Rocky IV [Blu-ray] [US Import]
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Rocky IV [Blu-ray] [US Import]
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Totally Awesome Cold War Propaganda!,
To say that Rocky IV is propaganda is a bold understatement. From the opening bell of Rocky IV we are fed repeated anti-soviet and pro-US messages. The obvious arrogance, rampant drug use and lack of freedoms the Russians display here are not antagonistic as much as they are downright degrading and completely inaccurate. Every Soviet character acts as if they are a pathetically corrupt villain, that is until they are shown the path of the righteous man by our hero Rocky Balboa both in and out of the ring in a shameless speech that shows us what this film is really about. The Russian people find their liberation in their love for the American underdog Rocky. Rocky III had a subtle message of money spoiling good ol’ Rock into losing his title and regaining it when he found the fire that existed in being a real underdog (a poor New Yorker who had nothing but his ability to fight). Rock IV gives us a message that is the antithesis of this and gives blind justification for hating our enemies for trivial and inaccurate reasons, in other words the legacy of Rocky took more than a few steps back.
In this, the third sequel to the original classic about a kid from south Philly with a 9th grade education who gets a shot at the champion Appollo Creed. By now in the series, Rock has been champion and is friends now with Apollo and when Ivan Drago (a giant Russian boxer played by Dolph Lundgren) comes along, Apollo comes out of retirement to show this commie who is boss. Drago beats him to death in the ring and Rocky now knows what he needs to do. Stop commies! I mean, avenge his friend’s death.
Its amusing to say the least as now the U.S.S.R. is no more and the damages of misled messages are inconsequential as the only people who could be swayed by such nonsense have already been swayed by our culture. It’s vexing indeed but Rocky IV wins me over because I laugh every time it’s on television. That is no reason to call it a good movie though. It so shamelessly sets the stage for the ultimate in melodrama and underdog cliches that only a child would find this believable. It is pornographic propaganda really, I put it right in there with Reefer Madness.
As a character, Rocky does represent something of America in all of his films (though I haven’t seen the fifth one entirely). He is the quintessential underdog; he is a simple man that made his way through life by being a good person and doing what he knew how to do for his family. That feels like America for many of us. On the other hand he represents us as well in a different light in Rocky IV; he is the shameless symbol that represents what blind nationalism and unregulated globalization can bring without justifying it’s reason, by the film’s end the Russians are as blindly proud as the American’s who possess unconditional love for their ever-serving government. It doesn’t represent the left or the right but simply put, it represents those who can’t learn because they think they already know. It represents the ignorant and just plain stupid and who could be their hero, or as Mr. T. once said, their paper champion. There are means and ends in life and conflict is the means to serve what end? Rocky IV promotes the kind of thought that is too arrogant to bother answering such a question.
But you know something? It’s so shameless, unintentional, and fun that I don’t give a damn and I begin chanting “Rocky” (or was it “Bocky”) right along side those newly allied ex-communists every single time I see Rocky IV. Capitalism rocks comrade!
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|Interesting note…,
This is by far the most “hyped” film of the 5 made (so far)
I would just like to tell any interested that this “version” on this Region One disc is the best version on offer , even better than the recent boxset with the DTS tracks on.
As this is the only version to have the full letterbox print in its orgional anamorphic 2:35:1 ratio.
All other versions are a compersit 16:9 standard picture cut down to match the rest.
And if you ever see the “trailer” look for the clip of diologe cut and not used in the finished film.
This also the shortest of the five films , running just under 90 minuets.
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|Rocky 4 – total Quality,
Lets just get this straight I am a huge Rocky fan and like many of my friends we all agree that, for pure entertainment, this is the number 1 rocky film hands down. Stallone is at his physical peak producing the most awesome training sequence comitted to film. Carl Weathers is at his wisetalking best before his untimely end at the hands of the Hulking newcomer (at the time), Dolph Lundgren. The soundtrack inspires and pumps up the viewer more than ever.
Sometimes we dont want to be “moved”, “Stimulated”, “surpirised” by a movie we just want to be entertained and to enjoy it.
If thats the case look no further than Rocky 4, millions already have.
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