PUNCHY

On the Franklin Scale, KABC-TV film critic Gary Franklin rates his recent confrontation with Sly Stallone an 8--”on the basis of it being so interesting.” But, admits Franklin, that doesn’t mean he enjoyed it. “To tell you the truth, it scared the hell out of me.”

According to Franklin, the square-off happened this way: He had entered the ballroom of the Beverly Hilton (“Absolute mob scene”) the night of the Barbara Stanwyck American Film Institute tribute, and was making his way through the tables and crowds, when . . . “suddenly, I felt this very strong grip on my arm.” According to Franklin, it was Stallone, delivering a message in an ultra-low voice: “He said, ‘When you review my movies, Gary, why don’t you just review the movies and not my personality.’ ”

Franklin said he responded with, “Please don’t grab my arm.” To which Stallone replied, “I’ll grab more than that”--and walked off. (One paper had different wording; Franklin tells us this is the correct version.)

The former Korean War combat photographer admits he was shaken by the encounter: “After all, (a) he has a powerful position in the industry and (b) he’s strongly built.” Besides: “I’m in terrible shape!”

A Stallone rep said Big Guy gave this account: “I told him (Franklin), ‘You should review the integrity of the movie, not the integrity of the actor.’ ”

What about grabbing Franklin’s arm? Sly’s response: “That is the extent of Gary Franklin’s screenwriting ability. He wrote that scene himself.”

Oddly enough, Franklin said, “I think Stallone’s pretty talented. I admire him for being this up-by-the-bootstraps guy.”

Franklin did take shots at “Over the Top” (“I called it ‘the armpit movie’ and gave it somewhere between a 2 and a 4”) and “Cobra” (“Oh, I absolutely hated it!”).

But: “I thought the first Rambo movie, ‘First Blood,’ was absolutely superb. Strangely enough, I also really liked ‘F.I.S.T.’ and at least two of the ‘Rocky’ movies. And I was one of the few critics in the country to rave over ‘Staying Alive,’ which he directed.”

At press time, Franklin called us back for Sly’s office number: “This thing seems to have escalated. I’d like to kind of smooth things over.”