Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Virgil Films concerning the outstanding documentary 40 YEARS OF ROCKY: THE BIRTH OF A
CLASSIC
From
Virgil Films & Entertainment comes Director Derek Wayne Johnson’s new
documentary film 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic. The
film – narrated by ‘Rocky’ star and creator Sylvester Stallone, who shares
insights from his battle to get the story of a down-on-his-luck boxer greenlit
and onto the big screen – will premiere on digital HD June 9th.
In
1976, a low budget movie written by an unknown actor was released, inspiring audiences
around the world to go the distance. Rocky became the ultimate underdog film.
Over forty years later, Sylvester Stallone recounts the making of the beloved classic
through rare home movies provided by Director John G. Avildsen and Production Manager
Lloyd Kaufman.
Sylvester
Stallone pitched the idea of this film to director Derek Wayne Johnson and
producer Chris May after a private screening of their documentary ‘John G.
Avildsen: King of the Underdogs,’ in which Stallone is also featured. This new
documentary features behind-the-scenes footage that Oscar-winning director John
G. Avildsen shot as well as footage never-before-seen found in ‘Rocky’
Production Manager and Troma Entertainment President Lloyd Kaufman’s basement
nearly forty years after it was filmed.
(The film is now available for streaming. Click here to access streaming options.)
About Virgil Films –
Virgil
Films & Entertainment is an independent distribution company that was
founded in 2003 by Joe Amodei to acquire, market and distribute feature films
and episodic television programming into the digital, TV and DVD/Blu-ray market
on a worldwide basis. Over the years the company has enjoyed relationships with
Sundance Channel Home Entertainment, National Geographic Cinema Ventures, Pure
Flix Entertainment, Sight & Sound Theatres, Network Entertainment, PCH
Films, Warrior Poets and other high-profile entertainment companies. Releases
from Virgil Films include the Oscar-nominated documentary Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me and the critically acclaimed, timeless,
best-selling Forks Over Knives. They
have also released the award-winning documentary Miss
Representation; the critically acclaimed, timeless, best-selling Forks Over Knives; and the
Oscar-nominated documentary Restrepo,its
sequel Korengal, I Am Chris Farley and the recent We Are Columbine. Follow them on twitter: @virgilfilms www.VirgilFilms.com