Stallone, an icon of American cinema

The career of Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone is incredibly impressive. From his iconic roles in movies like Rocky, Rambo, The Expandable, Samaritan, Tulsa King, Guardians of the Galaxy, Copland, and Judge Dead, he has left an indelible mark in the history of cinema. Even at the age of 77, Stallone shows no signs of retiring, and fans can anticipate his appearance in Expandable 4 in September 2023. However, he is most famous for portraying the characters of Rocky Balboa and Rambo, both of which have endured the test of time.

Although the Rocky franchise continues without Stallone with Creed, his influence is still strongly felt in the world of boxing movies. Over the years, Stallone has expanded his talents to become a director, screenwriter, and producer, following in the footsteps of many other actors. While he gained immense success with Rocky in 1976 and solidified his stardom in the 80s, he faced a considerable setback in the 1990s when actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Bruce Willis rose to the pinnacle of the industry.

The early 2000s were equally challenging for Stallone, and it wasn’t until the release of Rocky Balboa in 2006 that he once again dominated the box office. Since then, his career has been a balance between producing and acting, with memorable appearances as his iconic character Rambo in Mortal Kombat 11.

Before Rocky, eroticism!

However, none of this would have been possible if it weren’t for Morton Lewis, who gave Stallone a chance in 1970. This was a time when American cinema, followed quickly by French cinema, experienced a wave of erotic films. In France, the Emmanuelle series, starting in 1974 with Sylvia Krystel in the title role, became a sensation. However, it was four years earlier that eroticism truly helped kick-start Sylvester Stallone’s career.

Fresh out of drama school, Stallone was offered a role by Morton Lewis in the movie The Italian Stallion (The Party at Kitty and Stud’s). This erotic film, in which Stallone played the character of Stud, was shot in just three days with a budget of $5,000. Its significance lies solely in the fact that it was Stallone’s first film.