Sports drama opening sequence analysis 1 - ROCKY II

I will be analysing the opening sequence of the iconic sporting drama Rocky II.


Sporting drama conventions found in a Rocky II are:

• The movie starts with a the iconic music that can the found in the original rocky however slightly modified this creates nostalgia for the audience.
• The first shot is an extreme long shot showing a sporting event.
• The distance of shot allows the audience to be in shot showing the scale of event
• Close up showing the damage on Rocky's face, indicating he's loosing the fight
• Close up also shows us typical iconography eg the red gloves
• Medium shot showing the physical disadvantage rocky is in the combination of these already portrays him as a underdog 
• Music increases as rocky is being hit, getting close to being dropped
• Music stops for a second as he's falling to the canvas 
• Pan in cuts to medium shot of trainer telling rocky to stay down. loss seems imminent
• Extreme long shot showing opposing boxer with hands up
• Cuts to Medium shot introducing what can be assumed as love interest, the use of mise-en-scene with her red hats allow the audience to subliminally realise this.
• This is then confirmed as it cuts to rocky trying to stand back up and she looks away showing emotional connection to rocky
• Close up showing opposition is shocked rocky is standing back up
• Medium shot shows rocky taunting the opponent to come and fight him showing he has heart
• Rocky lands shots to the body, opponents body language indicating he's hurt giving hope to the audience hope
• Bell rings which is iconography
• Close up of rocky in his corner, face looks heavily damaged
• "If you stop this fight ill kill you" shows the audience has massive heart especially after close up showing damaged face
• Bell is rang indicates round starts
• Commentator says "looks like they've been in a war these two" use of iconography 
• Close ups of both fighters without a punch being thrown builds suspense
• Rocky lands multiple shots 180 degree rule switches camera abruptly making the audience notice the tide of the fight changing
• bell things indicating fight has finished leitmotif increases in pass with creates excitement
• Extreme long shot with outline of audience member clapping in front of camera 
• Post fight interview which is a use of iconography rocky imminently calls for "Adrian" the movies long interest showing strong bond
• Cuts to close up love interest calling rockys name and pushing though the crowd
• Cuts back and forth to ring announcer and also rocky and his love interest. Ring announcer is calling the scorecard of who one the fight, however the quick cuts between rocky and Adrian shows he's more interested about her than the fight.
• They embrace in ring saying I love you making a touching moment for the audience and taking them though a emotional rollercoaster 
• The movie pauses on rocky damaged fights and fades into a different scene before the winner is even announced, making the win for rocky being the love between him and his love interest 

One of the most noticeable conventions are the triumphed music, typical iconography including a sporting area, sports wear and probs associated with the sport, rapid editing to make the sporting contest to seem more exiting and action packed, Cameras shots showing the underdog camera against someone much more physically gifted than them, and a variety of camera shots that positions us with the underdog.