ROCKY VS DRAGO: The Ultimate Director's Cut (2021) Review
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- Опубліковано 6 січ 2022
- ROCKY VS DRAGO: The Ultimate Director's Cut (2021) Review
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I prefer the director’s cut over the theatrical due to the fact that it fully fits in to the Rocky franchise. Every single Rocky/Creed movie has a level of seriousness within each film & Rocky 4 went kinda of the rails with it. This director’s cut fits in practically perfect with the others. ESPECIALLY THE CREED movies. Because now it takes itself seriously which I love.
I liked this version MUCH better than the original. It's far more serious, and impactful, to me anyway. 👍
In retrospect, I think what the fans wanted was an extended version of Rocky IV and not a drastic recut. But its always good to have two versions of the same movie to gain different perspectives.
Also, if there's one Superman movie which requires a director's cut, its Superman IV. That's a movie which needs drastic redo, from top to bottom. Any effort to change that movie can only improve it.
I totally agree about redoing Superman IV.
Maybe it would be like the Richard Donnor cut of Superman II!
Yes, keeping everything in the original and adding the 40 extra mins as seamless as possible.
We need a fan edit to fuse both versions together - entirely anonymous of course
@@JimmyJaxJellyStaxand they have to completely redo the special effects
Youre one of my favorite film reviewers on this platform. Thank you for your consistent work.
And you are the best dragon ball content news creator on the UA-cam platform as well. Yes, Geekdom, I am a fan yours as well.
and pleasant to listen to in contrast to majority of American/Aussie youtubers who's constantly yelling nonstop and cutting away every split second of inhalation breath between the yelling making it even more tiresome for the ears. Sometimes their yelling even crossfades between sentences. Pure torture.
It's like he wanted to make it more like a truer sequel to Rocky 3, while setting it's tone more in line with the Creed movies, probably to connect to them better. He edited the fights to look more realistic, which I think worked more for the Apollo fight than the end fight, which seemed to pass quicker than the theatrical to my mind. The colour tone and light grading seems to have been changed to look more "modern" too. It's all pretty strange to watch, but not necessarily bad. I think of it more as an alternative than a replacement.
And also moved Rocky 4 closer to the way the first two were made.
I've always thought of the robot as a symbol of how far Rocky has come financially, with "stuff" in excess. Thus, making the reversion to old timey training more pronounced when he has the means to afford all of the cutting edge stuff that Drago was using
Seems like that would’ve been more appropriate for the third movie, though.
Yep, in the first movie he has pet turtles, by the fourth one he has a robot
@@DeltaAssaultGaming yes, but 3 displayed more of the fame and entourages and hanger-ons getting in the way. It's part of what Mickey warned him about and what Apollo removed him from
@@dannycruz5446 Maybe the two turtles were inside the robots head controlling it like a Jaeger from Pacific Rim. The huge blue eyes look like two water tanks after all.
I like your observation, there. And I like how even Rocky understood that all of the stuff he has "ain't everything." In the end, Rocky's heart and motivation for what he was doing turned out to be a greater force than the finely tuned machine that was Ivan Drago. Perhaps not realistic, but inspiring filmmaking, nonetheless.
Frankly, I'd rather see the theatrical cut but WITH the "deleted scenes" put in. That would be the true ultimate cut for me.
This!
Well I'd rather have the deleted scenes, the theatrical scenes, minus the robot stuff.
A definitive edition
100% … this cut was good, but if you didn’t watch the original version you’d have been lost with the story I think
It would be called Rocky IV: The Final Cut
I'll say it again.
"Rocky V new edit would have been more urgent to give it a seccond chance."
Theres a cut floating around on the web of V with a completely different soundtrack that actually lifts the movie more. There are also alternate scenes that make it a better film also. This is the one I hope that makes the light of day to redeem V.
@@JimmyRaptis I think the music in that was just temp music taken from the previous movies as Bill Conti wouldn’t have recorded any new music yet. But it does sound better in places, not gonna lie. It’s not on the 4K disc coming soon though.
There is a great "making of" this Director's Cut on the UA-cam Channel "Sly Stallone Shop" titled "The Making of ROCKY VS. DRAGO by Sylvester Stallone" where Sly explains a number of his editing decisions.
It is a great documentary, but his choices aren't really based on much that is very sound. A lot of retroactive "80's shame" and kind of crapping on the decisions made at the time just because they were "too 80's" or whatever. Also his random desire to make everything bluer was odd and looks bad in the final product. For me, the best changes were the alternate Adrian scenes, in the kitchen during Apollo's visit and the one that replaces the goofy Bedroom anniversary scene. The boxing commission scene is the worst addition. Completely unnecessary and full of bad acting.
Yeah he mentioned that in the review so you wasted your time posting 🤣
@@officialcoachdanny Yeah except, no. Seems like you wasted time replying to a "waste of time" to say that it was a waste of time.
@@burntvirtue 😆😆😆 What a sausage
Totally agree. Original cut was a concentrated shot of pure adrenaline. Bridget Nielsen was pleasant to look at and Drago was more of a threat with his terminator style stoic charisma. In the new cut he's acting more human, insecure and bewildered. In original cut he totally bullied Rocky in the ring making me root more for underdog Rocky. In the new cut the fight is more realistic but less emotional. And I miss the exploding Soviet and USA gloves in the intro, they were iconic. New intro way too long with uneven awkward pace as if we haven't seen Rocky 3 already.
You should do reviews that was impressive. Love the original and I went to the cinema for the one night screening of this and it just felt weird to me. But then again I have seen all the Rocky movies dozens of times and that could explain why Rocky Vs. Drago felt extremely off to me. I'll have to give it a second view at some stage
The film was aimed at young boys wanting to see a rocky fantasy, the new one is made for people wanting a drama class. The original is the best no matter what, after watching it you feel great. It is not suppose to be serious drama. You need bad guys in movies in order to be a hero, that is not possible when the bad guy is humanised.
@Dan Fors This. All of this.
@@boshirahmed Creed 1 and 2 are really good films that blend both. In fact, they're good as standalone flicks outside of the Rocky series.
It was cool seeing the new stuff but he shouldn’t have cut so much old stuff. Almost all of Brigitte scenes were cut. Also in this version the PM storms out after the fight. In the original i belive he applauds
Yeah that was the whole big twist of the original, Rocky wins over the Soviets. Now it just seems he adds to the Cold War.
That’s because that would be the logical reaction
I Love the new ending of Rocky, Adriana and the team walking out of the ring. Something very real about it.
I love it too! And it also seems like the eye of the tiger music is different it sounds like it has more bass.
@@swissbeats2k i hadn't noticed that. i'll have to check it out
@@swissbeats2k EOTT always had a thin-sounding mix. Definitely improved.
Now we need a new cut of Rocky V.
better be Cobra
I actually thought Brigette Neilson's performance/role was pretty good. It's stiff, but I thought that went with the whole Russian thing, that and physically she's totally believable as a former Soviet Olympian.
I agree; her acting was never great but used well (as here or in Beverly Hills Cop 2) she could be very striking in a way that made her interesting to watch, a bit like Grace Jones
Sour Grapes on Sly's part to still not want her in the film. Even if she did cheat on him with Tony Scott.
@@davidjames579 I kind of assumed they'd buried the hatchet because they were both in Creed 2, although not in the same scenes IIRC. Although Nielsen did say Sly was a "terrible husband" on Larry King during the promo tour...
She was terrific! Cutting her out is horrible, dick move.
How could he cut his kid and his friends bouncing on the couch??? That is iconic. Could have cgi’d the robot out if he had too. Stupid.
I have a lot of issues with the new cut, but I think it's biggest sin is re-editing the Apollo fight so that Rocky never even gets a chance to reach for the towel before he's hit with the fatal blow, let alone hesitate throwing it. This completely removes the aspect of guilt over how he could have saved his friend if he wasn't conflicted over wanting to follow his wishes. A huge mis-step, for me.
And I think the final fight doesn't have the same impact is because they try to re-cut it so that it feels more like a legitimate boxing broadcast like the recent films did, but you can only do so much with the footage that wasn't filmed with that approach in mind.
Thank you for mentioning the throwing of the towel! I seem to be in the minority on that point, but I totally agree that what Sly did there was a misstep. As for the finale fight, the editing is odd and missed really cool emotional beats created by how the music is swelling, at the time. The most obvious example is right after Rocky cuts Drago for the first time. After Drago describes Rocky as "a piece of iron", the music builds as we see Rocky and Duke head to head repeating their mantra, "No pain." It's just a great moment where you sense Drago's potential vulnerability for the first time, and actually believe Rocky's extraordinary heart in the ring could actually give him the strength to win! That moment is gone in the new cut and needs to be put back.
@@heartofalegend it really irks the shit out of me - such a huge part of his reasoning for fighting Drago, wiped completely off the board. And I couldn't agree more about the flow of the fight not moving in time with the story being told, too. Look, I'm just gonna say it - the director's cut blows. I get that 40 years later, maybe Sly doesn't want it to feel so much like a piece of cold war propaganda... but it's a product of it's time, and AS a product of it's time it works like gangbusters. Context is key here.
@@KyleS3m3noff For what it's worth my friend, while the DC as a whole is poor storytelling, it offers a gorgeous new print, and a few wonderful moments that should've been in the original. The key is to just insert those wonderful new scenes into the original version, use the DC print for the all the same scenes that are in both versions, and you've got a Rocky 4 with great drama, looking better than ever, with none of the great stuff missing, and the story left intact. Like other fans, I've been working on this "complete cut" if you will, since November. When it's done, I'm anxious to share it with others who love this film like I do. If you'd like, I'll be sure to send you a link to it when it's complete. I'm editing the finale fight, now. "Keep punchin'."
@@heartofalegend Mate, I'd love to have a look at that when you're done, for sure! Keep safe, bud!
@@KyleS3m3noff Hey Kyle, I just completed the new cut of the film. For the most part, I'm very pleased with the result. There's one tiny sound glitch, but most folks probably won't notice, so I'm good releasing this for fellow fans to enjoy. The more you know both versions, the more you'll hopefully appreciate and enjoy what I tried to do. It's hard to make both versions look and sound exactly the same. You can see the differences, but hopefully they're subtle. Anyway, I truly think this is closer to what people thought they were going to see with the new version and I'm excited to share it with fans like you! Here's the link: drive.google.com/file/d/1n6khb1NH4IJzolLmLT1nYT0aFvHKBQ3v/view?usp=sharing
You can't edit the era out of a film,"Rocky IV" is a product of 1980's Reganian America,it would be like doing a re-edit of "Commando" and the first two acts are a character study about a father and a daughter living together in a cabine in the woods and then in the third act out of the bleu the goofy action starts,just let it be it is what it is,you can't re-write History.
I now prefer this version over the theatrical cut. I loved this movie when I was a kid, it used to be my favorite of the franchise, but watching the theatrical cut as a grown man is a tough sell, it's outlandish and cartoonish. The director's cut makes it a realistic movie.
Rocky 4 has always been and always will be my favorite movie ever. I've already seen 3 full fanedits people have done to merge the 2 versions together to make a "perfect" version, and I've seen lots of clips on youtube of edited scenes even more people have done to make it work. I plan on doing my own fan edit someday as well.
I agree, great movie. Would you have links to the fanedit(s)?
where can the fan edit be found?
My wife and I watched this new cut and we spent the whole time pointing at the screen saying that's new, and they cut that part and that's a little longer. We enjoyed it. Thank you for the review. Keep up the good work.
I can remember his Q&A he did on Instagram a while back. I asked him about releasing the Rocky 5 assembly cut, he said it was possible! 👊🏼💥💥💥
He needs to recut Cobra and give us a directors cut of that.
I would love to see a assembly cut of Rocky V & or course Cobra
Hey, paisan, you going in to see Rocky right now?
Yeah.
Its great F£$king moovie!!!
I don't want to ruin the surprise but Sly wins this one,too.
I would honestly prefer a third cut. One that takes out all the robot scenes and exploding boxing gloves intro. But leaves everything else intact. While also adding the new scenes to slow down the pace and beef up the story and characterization. Restore the original aspect ratio. And take away the blue filter. And you have a perfect movie in my opinion
What's this version called
@@your_source_network_media
Rocky IV Extended Cut
Rocky IV The Final Cut
Rocky IV The Definitive Edition
Or are you looking for some sort of fun subtitle or pun?
@@your_source_network_media
Real Bout Rocky 4
Shin Rocky 4
Rocky IV Stop Rushin'
@@orinanime
Rocky: W4R
I totally agree about the final fight not being as good in the director’s cut.
In the original cut.
Rocky is getting annihilated in the first 2 rounds. Getting in no offense.
Then all of a sudden he clobbers Drago instantly cutting him.
Then Rocky starts wailing on Drago right before the montage begins.
That moment where Rocky makes his first comeback is epic. But it is lessened in the director’s cut.
I liked this newer version of Rocky IV because I never realized that the original version was more campy & I really appreciate what Mr.Stallone was going for,a more serious film like all 3 were back then.
I wish a Blu Ray release was coming out and for those who liked the Original Rocky IV,I am glad,everyone’s taste is different.Loved the review!
Must watch this. Growing up, this seemed to be the only Rocky movie on TV and so for a long time was the only one I'd ever seen.
I like both, will always prefer the original but I do hope to see a fan cut of this that extends it completely.
Also props for showing love to Vince Dicola and Yuzo Koshiro with the outro. 😂
Brilliant review as always.
I wonder if we will ever see a director's cut of Rocky V.
Well, it won't be a TRUE director's cut, because John G. Avildsen is dead.
@@gamestation2690 Facts.
@@gamestation2690 John G Avidlsen's hokey hallmark special direction is why Rocky V (and his Karate Kid sequels) sucks. I'll take the writer/producer/star cut.
There was a directors cut. The original cut before it was butchered by the studio. I believe is online but poor quality.
@@DOYLETWATthats true , i watched it , it was fantastic, just poor quality
Another excellent review, Oliver! I feel that you always approach each film with an even headedness and clarity that I really appreciate. For me, this cut delivered just about everything I needed for Rocky IV to finally work for me. Being a child of the early 90’s I had a great deal of familiarity with Rocky IV through its near constant television exhibition and I always enjoyed it. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I properly fell in love with the Rocky series, becoming a devotee of Stallone in the process. At that time the films were coming out on dvd and I finally sat down and watched the movies with a more mature taste. A couple of things didn’t surprise me at all and a couple shocked me about the experience. Unsurprisingly, the Original trilogy of films were just as grand and fantastic as I always felt they were. Surprisingly, the Rocky IV viewing experience had gone from feeling fun to feeling so hollow. I still adored the incredible soundtrack, I still loved the characters and visuals, but I found myself laughing at the superficial and incredible vanity of the film. It no longer felt like I was watching the same character, but an 80’s Stallone action film where he’s a rich boxer. Maybe it was intentional. As you wisely noted, that excellent making of special featured Stallone explaining that he was keeping up with the times by making Rocky an MTV adventure rather than an emotional film with action beats. Imagine my utter shock when I actually ended up enjoying Rocky V more. I realize how that statement might invalidate my credibility completely, but it’s sincere. Even if Rocky V fell flat in spectacle, it actually felt like that humble little character I loved so much who had just hit hard times. Stallone’s new cut isn’t perfect, but for me it comes very close. Even though it probably can’t bring it completely up to standard with the original 3 and some cuts make more sense than others, Stallone successfully transformed the tone of the movie. Everything is more rational, serious, and realistic. Rocky IV may be more fun, but the new cut restores the drama and the heart that caused me to all but write off the original version 16 years ago. In the end it’s a matter of perspective. I can completely understand those who saw the film as kids in the 80’s, the way it was designed to be seen being alarmed by some of the cuts here. However, I do know Stallone has no sacred cows when it comes to taking another crack at something or looking at it from another angle. One of my favorite alternative cuts of all time is his director’s cut of Rambo IV, a film I initially didn’t care for much. Stallone, much like he did here, combined alternative takes, angles, extended scenes and flat out cut others to deliver a completely altered tonal experience. Perhaps it was my predisposition to this sensibility of modern Stallone that made this so palatable for me. The less said about Last Blood the better. Either way, I’m so thrilled this cut exists and happy to say that we still have access to the original as well. Although I completely understand that your perspective was very different, I want to thank you again for your eloquently stated points, and your fair praise and criticism. Keep up the excellent work as always.
I truly enjoy your reviews! So in-depth. Keep the hits coming!!
I prefer the original cut. This one took out all the fun and charm. I guess it's worth a watch. It's like if King made a different cut to Maximum Overdrive but removed all the fun, ACDC music etc. Oh wait, that exists. It's called Trucks.
I saw this in the cinema and really liked the new cut and prefer it to the original cut. The only think I didn’t like was that they changed the aspect ratio so some shots look too tight.
The only 'thing'.
Happy new year, Oliver! Another great review.
The Director's Cut was something of a lateral move for me. There are aspects I prefer over the theatrical while the theatrical has aspects I prefer over the DC. As long as they don't try and have one version erase the other then I'm happy to have both.
Both versions ought remain available to the public (for, ahem, some franchises the earlier versions have become inaccessible to We the People because its creator has inexplicably decreed it so).
I liked it better than the theatrical overall.
I do share similar complaints though with strange removal of scenes and the new aspect ratio which basically cropped off the footage so you see less of what was shot
I'm glad I saw it, but I put it down as a noble effort that more or less fell short. I've seen so many scenes from Rocky 4 so many times over the years that any change, such as a different cut or angle strikes me in an "uncanny valley" kind of way. I enjoyed it overall, but as with many of these cuts the end game will result in a really terrific fan edit. I'm still not sure why Sly dropped so many things that worked in the original, other than to try and take the bubblegum out of a bubblegum movie. Appreciate the effort though.
I had the same experience as you. My brain kept glitching out every time there was something changed. Scenes would be paced differently, have one line or even one word or one glance of the face changed, and my mind would go 'this is NOT REALITY! This is NOT Rocky 4!!!' Stallone edited out Apollo's slip in the ring, but kept in the announcer saying he slipped. He edited out Apollo spitting in Rocky's face saying 'NO MATTER WHAT'. Almost all of Pauley's lines are gone. Almost all of Bridgette Neilsen's lines are gone. The robot is gone. Is was basically a bad experience for me.
@@nothingtoseehear5012 Some things I liked, some not so much but there were some perplexing edits that made me think Sly ran out of money and had to submit an edit that still wasn't quite up to spec. I need to buy it, if it were on blu-ray and watch it enough times that my brain doesn't glitch.
Great review, Oliver. I see this as a fascinating "alternative" version but the theatrical version is still canon to me.
My favorite part of this cut is the simple addition at the beginning of his end speech. "A friend of mine said we can't change. And he died." followed immediately by the "if I change, we can change, etc" bit left in the theatrical. It gives a whole thematic edge to the whole movie and I'm surprised it was cut originally. That being said, I miss the louder montage soundtrack enough to prefer the original on that alone. The other changes were interesting but I'm not strong on them one way or the other. Glad we have both, but wish we had a better balanced version mixing the best of either.
Yet no one ever complained about 20 odd James Bond movies with predictable plot and out comes, go figure?
I'm pretty sure someone did. 😆
@@Geronimo_Jehoshaphat lol, yup.... Me!
@@Geronimo_Jehoshaphat... But generally.....
Seems kinda petty to cut Nielsen out just because you got divorced.
To be fair, he may have also felt her scenes didn't really add anything to the new cut, much the way he removed every scene with the robot even though they were never married 😉. Personally I liked her character in the movie, so removing her was just one more thing that made me prefer the theatrical cut.
As good as the original Rocky 4 was the story was beginning to get stretched. That's probably why Stallone opted for a more action driven story over drama. It was clever to address this directly when Adrian says " Before there were reasons to fight I could understand but I don't understand this. Even if you win what have you won, Apollo's still gone". It was an EXCELLENT action movie but as far as story goes, the plot and rocky's reasons to fight began losing credibility.
I was skeptical of this re-release myself so I haven't bothered to watch it. They're just stirring around the elements as a way to make money. Modern movies are so crap these days Hollywood is desperate to make money. Probably won't be the last re-release we see. Stallone has always had a hard time letting the Rocky story go.
Having seen the new cut, it is certainly different but lacks a good chunk of the energy, rhythm, and pacing that was very much hard hitting and pulpy fun in the original edit. The campiness really helped to offset the darker, grim elements of the story in a way that kept it enjoyable to sit through. I can tell, he is approaching this with a different mindset and experience. Some additions are damn good (Funeral and Adrian having more of a prominent supporting role, as well as lovely chemistry with Rocky as well) but others were baffled (alternate shots don't really work and some of the changes made to the scenes in structure and composition were for the worst really, lacks a sense of visual flair at times that was present in the original cut). A good example, don't really like the slow motion knockout punch in the new cut during the fight montage. It was better when the connecting hit came hard and fast. There are multitudes of moments like that throughout this new edit. An intriguing new take from an older, different POV but not one that truly replaces or rises above the original edit.
Nothing can replace the original theatrical cut
He should have never killed Apollo. He was such a great character. Would have also been great to see Carl Weathers in the Creed films. I’m sure in hindsight Sly probably thinks it was a mistake to kill him off.
I think he's on record as saying it was a mistake. But it hasn't stopped him killing off all the other characters too. And there was no way to realise back then the franchise would last so long.
They could bring back Apollo like a ghost within Adonis mind. Being a boxer it's plausible he could get a concussion from losing a fight with side effect of less sense of reality causing him of having hallucinations here and there as if Apollo is still alive coaching him for the re-fight.
@@danfors1333 Ffs man 😂😂😂
I mean, he ended up in 4 of the movies. It’s not like they shortchanged him.
@@DenkyManner I remember when Rocky II came out Sylvester Stallone said (and I quote) "This isn't going to be like The Planet of the Apes'. Well there were five original films from 'The Planet of the Apes' series and there were six Rocky films (not including the 'Creed' films). I guess he was right in one aspect, he had surpassed the number of sequels that 'The Planet of the Apes' had.
This movie is one of my all-time favorites. I've just adored it ever since I saw it as a kid. I really see no reason for another cut but I guess I'll give it a shot. Though the theatrical version will always be my pick.
Oliver...you really nailed the obvious changes nicely and politely. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Can it apply to this film? Stallone could have pulled a "George Lucas," and digitally replace the robot with Walkers and Speeders 🤣🤣
It was too serious. Paulie and the robot at least added some comedy relief. Also ending on a somber note with Eye of the Tiger playing at end felt like a downer. Rocky telling his son he loves him and the song Hearts on Fire starts up and then the freeze frame of Rocky is more upbeat. This cut added really nothing to the original.
I like that it made Rocky 4 feel more in line with the tone of the previous films. It gave Adrian a bit more important dialogue and the fights felt like actual fights. The funeral speech by Rocky was also important, I feel.
Rocky 1, 2 and in some parts 3 were all serious. Now 4 finally joined the family.
You had me with the clip from Eddie Murphy Raw! Great review 👍
It doesn't make sense for Stallone's motivation for reducing Brigitte Neilsen's scenes to be simple pettiness. If this was the case, why even include her at all in Creed II?
I've tried to find somewhere to watch this in Australia, no such luck so far. Great review, very informative behind the scenes.
Listening to your reviews makes.me feel Nolstagic for my teenage years watching Barry Norman's film shows. You seem to have his vibe of reviewing which I very much like and have missed. Well done Sir!
Yet another awesome review!!
Well done review and comparison of the two cuts. I agreed with virtually every single point you made, even down to the analogy of the Superman II cuts. As I posted in an IMDB review, it was worth watching this version and I have tremendous respect for Stallone's dedication to this movie and the franchise, but I will always prefer the original theatrical version. It was clear that Stallone was trying to alter the style and tone of this movie to be more in line with the rest of the franchise, but given that the original was a very different style of movie, the new cut felt like a weird mish mash of the two that just didn't work for me. And as a 15 year old teen when the movie came out, I for one thought the robot was really cool 😎.
I loved Rocky IV but this was almost like a fan made cut from someone who doesnt know what theyre doing. Which is weird considering Stallone is a master at creating movies. All the excitement and fun was cut from this movie.
Great review. The final fight was filmed in my home town.
The best review I've seen of the Rocky IV DC so far! Unfortunately there is no chance to watch the Rocky IV DC here in Germany! No Cinema and No Streaming and I think a Blu-Ray release will remain a dream
Great review thanks !! It answered a dilemma I had last month. Bought the BluRay of Rocky VI as a Christmas present for myself. I went back and forth for a while trying to decide if I should get the new cut. Glad I went with the theatrical version !!
I would love to know the actual reason for the aspect ratio change. I honestly think 2.35 to 1 is overused and seldom actually looks good. Its so weird they did that. Also the colours and grade look awful!.
I think Stallone tried match the color grade of the other Rocky films. I always thought Rocky IV stood out with its really bright color.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Paulie
Drago mercilessly killed Creed,Balboa fist pumps him on the way out after winning.Aye right that's as believable as Drago miraculously never getting a dope test after landing on US soil.
hello Oliver Harper love to see you do a Retrospective on the hole rocky franchise
Couldn’t agree more Olly. That final fight has lost something it’s somehow less exciting. Rocky’s comeback to win didn’t have the same impact on me.
I think that's because the fight is not as one sided this time.
The first Rocky movies are sport dramas.
This one is an all out Eighties Action Movie (TM)
I finally watched this movie last night. I honestly liked the story of the recut over the original. But I will say the original was tightly edited and a really fun watch.
As Sly is getting older... I am not actually that convinced that he's getting wiser.
Chopping off huge chunks of the image. Misinterpeting the fun in the goofiness. Removing robot. Cutting out most of his ex wife feels needlessly petty...
I haven't seen the directors cut. But I am less interested now than before to do so.
Also. Calling it a "directors cut" when the director had final cut for the original theatrical release always rubs me the wrong way. It kind of cheapens the intent of the term. No. This is basically just a "special edition". Or "redux". But since the "directors cut" is not a legally defined term as far as I know I do understand that it basically is easier to sell.
Oliver needs to do a review of Coppola's recuts of _The Cotton Club_ and _Godfather, Part III._
Like Oliver, I also grew up with Richard Lester's cut of _Superman II,_ but I prefer the Donner cut. Granted, it's compiled from test shots and auditions, but I still like it better.
Great review Oliver. I think the opening is a mess - too much Rocky III and horrendous editing. The title card is amatuer at best, and the re-introduction of Sweetest Victory is embarrassing. After that, things get much better. I loved the original cut, but this one feels more real. The fights are harsher both visually and sonically, and characters are given a little more breathing space, but still not enough compared to the other films. In short, the orignal is like reading a comic book - flip through it fast and get the buzz, this version a short novel which leaves you a little cold. I'm glad we have both versions, time will tell which goes the distance. Can't wait for the fan-edits to appear...
Really enjoyed your review, as always, and fully agree
It seems to me he cut out a lot of the heart of the movie. The family scenes and the scenes with the robot are funny because you can see a real family doing things like that. It adds to the fact that Rocky is a goofball and sometimes does silly things. Plus the cutting of characters seems very off to me. The son, Bridgette's character, etc. Personally I would have liked it if he kept the original movie in tact and simply added in the extra scenes where needed and simply made the movie longer but still kept the heart and soul of the original. I'll watch the new version at some point but I can already tell it will not replace the original for me. As you stated about Superman 2, I think there still needs to be a third cut of this movie. A definitive full director's cut.
Nice work Oliver 👌😎
Good review. I think the directors cut is a better film but do agree some of the changes I didn’t like or honestly understand. The color coding for the winter training does feel blown out and flat. The aspect ratio change does create problems.
The thing I don’t quite understand is removing so many of Brigitte Nielsen’s scenes. I mean sure it’s his ex and I heard their separation and relationship over the years have been varying degrees of nasty but seemed to be at least professional around each other for Creed 2. Also her part in Creed 2 was small but important because it called back to her characters relationship with drago in Rocky 4. By taking out so many of her scenes from the directors cut it undercuts her relevance in Creed 2.
Love your work, keep it up.
it’s good he at least kept both versions available!
Great review, Oliver. Once again a director’s cut that frustrates me with some improvements and some disappointments. I’d almost rather not have them.
I would like to see this done to Rocky 5 also, hidden scenes like Rocky and Paulie running into Little Marie on the street after leaving Mick's Gym and the part where Rocky is drunk and giving a speech at the Lucky Tavern Bar
Now for the fan mega cut!
Dude! Did you make an awesome documentary called In Search of the Last Action Heroes? Great work 😃
Hahahaha damn straight, my 35 minute DNO cut IS the definitive version of this movie lol 🤣😁😎👍
Your right we def new a new cut of Cobra (86)
Right at the face-off before the Creed/Drago fight the DC has Drago hitting Appollo's gloves down where the original has Apolllo hitting Drago's gloves and they didn't move like he just hit a cement brick, that was a huge impact to me as it showed Drago was some kind of "immovable object" and I guess Rocky could be the "unstoppable force".
I agree, I noticed that as well. Original felt better because Drago seemed more cool and unaffected but still giving real sense of threat. In new cut with him slamming Apollos gloves he seems more hot headed to show off and it takes away the impact when he later does it to Rocky cause we seen him slam gloves that way already.
Excellent review, the DC isn’t as good as the original for a whole list of reasons many mentioned here
I was really interested in this cut, after your review now I have to watch it! Side note, have you seen Superman 2 redux? It’s a fan edit that dose a great job merging the two cuts together while keeping the Donner tone. (Great new ending aswell) it’s the only superman2 I watch.
I saw this film last night, and found it just alright, like I did for the theatrical cut. It didn't really feel like anything completely new, and it felt very rushed in parts too
The trailer for this movie set my Heart on Fire.
Excelent work. Respect.
I remember watching the original film at the cinema,enjoying it very much.Creed dying surprised me tho,the training montages I liked a lot.Saw Drago more as a science project gone wrong and Rocky more fierce,barbaric and nature training.The end scene Rocky gives the monolog speech was heart-felt.Of course I cheered outloud when Rocky won the match,people in the cinema laughed!! LOL.
Rocky III in the theater was amazing. I was a kid at the time but seeing it on opening night and the crowd reactions are unforgettable.
Didn't even know this existed. Great review
I am curious... 0:53 This shot appears a few times throughout the review...what's up with the actors towards the foreground being blurred out?
It's a split diopter shot. There are essentially two half lenses with different focal points. The right lens is focused on the statue so stuff in the background of that lens is out of focus.
I agree. Watched it last night. There was just something missing. The scene where Rocky cuts Drago's eye fell totally flat. In the theatrical film that scene is really dramatic. He also lowered the score which I didn't understand. Stallone just flattened the drama out of the film.
I like that the soviet leaders walk out at the end instead of clapping with the crowd
I actually liked this version better, but i wish a few scenes would have kept in a few of Brigette Neilsen's, but i'm glad that stupid robot was cut out.
Absolutely hit the (s)nail on the head. Agreed 🥊👌🏼
Awesome review 👏, Oliver can you review Battlefield Earth please, thank you
I would really prefer this cut to be added to the theatrical cut, I believe this would make for a much better well-rounded film, so you would get the best of both worlds with the serious and funny scenes all together.
Saw the new directors cut in cinemas and I really enjoyed it. Haven’t seen the theatrical cut in around 8 years and I wanted to watch the new cut with fairly fresh eyes and I didn’t notice any of the more subtle changes such as Bridget Nilsson’s scenes being reduced. But the removal of Paulie’s robot was a change for the better. I liked that the additional scenes made the drama feel more grounded and less cheesy. I welcome Rocky IV being a movie I can take seriously and not have to enjoy in an ironic way. My biggest gripe was that it didn’t fix my biggest gripe from the original movie - to play sweetest victory by Touch in the end credits. They used it at the beginning in the Rocky III recap and that was cool but it was an odd choice given that it always struck me as a song to celebrate a grand victory and not a song to set the stage for even greater struggle. I think a better choice for the opening scene would have been eye of the tiger.
Some things, you just shouldn't touch.
But, what he should've added... was the fight between him and Apollo at the Beginning!!
I was lucky to see it here in the UK at the cinema in November, sadly now I can't seem to find it available anywhere to purchase.
This was the review that I wrote:
Here are 2 spoilers that shouldn't be spoilers. Apollo still dies and Rocky still wins.
So the movie had approximately 40 minutes of new footage. It also kept approximately the same run time so with 40 minutes of new footage, there is nearly 40 minutes of omitted footage.
Now for some spoilers. If you don't want anything spoiled, I suggest you stop reading here.
There were two shots that I really hoped would have been edited out for this film but somehow still made it in. I'll get to them later.
So I'll breakdown some of the changes/additions/omissions and give my thoughts.
1) New opening. Usually, it starts with the ROCKY title scrolling across the bottom to one of the series signature songs. Then it breaks into the last round of the previous movie. This movie starts with various clips from Rocky 3 including Rocky's loss to Clubber Lang, Apollo talking him out of retiring, and the climatic fight scene. It completely omits the Rocky and Apollo sparring session. I was not a fan of the new opening. I am used to the normal movie openings that last 2-3 minutes and set the stage for the new installment. I wasn't a fan of the song they used "Sweetest Victory" which is on the Rocky IV soundtrack but never used in the original.
2) No robot. While this was seen as a cross between corny and creepy (Paulie's girlfriend?), the omission of the robot, likely due to licensing agreements, meant that many scenes with Paulie or Rocky Jr had to be cut including Paulie's birthday scene.
3) The new Drago introduction press conference explains that they tried to arrange a fight with Rocky. I thought that was good but they cut out Drago's wife comparing him to Popeye eating spinach. In fact, a lot of Brigitte Nielsen's dialogue was cut. Could it be because of her "rocky" relationship with Stallone?
4) The reasoning for Apollo to take the fight was improved. Yes, he still shows up out of nowhere and part of the table scene had to be cut (no robot, remember) but they talked about how Rocky ignored the challenge and Apollo feeling the need to take it.
5) I thought the omission of the whole pre-fight dressing room scene with Rocky and Apollo was a mistake. Not only does it cut one of my favorite lines "I didn't say anything about snails, I said Nails N-N-Nails" but it shows Apollo's overconfidence and Rocky's trepidation. The only part of the original dressing room scene that is preposterous is where Rocky was trying to convince Apollo to postpone. Seriously, who postpones 5 minutes before they are scheduled to walk to the ring?
6) The Creed-Drago fight was greatly improved. Except for the one shot they left in from the original where Apollo is clearly not wearing gloves. They missed that edit the first time. How did they miss it again? The fight was extended and Apollo got up after an early knockdown and kept trying to fight back.
7) Apollo's funeral was extended and improved with his father-figure Duke giving a speech and Rocky giving a more emotional speech.
😎 The scene with the boxing commission not sanctioning the fight between Rocky and Drago was included as it was shown in the original 1985 trailer but cut from that movie.
9) The scene of Rocky talking to his son before leaving was extended and improved.
10) The training montages were slightly changed and some edits to the scenes in Russia.
11) The final fight was still enjoyable. There were some added elements to it.
12) Two of the better movie speeches were changed to voiceovers. Apollo in the dressing room telling Rocky he would understand when it was over was changed to voiceover in Rocky's head. The epic speech to Adrian where he said Drago would have to kill him to beat him was also changed to an inner-monologue voiceover. I definitely think that was a mistake because it takes the charm away from seeing the facial expressions of Apollo and Rocky respectively as they said those lines.
13) The moment before the final round when Drago's manager ran from his balcony seat with the Kremlin to berate Drago in his corner. I was hoping that if any scene was cut, it would be that one. I would rather there be a scene of Paulie marrying the robot and announcing she was pregnant than this scene. I hated it in 1985 (when I was 9 years old) and I hate it now. There is 60 seconds between rounds of a boxing match. This man ran from the balcony, through the crowd, got to Drago's corner, and berated him in less than one minute. Drago, for having endured 14 punishing rounds, is able to stand up and lift him with one arm before dropping him off the apron. Talk about taking some serious liberties.
14) The fight end. You get used to the way a Rocky fight ends. He scores the big knockdown, his opponent struggles to get up, and ultimately falls back down as the count reaches 10. This one, Drago goes down, makes a move to get back up, a falls flat. The referee stops with no count at all. I also hated Rocky's leap at the end. In the original, he was lifted in the air as he stood there exhausted by triumphant. This one looks like he is able to do a leaping swan dive into a pool.
15) The speech is different. He couldn't reference his kid because showing him would show the robot. I was glad in a way they cut the scenes of the kids watching the fight. It always posed some serious questions to me. If Rocky, Adrian, and Paulie were all in Russia, who was watching the 9 year old kid? The robot? Who is going to let an unsupervised 9 year old watch a fight where there is a fear that his father could be killed? The part of the speech that was comical was Rocky's talk about change. He mentioned his friend (Apollo) couldn't change and now he's dead. Wow. Way to perk up the crowd there, Rock!
Overall it was enjoyable. The changed scenes and alternate takes threw off the cadence so you were in truth watching a new movie. There were a lot of scenes in this film that I prefer to the original (the extended Creed-Drago fight, the extended funeral, Rocky meeting with the commission). There were some scenes that I think should have been kept (Rocky and Apollo in the dressing room, Mrs. Drago talking about her husband, etc). There were a few things that I definitely prefer the original, most notably the superior intro scrolling logo/final round of previous movie scene.
So in my conclusion, there needs to be a Director's Cut of the Director's Cut and combine the best of the original and the best of the new version.
We can call this one "Rocky IV Take III: The Tornado Cut"
Tornado 🌪
thats some proper 90s sega style music at the end of the video.
I like the original Rocky IV but I like the edited version to. I wish that Sylvester Stallone created alternative scenes of his friend Appolo alive and in the hospital telling Rocky to go after Drago for him and that it's the way of the warrior. I also think that new scenes of Drago getting death threats in the mail while they are staying at the hotel would've greatly strengthened they're decision to leave to go back to Russia. They could even had added some scenes of local boxers waiting for Drago to leave the hotel after hearing about what he did to Appolo and challenge Drago to a fight on the street. It would show that even local boxers who are friends with former heavy weights are brothers. I think that even having some scenes of Drago beating up a boxer who attacks him in the lobby of the hotel would show that he's a force to be reckoned with. Sly admitted in interviews that he wished he didn't kill off Appolo but have him injured and in a wheelchair. In a wheelchair or with a cain, it still would've been noble to keep Appolo in the movie alive but to show the viewer and audience that he was inviting Drago to a friendly exhibition and almost died. Rocky gets made because his friend is fucked up for life and can barely walk or not walk, has problems talking and thinking, goes to Russia to train and kick some ass. That would have been great. In the movie "Karate Kid" , the director did a second ending where Johnny Lawrence won the match and showed a scene of Daniel getting carried off. It was awkward to watch but I think Stallone could have done something similar by shooting extra scenes of Apollo being alive as a wink to the audience to separate the two Rocky IV movies. We already know that Apollo is dead and nothing is going to change that but an alternative movie where he's alive would've been different.
It was a real treat seeing the new scenes, I wasn't a fan of the long Rocky 3 opening at all. I think they also cut a little bit too much out I think there's a happy medium there where you could add the new stuff in and have left some of the old stuff in and make a longer cut. Some of the 4K scenes looked stunning. I'd definitely watch this cut again but it doesn't top the original and I didn't expect it to.
I want to see it just for the thrill factor of seeing deleted scenes, and more character development on iconic scenes...when is the physical copy gonna be released?? Hopefully the disc includes the theatrical cut as well...👍