the meaning of "art." City officials, who argued that the statue was not "art" but a "movie prop", eventually moved it to the front of the Wachovia Spectrum in South Philadelphia.[citation needed]

It was later returned to the Art Museum for the filming of Rocky V, Mannequin and Philadelphia, then brought back to the Spectrum. The statue was replaced with a bronze inlay of Converse sneaker footprints with the name "Rocky" above them.[citation needed]

On September 8, 2006, the Rocky statue was returned to the Art Museum and placed on a pedestal in a grassy area near the foot of the steps to the right of the Museum. The unveiling ceremony included live music, the debut of the first full trailer for Rocky Balboa, and a free showing of the first Rocky movie. At the ceremony, Mayor John Street said that the steps were one of Philly's biggest tourist attractions, and that Stallone, a native New Yorker, had been gladly adopted by Philadelphia.[citation needed]

In Rocky Balboa, when Rocky tells Paulie that he is going to make a comeback, Paulie suggests, "You mad because they took down your statue?", but Rocky denies this.

See also

References

  1. ^ The Rocky Statue and the Rocky Steps :: visitphilly.com - The Official Visitor Site for Greater Philadelphia
  2. ^ Straziuso, Jason (2004-07-01). "Nostalgic Jaunt To 'Rocky' Steps". CBS News. Associated Press. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  3. ^ "E! Channel's 101 Most Awesome Moments in Entertainment". Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  4. ^ "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can @ TV.com". Retrieved 25 September 2006.
  5. ^ http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/9258078.htm
  6. ^ Vitez, Michael (2006). Rocky stories : tales of love, hope, and happiness at America's most famous steps. Philadelphia, Pa: Paul Dry Books. ISBN 1-58988-029-3.
  7. ^ schomberg studios
  8. ^ International Institute for Sport and Olympic History - A Non-profit, Educational Corporation under 501c3, IISOH
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39°57′54″N 75°10′49″W / 39.9649°N 75.1802°W / 39.9649; -75.1802

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