Rocky IV

nyarlothothep

This film is a testament to Stallone's genius. I was overwhelmed by it. The talking robot, the cameo appearance by James Brown as Apollo Creed is dancing around Drago in an Uncle Sam costume while any national dignity that was left has left the building, the bit where for some random reason the kgb "chaperones" decide to chase Rocky in a car and he escapes them by running all the way up a mountain before shouting Drago!!!! The fact that 60% of the film is a montage with songs that are almost identical to the South Park montage song. Everything about this film wins, I actually do believe that Stallone is a genius, he wrote and directed and it works so well, particularly the training scenes where Drago is in the lab while Rocky lives in a wood cabin and goes back to basics. One of the best sports films of the 80s.

krudler

Quite possibly the most 80's film ever made, it's amazing.

Spoonman75

I've just got the "Living in America" chorus in my head after reading this thread! It's on a loop and it won't go away. Thanks for that!
:pac:

AllGunsBlazing

I must break you!

Temaz

nyarlothothep wrote: »

This film is a testament to Stallone's genius. I was overwhelmed by it. The talking robot, the cameo appearance by James Brown as Apollo Creed is dancing around Drago in an Uncle Sam costume while any national dignity that was left has left the building, the bit where for some random reason the kgb "chaperones" decide to chase Rocky in a car and he escapes them by running all the way up a mountain before shouting Drago!!!! The fact that 60% of the film is a montage with songs that are almost identical to the South Park montage song. Everything about this film wins, I actually do believe that Stallone is a genius, he wrote and directed and it works so well, particularly the training scenes where Drago is in the lab while Rocky lives in a wood cabin and goes back to basics. One of the best sports films of the 80s.

Great post. Amazing movie!

AllGunsBlazing

nyarlothothep wrote: »

I actually do believe that Stallone is a genius, he wrote and directed and it works so well, particularly the training scenes where Drago is in the lab while Rocky lives in a wood cabin and goes back to basics. One of the best sports films of the 80s.

Stallone might very well have invented the montage sequence with the Rocky movies.:pac:

IvaBigWun

nyarlothothep wrote: »

This film is a testament to Stallone's genius. I was overwhelmed by it. The talking robot, the cameo appearance by James Brown as Apollo Creed is dancing around Drago in an Uncle Sam costume while any national dignity that was left has left the building, the bit where for some random reason the kgb "chaperones" decide to chase Rocky in a car and he escapes them by running all the way up a mountain before shouting Drago!!!! The fact that 60% of the film is a montage with songs that are almost identical to the South Park montage song. Everything about this film wins, I actually do believe that Stallone is a genius, he wrote and directed and it works so well, particularly the training scenes where Drago is in the lab while Rocky lives in a wood cabin and goes back to basics. One of the best sports films of the 80s.

*checks to see if OP posted this at 5am*

Even with the cheese this is one of the all time great film series' and I try to revisit all 6 films every few years.

"4" is probably definitely the hammiest but its worth it for this alone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SUzcDUERLo

goose2005

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDgcc5Sif3k

salmocab

Don t know how Drago lost, his training was amazing that single punch ball on the running track is surely how the top pros train now, jog 100 mts and punch a ball then repeat. Love Drago he's my favorite opponent from the series.

SirLemonhead

It is an utterly fantastic film, it really makes you want to go run up a mountain The soundtrack is the ultimate gym playlist!

vidor

Possibly the weakest one in the series? The first installment is a great piece of filmmaking, second one dips a bit, next three are all stinkers and then it picks up a bit for the last one. Everyone seems to love this one except me.

Beefy78

Not the best film of the decade and not the best film in the series but, for me, Rocky IV is the best '80s movie' ever made.

Dermighty

Predator is the best 80s movie ever made. END OF DISCUSSION.

I realise there are other movies that are better....

Triangla

The "No easy way out" montage when he drives around and remembers back is the best montage ever made.

shrewdness

My favourite part was Rocky helping end the Cold War.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRBak_2X3Do

syngindub

"If he dies, he dies"

_Kaiser_

Triangla wrote: »

The "No easy way out" montage when he drives around and remembers back is the best montage ever made.

Downloaded and added to the in-car playlist

I miss the 80s! Rocky IV is probably my favorite of the series. Like Wall Street (another favorite) it's one of those films that captures the spirit of that decade perfectly.

Must run through them all again soon

krudler

Love Drew Struzan's poster for it too, hard to believe this is a painting

kryogen

Triangla wrote: »

The "No easy way out" montage when he drives around and remembers back is the best montage ever made.

Even when I didn't watch the film in full I would often make time to fast forward my VHS copy of the film to that exact moment to watch the monatge! Weird or what!

MagicMarker

I like to listen to the soundtrack and fantasize about kicking the shít out of baddies.

nyarlothothep

That artwork shows incredible technique. I really like the way they used to sing in the 80s and There's No Easy Way Out is actually not a bad song. When I was watching the film there on the dvd I noticed however that it's mixed horribly compared to what I saw on youtube. 80s films had a sense of fun. And also, Rocky IV for all its excess shows a great deal of nuance for the cold war politics, Drago isn't a bad guy and the Russians aren't demonised, so props to Stallone on that one.

Ruu

The training scenes are great. Even today when someone mentions wanting a montage in popular culture or other TV shows, you see similar to the Rocky or to a lesser extent JCVD films. Just shows you how terrific they were. Read the below on Wiki.

In 2012, Olympians Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte noted that the training sequences in Rocky IV inspired them to use a cabin similar to what the resourceful Balboa utilized in the film

Ash.J.Williams

Cringe at Apollo creeds build up ...man he was setting himself up there as they say...

kryogen

Apollo knew exactly what he was going into and wanted to go out the way he was in his pomp, extravagent, over the top and in a style befitting the King of Sting, The Master of Disaster, The Dancing Destroyer, The Prince of Punch, The Count of Monte Fisto!

He wanted to go in a blaze of glory instead of fade away into retirement and irrelevance. Put on one last spectacle.

I am now going to watch Rocky IV

AlmightyCushion

kryogen wrote: »

The Count of Monte Fisto!

Am I the only one who thinks that sounds like a porno?

bodhi085

Was very disappointed when the movie version of "hearts on fire" with the score by vince de cola added to it wasn't on the soundtrack. I still have my original vinyl tucked away.
Stallone made some awesome 80s movies. I still love "over the top" and it's brilliant soundtrack. Kenny loggins,larry Greene.

ziedth

Love the film too, it's such a world apart from the first and last in the series and while they are better films IMO I'd watch Rocky iv before any of the others.

Someone mentioned Predator there I think I'm going to have a double bill some night this week.

Soft Falling Rain

kryogen wrote: »

Apollo knew exactly what he was going into and wanted to go out the way he was in his pomp, extravagent, over the top and in a style befitting the King of Sting, The Master of Disaster, The Dancing Destroyer, The Prince of Punch, The Count of Monte Fisto!

He wanted to go in a blaze of glory instead of fade away into retirement and irrelevance. Put on one last spectacle.

I am now going to watch Rocky IV

I really don't think he went into it fully aware of what he was facing. But yes once it started pride stopped him from walking away. On the other hand, the damage was done quickly and you could argue that the decision to carry on should have been taken out of Apollo's hands. He was clearly not in the right state to make that call for himself, and I very much doubt that the blaze of glory you mentioned included his wife and possibly even his kids at home see him get beaten to death.

Apollo was a cocky clown at the best of times who couldn't fathom that someone could have his number, it cost him against Rocky and it cost him even more against Drago. So I really question the argument that Apollo knew what he was facing against Drago, he thought he was just some inexperienced amatuer fresh out of the olympics.

Arthur Beesley

vidor wrote: »

Possibly the weakest one in the series? The first installment is a great piece of filmmaking, second one dips a bit, next three are all stinkers and then it picks up a bit for the last one. Everyone seems to love this one except me.

You haven't seen Rocky V then....

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

vidor

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

You haven't seen Rocky V then....

I did. It's a stinker like I said!

Arthur Beesley

vidor wrote: »

I did. It's a stinker like I said!

No way can you think IV is the weakest if you have seen V.

Alicano

Russian National Anthem...hairs on the neck:D

_Kaiser_

Alicano wrote: »

Russian National Anthem...hairs on the neck:D

One of the best anthems ever Though I always preferred this version (1:55 onwards)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsC2ETsZL0g

Solar Flare

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

I really don't think he went into it fully aware of what he was facing. But yes once it started pride stopped him from walking away. On the other hand, the damage was done quickly and you could argue that the decision to carry on should have been taken out of Apollo's hands. He was clearly not in the right state to make that call for himself, and I very much doubt that the blaze of glory you mentioned included his wife and possibly even his kids at home see him get beaten to death.

Apollo was a cocky clown at the best of times who couldn't fathom that someone could have his number, it cost him against Rocky and it cost him even more against Drago. So I really question the argument that Apollo knew what he was facing against Drago, he thought he was just some inexperienced amatuer fresh out of the olympics.

The best part was the doctor who decides to give an interview rather than tend to Apollo.

Adamantium

Think, Bart. Where have you seen Roman numerals before? I know...Rocky V! That was the fifth one.

So, Rocky five plus Rocky two equals...Rocky VII! Adrian's Revenge!

enfant terrible

When shooting the film, Sylvester Stallone decided that for the shooting of the fight, he and Dolph Lundgren should hit one another for real, so as to increase the intensity of the scene. After doing three takes of Rocky taking shots to ribs, Stallone felt a burning in his chest, but ignored it. Later that night, he had difficulty breathing and was taken to a nearby emergency room. It was discovered that his blood pressure was over 200, and he had to be flown on a low-altitude flight from Canada to St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, where he remained in intensive care for eight days. What had happened was that Lungren had punched him so hard in the chest, Stallone's heart had slammed up against his breastbone and began to swell, cutting off the blood supply and restricting the oxygen flow throughout the body.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089927/trivia

Adamantium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tEbIMbKk_c

Great in depth documentary of all 6 films, it should be on the Blu Ray!

THE steadicam was haphazardly invented in the original movie for all those running scenes around Philadelphia, something I just found out in this doc!

BearBanjer

It's on the US Netflix.

Rocky related trivia:

Jason Schwartzman is Talia Shire's son!

I had no idea.

Ash.J.Williams

i liked the streetfight in 5.

NyOmnishambles

One of my all time favourite movies

it is cheesy as hell and is basically just the worlds longest music video but I get a giant grin on my face every time "Heart's on fire" comes on my gym playlist

And who doesn't love Rocky ending the cold war

willmunny1990

Ah man I love this movie!

The Rocky franchise got me into boxing and inspired me to join a club.

This was my favorite Rocky movie when I was younger. I used to rent this over and over as a child on VHS and watch it over and over again:D the one liners, the montage, the underdog thing, the music all combined perfectly to make this movie awesome!

This is an iconic sports movie IMO.

CPSW

I really want to pull a sickie now in work and go home on this dull day and watch some Rocky movies!!

Personally I love Rocky II, but will always have a soft spot for IV.

You just can't beat the old school, basic man in the woods, chopping wood and running up mountains training montage!!!

krudler

I like the Rocky franchise, the first two and the final one are the best movies in the sense that they're more grounded and don't have cartoon villains for him to fight, III, IV and V are very much products of their time and yet are really entertaining in their own way. Well maybe not V its easily the worst of them, even though it does have that really great moment where Rocky gets drunk and goes for a wander through the old neighbourhood and stops outside the gym. "How you doin' Mick?"

I'd watch the series at least once a year, usually around Christmas over a few days. I do think Stallone is a better actor and writer than he'll ever be given credit for as well. He's made a career of playing a lot of meathead action roles but he's a very smart and articulate guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJvPD2u3YBI

Zulu

It's an awesome movie. My second fav of the franchise (after 1). Anyone who appricates it's cheese should check this out:
Oh the different levels!!!

SirLemonhead

This is brilliant Rocky IV - the Musical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHdpyvayAcw

Duggy747

I'm eating burgers this weekend and will need a big dollap of lovely cheese to go with them....

...Rocky IV it is, then :pac:

Kunkka

shrewdness wrote: »

My favourite part was Rocky helping end the Cold War.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRBak_2X3Do

"Helping" ?

He ended it

efb

On C5 now. So much American Cheese

Myrddin

I done a run through of all the Rocky films after reading this thread a while back. Cheesey at times, but it's quality cheese. The type of cheese they don't make any more.

OU812

SirLemonhead wrote: »

This is brilliant Rocky IV - the Musical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHdpyvayAcw

They actually DID make Rocky into a musical -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7-qD7oa1K8