The name Sylvester Stallone itself conjures up images of heart-pounding action scenes. Stallone, who is often regarded as the “ultimate action star,” has had a career spanning several decades, during that period he not only starred in some of the most famous action films but also made significant contributions to the genre.
However, as cinema evolved with advancements in science and technology, Stallone held strong opinions about how these changes affected the cinema in general as the authenticity has declined since science took over emotion. And he blamed George Lucas’ Star Wars (1977) for it. However, it was him only who once wanted to be a part of the franchise.
1977’s Star Wars Ruined Action Movies, Sylvester Stallone Thinks
Sylvester Stallone has been loud in his conviction that the introduction of Star Wars in 1977 significantly changed the genre of action movies. He thinks that sometimes the storytelling and character development that had defined past action classics got lost in science and technology.
“With Star Wars, the industry began to revolutionize itself. Special effects and technology became extremely important and action films went from being Lawrence of Arabia to these extraordinary special effects events. It wasn’t really a prerequisite that he be a great actor anymore. The human emotion was being transformed into the technological explosion.”
This shift left Stallone feeling that the soul of the genre was being eroded, and the focus was more on the spectacle than the substance.
However, Stallone who later became a critic of the movie once auditioned for the role of Han Solo in the movie. The actor once recalled,
“Yes as a matter of fact, I did [audition for the movie] and it didn’t meet with much approval since when I stood in front of George Lucas he didn’t look at me once, obviously being very shy. Then I said ‘Well obviously I’m not the right type,’ but it all worked out for the best since I don’t look good in spandex holding a Ray gun.”
But, he lost the role as George Lucas thought that Stallone was not the best suit for the role.
First Blood was the Last Action Movie with no Science and Technology behind it, The Actor Believes
Sylvester Stallone’s career as an action star remains unparalleled. He carved a niche for himself in an ever-evolving industry. It was his embodiment of John Rambo in First Blood in 1982 that solidified his status as an action star. And, the actor thinks that this was the last authentic action movie he was a part of.
“The last time I had done a film without this kind of gimmickry was First Blood in 1982. After that, my career began to move away from what I think I do best, into something. . . it was completely out of my hands and science took over. Now, I’m just trying to say, ‘Enough of science,’” Stallone said.
Stallone’s impact on action cinema will forever be celebrated. While he had reservations about the influence of Star Wars and the ascent of VFX in action movies, his legacy continues to shape the genre.