Jazz D-Toxes Again

SZoner, Ernest Resendes has been spending so much time working on independent movies [doing everything from creating sets, to writing, acting, and music] that he hasn't had as much time to draw. Jazz did find the time to add some color to a piece he did a few years ago and we love the results. Thanks to Jazzman for sharing! - Craig

First Blood Exclusive

On May 15th at 7:30 p.m. at select theaters nationwide, Stallone fans will be able to see a special showing of "First Blood." Then, following the film, the alternate ending (where Rambo dies) will be shown for the first time ever in theatres. Then to top off this one night event an exclusive, never-before-seen interview with Sylvester Stallone [who will discuss all of the Rambo films] will be screened. For full details, click HERE. - Craig

Sly and Gisele

The April 24th edition of the New York Post's Page Six column wonders why Gisele Bundchen and Sylvester Stallone were sitting alone together in a car and their spouses [Tom Brady and Jennifer Flavin] were no where in sight. Seems that they were shooting a Volkswagen commercial to be seen in Brazil. You can read the full piece HERE. - Craig

Rambo Lands @ SPIKE TV

Spike TV has purchased the exclusive rights to all four Rambo films. According to the press release:

"Rambo: First Blood" launches on Spike Saturday, May 24 at 9:00pm ET/PT featuring decorated Vietnam veteran John Rambo, who is abused by a small town's police force and proceeds to launch a one man war with it. "Rambo: First Blood Part II" will begin its run on Spike in January 2010, and follows Rambo on his journey back to Vietnam to free American POWs. In March 2011, Rambo III will launch on Spike as Rambo's Vietnam commanding officer Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna) is held hostage in Afghanistan, and it's up to Rambo to rescue him.

You can read the full article HERE. Thanks for the tip to SZoner, Joe Petitto - Craig

Sly @ Calzaghe Fight

The BBC News posted photos of stars in attendance at the recent Calzaghe/Hopkins fight. Here's what they said about Sly: "Sylvester Stallone, another screen action hero, was ringside for Calzaghe's real-life lesson on what it takes to be a boxing champ." You can see the full report HERE. - Craig

Evan Bryce & Rambo

Remember me talking about artist, Evan Bryce? Well, not only is he a fantastic artist, but he's a really generous guy as well. He recently gifted me with the Rambo drawing above! [And while he was at it, he threw in this piece as well.]

You can check out more of Evan's work here. Tell him I sent ya... and see about a commission for yourself! - Craig

Deke by Joe Pekar

Joe Pekar is probably best known for drawing pretty girls, but that just scratches the surface of his talent. I first met Joe through his website and then at conventions. We'd talked about him doing a Stallone piece for a while and recently the time was right. Joe cooked up his take on a classic scene from "Nighthawks." Thanks to Joe! - Craig

Ron Salas Rocky

Ron Salas is back with a Rocky sketch. This is my second piece from Ron. You can see his take on Jack Carter here.

Ron is a t-shirt designer whose work can be seen in Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, Yosemite National Park and other places including his website. Speaking of his website, it's where I discovered his work and is a regular stop on my internet excursions.

Rambo Fan Art

Stefano Rondinella from Sicily sent in these photos of his take on Rambo as well as a shot of his workout area which is covered with Stallone photos. - Craig

Rocky Wins Yet Again

"Rocky" has been crowned the Best Sports Movie Ever in a survey by LoveFilm.com. It was a landslide victory with "Rocky" earning 20% of all votes cast! Take that "Raging Bull," "Field of Drams," and "Million Dollar Baby"! For the full details click HERE. - Craig

Rocky Wins Again

Rotten Tomatoes has posted their picks for the 20 Greats Fight Scenes Ever. They picked Rocky Balboa vs Apollo Creed as their #1 choice. Can't say that I disagree. - Craig

Sly Looks On

U.S. actor Sylvester Stallone looks on before the Bernard Hopkins versus Joe Calzaghe light-heavyweight boxing fight at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada April 19, 2008. REUTERS/Steve Marcus (UNITED STATES)

Sly Calls

Actor Sylvester Stallone calls out during a light heavyweight fight between Joe Calzaghe of Wales and Bernard Hopkins of the U.S. at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada April 19, 2008. Calzaghe won by split decision. REUTERS/Steve Marcus (UNITED STATES)

Sly @ Weigh-In

Robert Earl (L), co-chairman of the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino, and actor Sylvester Stallone attend the official weigh-in of Bernard Hopkins of the U.S. and Joe Calzaghe of Wales at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada April 18, 2008. Hopkins and Calzaghe will fight at the Thomas & Mack Center April 19. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus (UNITED STATES)

Sly Crowd

Actor Sylvester Stallone greets the crowd before a weigh in at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, April 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

Sly Greets

Actor Sylvester Stallone greets the crowd before a weigh-in at Planet Hollywood hotel & casino in Las Vegas on Friday, April 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

Sly & Robert Earl

Planet Hollywood CEO Robert Earl (L) and actor Sylvester Stallone talk before a weigh-in for boxers Bernard Hopkins of the U.S. and Joe Calzaghe of Wales, at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada April 18, 2008. REUTERS/R. Marsh Starks (UNITED STATES)

Exclusive Sly Philly Photos

SZoner, Joe from Philly, sent in some of his personal photos from the Rocky statue ceremony in Philly. You can see even more of his photos here. I've also included a picture of Joe's office wall - the man is a Super Fan! - Craig

Majestic Sly

Sly makes the cover and main interview of the very classy Majestic magazine. Available through better bookstores and magazine stands as well as here. My hats off to Alan Anthony for the great profile and Martin Mann for the amazing photos throughout the article. [Mr. Mann is also the publisher of Majestic!]. Also, special congratulations to SZoner, Bill Pruitt, whose Stallone art was featured throughout the article. - Craig

UK Fan Art

Jon McKenzie wrote in to say:

Hello,

Just checked out your site (StalloneZone). Very well laid out and interesting to read through. Added to my favourites. Well done on all the work you've put into it, best fan site I've come across.

I've been a big fan of Stallone and his films ever since I was a kid and thought that the new Rambo movie was probably his best bar Rocky 1.

I also noticed you have fan work on your site and thought you might like a look at some of the work I've done previously on Stallone.

There is more of my work on my site www.jonmckenzieart.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you and would really appreciate some feedback on the work.

Thank you.

-----

Jon has quite a bit of art on display at his site [including a Rambo piece.] Thanks to Jon for the kind words and for sharing his talents with us! - Craig

Sly, Arnold and Atula

Atula Siriwardane is an extremely talented artist from Sri Lanka. He recently e-mailed to say:

Craig,

I like your blog and Sly is one of my all time favorite Action stars..I drew him with Arnold long back... You may like this... If you do you may post it. I like Sly's fans wathing it... Some may enjoy...

Thanks,

Atula
-----

I'm sure everyone is enjoys Atula's work. If you'd like to see more of Atula's amazing art, then click here. Thanks to Atula for sharing! - Craig

Rocky Fan Art

Hey Craig!

I'm back with a new Rocky Painting from my favourite movie Rocky IV. I have painted it with pencil and pastel colors.

Check out my homepages:

www.manuelscholz.piczo.com
www.myspace.com/manuelscholz
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Thanks to Manuel for sharing his talents! - Craig

Rambo Scores in Vietnam

Sylvester Stallone poses during a photocall to promote the movie 'Rambo' in Madrid January 28, 2008. John Rambo is back in communist-ruled Vietnam on Friday, playing to a full house as cinemas showed the Vietnam War veteran going to battle in his latest film, this time against the Myanmar junta. (Susana Vera/Reuters)

Cop Land One of the Best

Kevin Williamson of the Ottowa Sun, in the April 6, 2008 edition picks his Top Ten Cop Movies. As you can imagine, it's a great list since there have been a ton of great cop flicks. Williamson's list includes: 1] Heat 2] LA Confidential 3] The French Connection 4] Serpico 5] Narc 6] Se7en 7] Bullet 8] Cop Land 9] The Untouchables 10] Dirty Harry and Lethal Weapon. Here's what he had to say about Cop Land:

8. COPLAND (1997)

Sylvester Stallone may be content to regurgitate his Rambo and Rocky franchises now, but for a fleeting moment in the mid-1990s, he dared to bulk up as a sheriff faced with a town of dirty big-city officers.

You can read the full article here. - Craig

SZ Exclusive Interview: George Pipasik, Part III

SZ: Which is your favorite Stallone physique on film?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Like I said, every year he gets better and better. I like his body in RAMBO III. It was good, healthy and at that time… perfect. He was in Bangkok.

SZ: When he's in Bangkok what does he eat? I know that wherever you go, the food is different, and in bodybuilding if you eat the wrong food..

GEORGE PIPASIK: At that time...he had two cooks. His own cooks.

SZ: In many interviews he stated that he: "only ate one green vegetable and chicken and that was it." Was that once a day? Twice a day?

GEORGE PIPASIK: No, three times. In between takes, he would pump. He doesn't in RAMBO 4. In RAMBO 3 he pumps so [much that] every ten or fifteen minutes he had oatmeal cookies and honey with a cup of coffee.

SZ: To keep his energy up?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Because every shot he looks pumped.

SZ: In John Rambo, he didn't do that as much?

GEORGE PIPASIK: No, mainly on weekends because he was working on that for 18 hours [a day].

SZ: Sly worked so hard to get in such great shape for the latest Rambo movie. Why do you think that he didn’t have at least one scene where Rambo was shirtless?

GEORGE PIPASIK: He doesn’t want to take his shirt off. He doesn’t need to. You can tell right away with his clothes on if he's in shape or if he's not in shape. He looks so good, he doesn't need to.

SZ: Definitely. He looked in this RAMBO, 20lbs heavier?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Exactly right, he was 20lbs more heavy.

SZ: The neck, the traps, the outer delts and his FOREARMS.

GEORGE PIPASIK: That was his priority...he wanted to look like a jungle man. He was training very heavy and used that machine over there.” [SZ: - George points to a machine that he built -- the man is brilliant! Then it sets in again that Mtotry and I worked out on the same machines that Sly used in his preparations for so many great movies!]

SZ: For a movie like RAMBO…does Sly start training 3 months before or 4 months before filming is to start?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes, 3 months before...6 days a week. We get ready. Everything we do, but we start at the neck and his shoulders...that was priority. You start with what you need the most.. you need rest and then you get more from that.

SZ: What was the LEAST enjoyable shoot ? When you are on location, we've read about it, there's death threats...etc.

GEORGE PIPASIK: (quick to answer) RAMBO III! That was in Israel and 20 years ago. It was so, so hot there. It was unbelievable. It was dry, and there were a lot of flies. Even at night. In morning we came to hotel and it was 90 degrees at 4:00am in the gym. Every Rambo shoot is difficult. In Thailand it was 40' Celsius. We stayed in Thailand 3 months. He had bodyguards and police from Thailand traveling with us at all times.

SZ: During filming how close is your food intake to Mr. Stallone's? Do you guys eat together to make sure he's eating the right stuff?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Because he has his own cooks, [he eats] by himself. I eat mostly natural stuff. Natural protein. Sly eats protein shakes but I am pure natural. Mostly I eat eggs and fish.

SZ: We can’t help but comment on your bodybuilding days! We’ve seen the pictures of the development of your physique. It’s no wonder people came to you to help them develop their bodies. Who else besides Sly comes to mind as far as you training them?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Well, I mostly trained celebrities. I trained Arnold for 8 months...in early 1974.

SZ: Can you tell us your 3 favorite Sly films?

GEORGE PIPASIK. I like FIRST BLOOD. And ...ROCKY IV.

SZ: “Rocky IV” has got to be like going down memory lane for you.

(George smiles and nods. In all of his gallery of pictures, there is an interesting amount of him on the set of “ROCKY IV” that were a joy to look at. He also thoroughly enjoys talking, in depth, about the photographs and when they were taken. )

SZ: In recent years Sly has endorsed his own supplement line [INSTONE, and then S-Force]. You’ve said that you don’t take supplements, but prefer to get yours naturally.

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes, all natural. I don't control what he takes. His supplements he does on his own, because he's met the best and knows so much.

SZ: How often do you work out?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Usually 5 times, but no less than 3 times a week.

SZ: Is it very structured, like 3 days on, one day off?

GEORGE PIPASIK: No, you have to switch combinations. Like my favorite is, chest and back.

SZ: Is there any actor or director that you would like to see Sly work with?

GEORGE PIPASIK: I can't tell with Sly. It's his decision whom he likes the best.

SZ: It seems like when you trained Dolph and Sly, they didn’t have a competitive bodybuilding look. They looked more athletic, more like Greek statues. Was that on purpose? Are there times they bulked up and then slimmed down, or was it all at once?

GEORGE PIPASIK: It was all at once. You have to work everything. It's what they wanted. But it's also genetic. Everyone is different. Not every exercise works for every one. What works for him, might not for me, might not for you.

SZ: Are you a big fan of cardio?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes. Cardio is the best. Weights and cardio. Always together a combination. And eating. Eating is 80% of it. When you start to exercise you need to eat, but if you don't watch what you eat, then you get fat.

SZ: Okay, that about wraps it up. We want to again thank you, Mr. Pipasik, for the time and valuable information you’ve provided us. Before we go, we’re hoping you can shout out to the "STALLONE ZONE," especially to Craig Zablo, who has kept this community and the hype going, could you do that?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yeah, Hi Sly! (Please note: Mr. Pipasik made it clear he gets no e-mail or even near a computer and my guess is if he had, then we all know that "Hi Sly!" would have been a "Hi, to the SZ.". - Chris)

SZ: Thank you so much, we sincerely appreciate it.

GEORGE PIPASIK: Thank you. My pleasure.

-----
My thanks to George Pipasik for allowing us insight into his gym as well as some of his experiences with Sly Stallone.

Chris and MT respectfully waited months until Mr. Pipasik was able to see them. Mr. Pipasik runs a private gym and it is our hope that his graciousness with Chris Heathcoat and Mtotry don’t encourage overzealous fans to become a bother.

Thanks again to Chris and MT for sharing their experiences and photos with us. Also thanks to Carrisa for taking the photos! - Craig

SZ Exclusive Interview: George Pipasik, Part II

SZ: Tell us about the highlights of your career. I know that Sylvester Stallone was one of them.

GEORGE PIPASIK: First it started with Sly, then after. . .came many celebrities.

SZ: And Sly came just after a few months after you first opened?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yeah, I opened and then yes, he soon came after. I was not in the business and [did not] know about how to advertise -- I make everything myself. So without advertising, people started coming. Mainly Hollywood people.

SZ: And the gym was open to the public?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes at first. But then we started getting too busy. So I made it a private club. Just one to one.

SZ: Isn’t it true that by the time Sly came to your gym he had already worked out with Franco Columbu twice.

GEORGE PIPASIK: Ah, yes. He was in my gym with him that second time. He [Sly] had lots of training before. In 1985 he [Sly] asked if I could train him and Dolph Lundgren for ROCKY IV.

SZ: WOW! Exciting, that is exciting.

GEORGE PIPASIK: So, it was January 1985, I started the training for ROCKY IV. Sly and Dolph. (It is at this time, more than any during the 2 hours we spent there, that Mr. Pipasik beams while telling the stories. It was unavoidable to notice that he really enjoyed telling about his FIRST experiences working with Sly which was one of the most famous times in his life.)

SZ: Knowing that you have trained every body part of Sylvester Stallone, when you look at all his films, is there a particular body part in the film...and you can see that THE GOAL was accomplished? For example while preparing “Rocky 4” I remember Sly saying he tried so hard for defined abs."

GEORGE PIPASIK: Every movie he gets better and better. It takes time. So.. He has a perfect body now.

SZ: Almost seems like a perfect body then !

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yeah, but he improves every year. Bodybuilding takes a long time. It doesn't happen over night.

SZ: (Chris looks down at his 'no ab's/dunlap over the belly) Yeah, we know that. So perhaps the only time he was ever out of shape, was because he got out of shape on purpose for Copland?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yeah, with Copland, I could NOT believe it, he put so much weight on.

SZ: Does that mean you disassociated yourself with him? (laughing)

GEORGE PIPASIK: Ha ha, no! I am just surprised he came back. People who usually go that heavy DO NOT come back.

SZ: He actually said in interviews that he liked the extra weight and was going to keep it on. But then two months later, it was off.

GEORGE PIPASIK: It's all eating… 80% of it , is eating.
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[More to come... Craig]

SZ Exclusive Interview: George Pipasik, Part I

SZ: We know about your hard work helping Sly to get in shape for his films. We know that you appeared in “ROCKY IV,“ but what we don’t know is what made you get into bodybuilding yourself?

GEORGE PIPASIK: I used to play hockey. And it was very difficult in Czechoslovakia. During that time, I had met some friends and started lifting weights. I was 19 years old. And since that time, I have been lifting weights all the time.

SZ: When did you decide to make it your career ?

GEORGE PIPASIK: It was unexpected. I was supposed to open a gym with Arnold.

SZ: Arnold? As in Schwarzenegger? Who of course (respectfully laughing) is now our Governor?

GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes. I started building everything myself. In another place, split between L.A. After two years, he decided he didn't want to open his own gym, so he decided to go somewhere else. I decided to open a gym myself. That was December of 1982.

SZ: That's the official date of opening Santa Monica Bodybuilding Center?
GEORGE PIPASIK: Yes.
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[More to come... Craig]

Intro to SZ Exclusive Interview: George Pipasik

Hello fellow SZoners! WOW ! How exciting, to have been not just welcomed, but given a very cordial invite to the Santa Moncia Bodybuilding Center to get a tour, and even some unexpected training with LONG TIME Sylvester Stallone trainer, and of course his close friend, Mr. George Pipasik. Though this was not the first time a StalloneZoner had visited Mr. Pipasik (maybe most of you remember the exciting pictures that SZoner Judge Monty posted about a year ago), but this is StalloneZoners Maurice Totry and Chris Heathcoat's very first visit. Before we begin I want to personally "THANK" Mr. George Pipasik for our exclusive StalloneZone interview. For everything from the beginning of our first phone conversation, to the entrance into the gym with a warm hand shake and smile, to our exits with our own Santa Monica Bodybuilding Center shirts (a treat from George) we are very appreciative. What comes to mind, is some dialogue from Stallone's own RAMBO script. In the film actress Julie Benz is told by her co-star who played "Michael" that John Rambo is doing what he’s doing because “He's been paid." Julie’s character responds, “He didn’t take anything.“ Neither did George for all of his time, valuable information and gracious generosity.
Hope you enjoy,
Chris HeathcoatI want to thank Mr. Chris Heathcoat for making this happen. I have wanted to pursue this trip for about 15 years. If it were not for Chris being proactive, I would never have gone. This was an incredible experience to meet Mr. George Pipasik and to see where Sly trained for his most memorable roles. For Stallone fans this is as close to Mecca as you can get!
Hope you all like this interview…….. mtotry
[More to come... Craig]