'Over The Top'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt meet each other halfway to rewatch the 1987 sports drama 'Over The Top', starring Sylvester Stallone, Robert Loggia, and David Mendenhall.
Cast
Sylvester Stallone as Lincoln Hawk
David Mendenhall as Michael Hawk
Robert Loggia as Jason Cutler
Rick Zumwalt as Bull Hurley
Susan Blakely as Christina Hawk
Terry Funk as Henchman
Directed by: Menachem Golan
Music by: Giorgio Moroder
Notes
- Stallone was paid $12 million, a record at the time. His agent bluffed that Stallone wouldn't do it for $10 million, and the producers called back offering $12 million.
- Cannon Films organized an actual international arm wrestling tournament (qualifiers in 1985, finals in July 1986) specifically to film footage for the movie. Stallone filmed his scenes the day after the real finals.
- Kyle's hottest take: Lincoln Hawk is actually the villain – he abandoned his family, has been to jail, possibly deals drugs, and crashes a semi into a house. Robert Loggia's grandfather is the hero trying to protect the kid.
- The 'Winner Takes It All' song was originally recorded by John Wetton (Asia), but his voice wasn't aggressive enough, so they re-recorded it with Sammy Hagar.
- Over the Top opened Presidents Day weekend 1987 and was beaten at the box office by Mannequin. It was the first Stallone movie to lose money since Victory.
- This episode marks the 10th Stallone movie covered on The Rewatchables. At the time, Cruise leads with 15, followed by Pacino (13), De Niro (12), Denzel (11).
Categories
- The entire last 30-35 minute arm wrestling tournament sequence, kicked off by Sammy Hagar's 'Winner Takes It All'
- Hawk's first arm wrestling scene at the diner vs. The Smasher
- Hawk driving his truck through Grandpa's mansion gate
- The Soloflex machine Stallone works out on during the tournament
- Brute Cologne ('Smells Like a Man') on the truck
- Betting on yourself – Lincoln Hawk sells his truck for $7,000 and bets it all at 20-to-1 odds
- Bull Hurley as a villain / casting of Rick Zumwalt
- Tournaments in sports movies
- The documentary-style interview confessionals during the tournament
- They never reveal WHY Lincoln Hawk abandoned his family for 10 years
- The attempted kidnapping scene by Loggia's henchmen
- Stallone's complete lack of acting effort throughout – autopilot performance
'Winner Takes It All' by Sammy Hagar when the tournament kicks off
The hospital scenes with the mom (Susan Blakely) – two phone calls from the dying mom are two of the worst scenes in any Stallone movie
- Kyle: Lincoln Hawk is actually the villain of the movie – he abandoned his wife and son, has been to jail, possibly deals drugs
- Bill: David Mendenhall actually gave a really good child actor performance
- Don Johnson was the first choice for Lincoln Hawk before they decided to overpay Stallone
- Rick Zumwalt was the studio's third choice – Cleve Dean was too big, then Ox Baker
Robert Loggia – 'Damn you, damn you!' on the stairs after the truck crashes through his house
Sam Scarber as Harry Bosco – also Referee #3 in Karate Kid and a former NFL running back for the Chargers
- Recast Hawk's wife with Debra Winger
- Kirk Cameron as Mike Hawk – he was hot from Growing Pains at the time
- Loggia's mansion is 750 Bel Air Road, also the Clampett family home in The Beverly Hillbillies
- David Mendenhall won 2 Golden Raspberry Awards: Worst Supporting Actor and Worst New Star
- The real tournament winner John Bresnik won a Volvo truck worth ~$250,000 and inspired Lincoln Hawk
- Arm wrestling – unquestionably yes, 'the Citizen Kane of arm wrestling movies'
- Sammy Hagar – yes, Winner Takes It All plus 5150 in the same year
- Golan-Globus / Cannon Films – yes, around their peak with 31 movies in 1987
They could see Cruise in a 1993-94 arm wrestling movie, training for four months, doing his own arm wrestling
- If it's double elimination, Bull Hurley should have had to be beaten twice in the finals
- How did an 11-year-old drive from Bel Air to LAX, buy a plane ticket, and get to Vegas?
- 20-to-1 odds seem too low for a newcomer in a 500-person field with a five-time champion
- 'The world meets nobody halfway'
- 'Second sucks' – Bull Hurley's philosophy
Cobra + Over the Top – both Cannon Films, made a year apart
Arm wrestling won the movie – every arm wrestling reference leads back to Over the Top, nearly 40 years later
Craig called the first half 'really rough' and said it pushed back when he wants to have kids by a year. Loved the last 30 minutes.