Quote Originally Posted by kexodusc
Well, there are entire Master's level classes devoted to interpreting the literary genius of Stallone's masterpiece, and I won't pressume to have the correct interpretation. Each scene was a metaphor, each character an enigma, each line a confession of the struggle within.
For example: "My prediction? Pain." Was this pain directed at Rocky, or a reference to the internal conflict resulting from the unsatiated hunger that would remain within Clubber regardless of the outcome of the bout?
The duality of man is so perfectly layered within the context and subcontext of this film that the entire film stands as one of the greatest paradox's of the human existence. Even in ROCKY Chapter IV and V, as well as VI the issues are lingering still with part IV, Man Vs Machine (Ivan Drago is referenced as 'beyond human') really becoming the impetus for the entire 1980's subculture. Mickey represents the father-figure of the film, but after dying in chapter III there is anger that ignites Rocky into fighting Clubber Lang, who in many ways represents the thug that Rocky was in the first chapter of our story. This cycle repeates in Chapter V as Rocky becomes the father-figure to Tommy the Machine Gun. There are so many arching and over-arching parallels within the Rocky Saga that it would take a master's thesis to truly identify all of its significance.