Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
What many people are not aware of is that the Hollywood macho man, Sylvester Stallone, is a great writer responsible for some of his best-performing movies in cinema that put his name on the map. Just as he is responsible for some good ones, no career is complete without a few stints. Thus, the actor’s movie adaptation of the bookParadise Alleymade him resent himself for being manipulated so easily during the film’s production.
Also Read:“I was never the same again”: Sylvester Stallone Never Fully Recovered After Going Through Hell For One of His Best Action Movies
Sylvester Stallone Will Never Forgive Himself for This!
TheRockyandRamboactorSylvester Stalloneonce wrote a book calledParadise Alleyand then went on to direct and star in its movie adaptation. However, the film not only bombed but bombed miserably at the box office. Consequently, having been so involved in the making process, he felt responsible for the failure of his brainchild.
In aninterview with Roger Ebert, the actor revealed why he couldn’t forgive himself for the mistakes he had made that ultimately led the film to tank so badly at the box office.
“I’ll never forgive myself for the way I allowed myself to be manipulated during the editing of that film,–There were a lot of scenes in there to give atmosphere and character, and they wanted them out just to speed things along. They removed 40 scenes, altogether. I put 10 of them back in for the version shown on TV. For example, the whole sequence of the soldier without legs, sitting on a bar eating peanuts.”
Stallone deeply regretted his errors in judgment and actions during the making of the movie, which he felt resulted in its disastrous performance.
Also Read:Doctor Has Warned Fans to Not Follow Sylvester Stallone’s One Risky Diet Hack in Rocky That Could Land You in Hospital
Sylvester Stallone Couldn’t Sell His Screenplay Because of This!
As Stallone was pitching the book for a movie to various producers, fate led him to Edward R. Pressman, which ultimately hindered him from accessing the opportunities he truly desired. As perAin’t It Cool News, the actor portrayed the individual in question as someone who persisted in involvement with the film, despite Stallone’s desires otherwise. He said,
“I wrote the book first, then the screenplay. Both I wrote before I’d even thought about Rocky, so originally they were done in 1974. But I was very broke and I optioned the screenplay of Paradise Alley to a real… how should I say this… maggot, who put his hooks in so deep I could never get it away from him.”
Following a meeting with Pressman, Stallone had a change of heart and desired to sell the story to producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff. However, Pressman persisted and did not let Stallone sell the story to them. He continued by stating,
“So the first time I went in to meet Chartoff and Winkler, I was there on an acting job. I didn’t get it, but on the way out I said, “I have this screenplay called Paradise Alley.” They said to bring it over and I did. They wanted to make it, but the other cretin that I had optioned it to was so obnoxious, so overbearing, that the producers wanted nothing to do with me or the screenplay.”
The film ultimately underperformed, leaving the actor burdened with a whole lot of regrets in his heart. Interestingly, this failure kickstartedRocky.
Paradise Alleyis available on Apple TV for rent.
Also Read:You Won’t Believe How Much Money Sylvester Stallone Turned Down For Rambo 4
Sampurna Banerjee
Articles Published :1806
Sampurna Banerjee is an Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, and she’s written over 1,700 articles! She covers everything from celebrity news to the latest superhero buzz, streaming shows, and fan theories. If it’s trending in pop culture, Sampurna’s probably already on it.When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her rewatching The Office (again), getting into debates about Marvel’s timeline, or diving deep into Christopher Nolan movies for the hundredth time. She’s not just writing about entertainment, she’s living it.
