#100days - '76: the year Rocky won, despite losing

1976 was a remarkable year for Hollywood, as was proven by the five films competing for Best Oscar the following February. You want amazing movies? How about Martin Scorcese's Taxi Driver [screenplay by Paul Schrader], starring Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster - a ground-breaking picture about the seamy underbelly of Manhattan. Didn't win best picture.

Then there's All the President's Men, the true life story of Washington Post journalist helping bring down a corrupt, venal US president [oh, don't I wish that would happen again now]. Screenplay by the brilliant William Goldman, based on the non-fiction book by Woodward & Bernstein. It was directed by Alan J Pakula, who produced To Kill a Mockingbird. Didn't win best picture.

What about Network? Paddy Chayefksy's astounding original screenplay, predicting the rise of news channel madness that plagues America today, the sort of TV that gave rise to a very particular kind of President. Directed by Sidney Lumet, who also helmed Twl=elve Angry Men amongst others. First film in 20+ years to win three acting awards. Didn't win best picture.

The forgotten contender from that year is Bound For Glory, a biopic of American folk singer Woody Guthrie, starring David Carradine. The screenplay by Robert Getchell was based on Guthrie's autobiography. Director Hal Ashby had won a film editing Oscar for In the Heat of the Night; he'd been nominated as best director for 1980's amazing Being There. Bound For Glory won Oscars for best cinematography and best original song score. Didn't win best picture.

The best picture winner for 1976 was Rocky, written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. He was nominated for two Oscars that year, didn't win either. [Stallone didn't win for playing Rocky again 39 years later in the wonderful [i]Creed[/i], despite being nominated and a sentimental favourite. Mark Rylance won best supporting actor for Bridge of Spies - a good performance, but...] John G Avildsen did win best director for Rocky and the movie also won best film editing for Richard Halsey and Scott Conrad.

But the fact that Rocky won best picture ahead of Taxi Driver, Network, All the President's Men and Bound For Glory - that's remarkable.


As a film Rocky has a special place in my heart. My grandad took me to see it at the pictures, probably in Point Chevalier. Every time I watch a Rocky film - new or old - I remember my grandad. He's been gone more than 30 years, but the Rocky movies help keep him alive for me...