Hey folks, Harry here and with this next to the last set, I decided to go with some quirky questions. Advice for a BEST MAN speech, memories from his life as a Hurricane, Studio 54... Just because - I was curious what Sly would say. Tomorrow is the last day of questions we'll get answered. I'm going to read through all 2513 unread questions at this point and try to get us some really fun stuff for Sly and for us. As always it is a pleasure to share this experience with all of you...
1. Hi Sly, I‘ve been re-reading Stallone: A Heros Story in preparation for this Q&A (great book) and it says that post Staying Alive Paramount offered you Godfather III to write, produce and star. It says you loved the idea and were thinking to tell the story of Michaels son and were planning to cast John Travlota as your rival in the film. Did this really happen? I have to say im kind of disappointed it didn’t work out - itd have been new and fresh and you vs. Travolta would’ve been awesome. im certain it couldn’t have been any worse than Coppolas GF 3! (which as everyone knows - outshines Superman III as the most disappointing threequel of all time) It mentions the whole Beverly Hills Cop thing too but the book only goes up to 1985/6 and I was wondering if you could share with us any other big movies you were offered but passed on or it didn’t work out for whatever reason in order to give us a glimpse as to what might have been (and might be in an alternate universe) All the Best Pete UK
1. Pete, Answering out of order here - some movies I passed on are WITNESS, COMING HOME, ROMANCING THE STONE, SOLDIER, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, and WHEN HARRY ATE SALLY. The GODFATHER III situation unfolded when the head of Paramount presented me with a poster already printed that had my picture and beneath it ‘GODFATHER III, written, acted and directed by Sylvester Stallone.’ Needless to say, if I weren’t wearing a hat, my skull would’ve split in two. Red-faced, I said to the headman ‘This is the worst idea since my conception.’ Francis created duel masterpieces and it was egregious insensitivity to pull it away from him for monetary reasons. Therefore I took this idea to the sea of mediocrity and plunged it to the bottom.
2. Hi Mr. Stallone, big fan. Been looking forward to The Expendables ever since the first reports of a Stallone/Statham/Li mercenary flick started to appear on the internet. I have two questions. First, on The Expendables, how was it working with Gary Daniels? I'm a fan of his, and am very excited that he will be in this film. I've heard him in interviews say nothing but great things about the experience working on this film, so I was wondering what you had to say about working with him. Second, I know you've talked about maybe directing action films with other stars in the future, rather than starring in them yourself. I was wondering who you might like to direct in an action film, whether it would be one of your Expendables co-stars, or someone else in the business. Thank you very much for your time. -Kevin
2. Kevin, Gary Daniels is one tough son of a bitch. He’s always pleasant, always in remarkable shape and was maybe the second toughest guy on the set. He was underused because of time constraints, but his presence is highly valued and I thank him. As for directing other actors in action films, it’s hard to say who would be qualified until you spend some time with the prospective stars and find out what the hell they’re really made of and if they have that belly furnace burning bright and that eternal chip on their shoulder.
3. Hi Sly, I really enjoyed the last Q and A you did on AICN when promoting Rocky Balboa and was very happy that you had taken our opinions and advice seriously and gave us the assurance along the lines of "I hear what you all are saying and I am definitely NOT going to re-do Death Wish". Now it seems you are. People are free to change their minds and do as they wish - thanks be to God for that. So I was wondering: what changed your mind and did you regret making that assurance to your fans when you chose to do it after all? Scott O'Neil Eugene, Oregon
3. Scott, No I decided to do a film on dentistry called BREATHWISH. It’s safer than doing sequels to established film classics. See the strange thing, People, is that the majority of classics really don’t hold up well visually but hold up very strongly in people’s hearts and minds. I experienced that with GET CARTER, which I thought was a technically better film than the original, yet it garnered little favorability because primary impression is the most lasting.
4. Hello, Mr Stallone There's alot of confusion over whether or not you are doing a fifth Rambo film on the internet. Some say you aren't some say you are. Some say you may change you mind later. As a fan of the Rambo movies i would love to see a fifth one but at the same time i can completely understand why you may have decided to no do Rambo V. But lots of us rambo fans are still hungry for more Rambo content. Since you have mentioned that you are passionate about directing movies now. Have you ever considered creating a story and directing a prequel to First Blood telling the story of how John Rambo became the rambo just with recasted with younger actors? I mean look at what JJ Abrams was able to do with Star Trek. they hit the nail on the head. and rebooted the fanchshise with perfection. In the out-of-print novel version of the first 3 films. we are told about rambo's background. Like i didn't know that rambo was a mixed race person (indian german decent) but in the films we only hear about it very breifly, or there are scenes where rambo talks about the horrors of the war and how it affected him and about how he lost all his with friends and his innocense. I just feel like there's a story there in rambo's background. I know it would be hard to basically re-hash vietnam and the timing on the release would be important. but do you think this could be something you could sink you teeth into later on if you found the right actors? Jsmith Washington D
4. Jsmith, I certainly think this is worth pondering because it’s intriguing to find the whys and wherefores of how people have come to become what they are. The traumas, the loss and the tragedy of being in Vietnam would certainly be a great challenge for a young actor and it would be ironic that Rambo directs younger Rambo after having played it for 20 plus years.
5. Hey Sly, I heard you actually broke your neck working on this film. How long were you 'down' before you could continue production? Will this affect how you're able to perform in action films in the future? -Dan N. Hollywood, CA
5. Dan, When you (hopefully) see the documentary you’ll see that while at the hospital a decision had to be made to either shut down the film without any chance of rebooting it or just carry on. So I had no other choice but to do what I could with the aid of painkillers loaded in a Pez dispenser and carry on until completion. Several days after I wrapped, I participated in a four-hour operation and one month of rehabilitation. Injury or not, I will always attempt to do the action otherwise why bother doing a film of that genre.
6. Hey Sly, Is there any truth to the rumor that you received the last legal drink at Studio 54 on February 4, 1980? What are your memories from that famed "The End of Modern Day Gomorrah" party or from your days at Studio 54 in general? Thanks Sly, can't wait to see The Expendables! Adam Clawson, MI
6. Adam, What was extraordinary about Studio 54 was when I was shooting NIGHTHAWKS we had approximately 35 days in a row of night shooting, so basically I would take my lunch break at 1AM and go to Studio 54. On any given night you would see a gathering of incredible celebrities like Mick Jagger, Scorsese, Rod Stewart, Liza Minnelli, Elton John, Farrah Fawcett, it was pretty wild times. But I didn’t have the last drink, sorry to say.
7. Hey Sly, So I was reading George Lucas' Blockbuster book and when it spoke of Rocky, we were told that the legendary story that you held out for less money to ensure that you would star in the movie was just a publicity story that the studio wanted you and producers to conjure up to mirror the underdog story of the excellent film Rocky. Is this true? I actually love the thought that this just might be true so this isn't an attack by any means, rather a nice golf clap with a smile. Let us know if you can. Set the record straight brother;) Best, "Ken" Wisconsin
7. Ken, I didn’t hold out for less money, I held out for no money and it certainly wasn’t a publicity story, it was just a matter of a nobody actor wanting to get an opportunity that would never come again. So we were paid Screen Actors minimum, which was $360 a week and believe me, coming from where I was coming from I felt like I had hit the motherload. I never thought ROCKY was going to be such a success and I never dreamed I would be a so-called movie star. I only knew I was different and realized that if I didn’t write something for myself I would never find a perfect character to really reveal what I was or the feelings I share with the audience. So I had no choice, it was sink or swim.
8. Hi Harry, Brett Riley - New Jersey, right outside of Philly. This is perfect timing. I'm begging you to please use this question as it would mean the world to me. My best friends Johnny and Melissa are the biggest Stallone fanatics and I am to be the best man in their upcoming wedding in just a few weeks. He is our hero and she grew up as a little girl with a crush on him. Before the go to bed they pop in a movie and she usually picks Rocky IV. Both Bill Conti's amazing score and Hearts on Fire are on the wedding mixes made up for the reception. We have had 3 separate all day marathons consisting of separate Stallone movies, Rambo and Rocky (she and her cousin Alicia cried at the end of Rocky Balboa.) and plan to have another before all of us go to see the Expendables (in theaters August 13th, a plug can't hurt my chances). It would be the greatest achievement if I could read some advise to them in my speech from the man himself. So my question is very simple but I sincerely hope to be chosen for this reason. Mr. Stallone, Would you please give some advise to my friends Johnny and Melissa on their wedding day that I can read in my best man speech. Thank you both for your time.
8. Brett, In my life I’ve learned that to be a real man you need a partner that completes you, that makes you whole, that supports you when everything around you seems to be crumbling, One that makes you smile when you feel there’s nothing worth smiling about, who is your pillar, your foundation, and your reason for loving life.
9. Sly, I have seen in interviews that you may eventually quit starring in your films due to age. As a fan, I would like to say that your age has only made your characters look more tough and bad-ass. Also, your physical conditioning has paid off big time. Basically, what are your thoughts on retirement or focusing more on writing/directing instead of acting? I feel like I speak for a legion of long time fans who are really excited to see you making "real" action films again instead of the cgi-fests we see so much of nowadays. Please, please, keep starring in your films. So long as the scripts and action are good, I feel like you will probably start to see bigger and bigger box office dollars as you continue to kick ass and re-build the audience for "real" action. Your films seem to be back in good critical standing too, as Rambo and Rocky both were well-received. Overall, what are your thoughts on retiring from starring in your films? You've commented on this in interviews, but from a fan perspective listen to me! For the love of God, don't quit now or anytime soon! We need you more than ever! Danny Monroe, Louisiana
9. Danny, Well that’s incredibly gratifying and I’m well aware that times change and movies change and audiences’ tastes change. So I’ll continue until the jury, which is you, the public, passes judgment and says ‘It’s time to hang up your gloves and pass your sword to someone else.’ So thank you for the encouragement because I really do believe I still have a few more bones to break before I hit my peak.
10. Sly, As a fellow Miami Hurricane (Sly went to "The U" during his early years for college), what was your favorite memory on campus? Do you ever go back to the alma mater and root for the 'Canes? Thanks, Fonzi R. in Miami, Florida.
