Decades after the 1976 debut of
Rocky, scores of tourists daily still seek out
Philadelphia's Art Museum steps to emulate the gritty
boxer's famous run. Film experts say it represents a
triumphal moment, and is an attraction likely to remain
popular.
In the first movie, an
out-of-shape Rocky, played by Sylvester Stallone, first runs
up the steps in a gloomy pre-dawn light. At the top, he's
exhausted, gasping for breath. But in his next session, he
bounds up the steps triumphantly, fists un the air.
On a typical summer day, only a few moments pass between
copycat runs made by lone tourists, families, and even
entire tour buses.
Bill Moore of the Independence Visitor Center says many
Philadelphia visitors want a "Rocky pose" photo.
Notre Dame film professor Susan Ohmer says research has
shown people in movie settings are moved to re-enact scenes.
She says that the never-say-die Rocky is a character that
people want to emulate.
