Rocky IV

nyarlothothep · 01-06-2014 02:43PM #1

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 · 01-06-2014 05:52PM

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

Spoonman75 · 01-06-2014 06:23PM

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 · 01-06-2014 06:38PM

I must break you!

Temaz · 01-06-2014 06:38PM

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 · 01-06-2014 06:43PM

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 · 01-06-2014 07:55PM

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 · 01-06-2014 08:03PM

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

salmocab · 01-06-2014 08:09PM

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 · 01-06-2014 09:05PM

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 · 01-06-2014 09:13PM

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 · 01-06-2014 09:37PM

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 · 01-06-2014 09:42PM

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

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

Triangla · 01-06-2014 09:42PM

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

shrewdness · 01-06-2014 09:56PM

My favourite part was Rocky helping end the Cold War.

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

syngindub · 01-06-2014 10:44PM

"If he dies, he dies"

_Kaiser_ · 01-06-2014 11:16PM

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 · 01-06-2014 11:36PM

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

kryogen · 02-06-2014 12:26AM

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 · 02-06-2014 12:35AM

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

nyarlothothep · 02-06-2014 01:06AM

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 · 02-06-2014 01:13AM

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 · 02-06-2014 01:43AM

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

kryogen · 02-06-2014 01:58AM

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 · 02-06-2014 02:01AM

kryogen wrote: »

The Count of Monte Fisto!

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

bodhi085 · 02-06-2014 08:09AM

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 · 02-06-2014 09:41AM

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 · 02-06-2014 09:54AM

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 · 02-06-2014 09:58AM

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 · 02-06-2014 10:08AM

This post has been deleted.

vidor · 02-06-2014 10:14AM

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

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

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

Rocky IV

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