The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.
“The Alto Knights” is a film that, on paper, should have been a big hit. It was directed by the legendary Barry Levinson who has directed such films as “Diner,” “The Natural,” “Rain Man” and “Bugsy.” It also stars the iconic Academy Award winner Robert De Niro, and even though not all of his films are worthwhile, it’s rare you see him give an uninteresting or bland performance. The writer was Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote “Goodfellas’ and “Casino” alongside Martin Scorsese. The producer was Irwin Winkler, whose credits are too lengthy to list. With all the talent involved in this project, you would think they would have at least made an above average flick.
“The Alto Knights” features two performances by De Niro as he plays two separate gangsters in the 1950’s, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. My first issue with the film is why on earth did we need to have competing gangsters played by De Niro? While it might sound like an interesting concept, having De Niro play two roles in the same film, it’s quickly obvious this is a gimmick that just doesn’t work. It has been done in other films before, such as “Mickey 17,” “Sinners” and “The Social Network,” but De Niro looks ridiculous and laughably bad with all the makeup on him.
When the film opens, Frank is recovering from a failed assassination attempt put on him by his best friend, Vito. They have been friends since they were young, but they have two very different philosophies when it comes to being gangsters. Frank is someone who doesn’t like to rock the boat, and he’s not afraid to grease some palms to keep out of trouble. He cherishes his marriage to his wife Bobbie, played by Debra Messing. Vito, on the other hand, lives by the credo of, “I take out. I don’t put in.”
Vito doesn’t believe Frank is actually going to live a quiet life and retire as he sees him as a politician, someone who will smile to your face and stab you in the back when you aren’t looking. Frank, on the other hand, sees Vito as someone who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and he will not go down without a fight. This leads to a war between the two men where only one can survive, and it’s about who will flinch first. One thing is clear—no matter who wins, the audience will end up being the real loser.
“The Alto Knights” is a film which made me feel sad at how bad it was, as there is no way it should have been this unwatchable and boring. All of the proceedings have a been there, done that feel to them. Films about the mob, gangsters and the crime life have been done to death, and I don’t think there is anything new to add to the genre at this point. This is not to say they can’t come back at a later date and time with the right material, but this film feels dead on arrival as it feels like a parody of other gangster movies. This is a film that was not only a massive commercial failure, but it was a critical failure as well.
When you have seen De Niro play this role before, it’s hard not to look at this performance and think to yourself, “Why?” Why did anyone think this was a good idea? The poster for the film says, “From the hitmakers of ‘Goodfellas,’ ‘The Irishman’ and ‘Bugsy.’” I’m going to assume they thought people would hear about De Niro in a new gangster movie from the writer of “Goodfellas” and would be interested in seeing it as a result. It’s clear from the box office numbers they could not have been more wrong. As a matter of fact, I don’t even remember this film getting any attention or advertising when it was released only two months ago.
One of my least favorite things to do as a moviegoer is to watch the clock during a movie. During “The Alto Knights,” I couldn’t stop looking at the clock and waiting for it to end. As stated earlier, the film made me depressed as it felt like De Niro and Levinson were was wasting his time on rotten garbage like this. They are both in their 80’s, and we don’t know how many films they have left in them. I’m sad they wasted their talents on this project, and I’m sad I wasted my time watching it.
* out of * * * *
Special Features:
One Legend, Two Mobsters – Featurette
Blu Ray Audio/Video Info: The 1080p high-definition transfer is perfect for this film, and it features a clear and vivid image. The Dolby Atmos track also brings all of the classic hits of the 1950’s into your living room.
Should You Buy It?
“The Alto Knights” is not a film you should waste your time on, unless you are absolutely obsessed with gangster movies and need to watch them all. If you have a morbid curiosity in this film, I’m here to tell you to not waste your time. I went into it knowing it didn’t have great reviews, but I said to myself, ‘How bad could it be?’ Trust me, it’s that bad. It’s painful to watch De Niro in this film, and I just wanted it to end. It didn’t take long for me to realize I was stuck in a bad movie, and I just had to bide my time until it was over. There are better gangster movies to see, and there is even a better gangster show to watch in “The Sopranos.” This is one of the biggest disappointments to come out of Hollywood in the past five years, and it is a hard pass.
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.
A little over a year ago, Warner Brothers Home Entertainment released a set which included the first four “Rocky” films along with the director’s cut of “Rocky IV.” Many fans were dissatisfied with this release and pointed out audio and video issues along with the fact that “Rocky V” and “Rocky Balboa” were not included in the set. Now, Warner Brothers has released a new edition of the “Rocky” films on 4K in a set entitled “Rocky: The Ultimate Knockout Edition,” and it includes replacement discs for the issues with the first four films and also includes “Rocky V,” “Rocky Balboa” and “Rocky Balboa: The Director’s Cut.” There is also a Blu-ray disc which includes special features for the first four films. I went back and looked at my review from March 2023 for “Rocky: The Knockout Collection,” and I didn’t feel as though the issues were as egregiously bad as other reviewers made them out to be.
With all six of the Rocky films now out on 4K, people are going to be wondering if this set is worth its hefty price tag. Before I get into all of that, let’s briefly discuss the films. The original “Rocky,” released in 1976, won Best Picture and put Sylvester Stallone on the map. It is the ultimate underdog sports movie and a film which is quoted and remembered to this very day. Even after Stallone is long gone, fans and historians will always remember him as Rocky Balboa. Of course, he also played John Rambo, but people really connect with Rocky and can even see themselves in the character. It was the right film with the right actor at the right time.
There is much debate and handwringing over the sequels. I love all of the “Rocky” films, warts and all, as they play a part in the story of Rocky Balboa and his ups and downs as a character. We see him start from nothing, rise, fall, and rise again. I think you have to appreciate the good, bad and the ugly all of the films as they all serve a specific purpose for this franchise. Of course, my favorite film will always be the first “Rocky.” After that, I’d probably go with “Rocky II,” “Rocky Balboa,” “Rocky IV,” “Rocky III,” and “Rocky V.” If you ask me this question in a few months, my answer might change again.
The original “Rocky,” the one which started it all, is about a low-level boxer who is looking for a chance to prove he’s not another bum from the neighborhood. He mostly takes outlaw fights which make little to no money. One day, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is looking for an opponent in order to sell his next fight. When he stumbles upon Rocky Balboa, an underdog fighter from Philadelphia, he figures he can use this David vs. Goliath story to sell some tickets and get an easy victory. He ends up getting more than he bargained for from Rocky Balboa, who is feeling the support of his newfound love interest, Adrian (Talia Shire) and her brother Paulie (Burt Young). All he wants is a chance to prove his self-worth.
In “Rocky II,” he needs to prepare for his rematch against Apollo Creed. Can he defeat Apollo Creed this time, or will Creed destroy him and show that their last fight was simply a fluke? Even though Creed won the first fight by decision, Rocky showed he can last in the ring with the Heavyweight Champion of the World.
In “Rocky III,” Rocky needs to learn how to handle the biggest obstacle of all: success. How will he deal with money and fame? He also encounters Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T and Thunderlips, played by Hulk Hogan.
In “Rocky IV,” Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a menacing Russian, awaits him. I mentioned in my initial review of the first set how I preferred “Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago” over the original cut of “Rocky IV.”
In “Rocky V,” he has to get a handle on being a dad and life outside of the ring.
In “Rocky Balboa,” he’s past his prime, old and beaten down, but he’s looking to find an outlet to deal with his pain.
I imagine most people reading this review are familiar with each and every film in the “Rocky” series, so I don’t imagine these are major spoilers. They simply serve as a refresher in case you haven’t seen the films in a while. You are reading this review to see if this box set is worth the money, as mentioned previously. The answer is both yes and no. The 4K transfers are cinematic and an upgrade over the Blu-rays. The “Rocky” films have never looked or sounded better in any other format. The audio issues are also cleaned up on all of the films, even though I didn’t really notice them with the last “Rocky” set. This is all of the “Rocky” films, as the “Creed” films are their own separate entity, even though they are in the “Rocky” universe.
This set is going for about $90 to $110 depending on where you purchase it from, as Gruv.com has it for the cheapest I’ve seen. The discs themselves are great. Warner Brothers fails massively with the packaging of this set. It comes in a flimsy cardboard slipcover with discs that can be looked through in a flipper case. These movies are important to me, and they are also important to a lot of film fans out there. They went cheap with the packaging, as the cardboard slipcover is not a thick and sturdy box that can protect the films or the case. The discs are also stuck in a flipper case which shows a lot of off-gassing, which is this greasy substance that is really difficult to remove from the back of the disc holders.
Overall, I enjoyed watching the films on 4K, and I’m happy Warner Brothers decided to release this “Ultimate Knockout Edition” of all of the “Rocky films. At its price point, however, I would expect a lot more on the packaging side of things. The packaging and the case are truly a mess, and it makes it hard to fully enjoy this set. As a collector, we buy movies for the movies and also the packaging. We are not simply buying the discs of these films. I wish they would have shown a little tender loving care to this set. They should have released these in individual cases in a sturdy box set which holds them all together.
Ratings:
“Rocky”: * * * * out of * * * *
“Rocky II”: * * * ½ out of * * * *
“Rocky III”: * * ½ out of * * * *
“Rocky IV”: * * * out of * * * *
“Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago – The Ultimate Director’s Cut”: * * * ½ out of * * * *
“Rocky V”: * * out of * * * *
“Rocky Balboa”: * * * ½ out of * * * *
“Rocky Balboa: Director’s Cut”: * * * out of * * * *
Video Info: All of the films are released on Dolby Vision, which leads to some very impressive looking visuals. The best-looking films in this set, in order, are “Rocky V,” “Rocky II,” “Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago,” “Rocky IV,” “Rocky,” “Rocky III,” “Rocky Balboa” and “Rocky Balboa: The Director’s Cut.” It was a bit of a surprise to me that “Rocky Balboa” was the weakest link out of all these films from a visual standpoint. It was the film I was most excited to see upgraded to 4K, but it looks rather bland and vanilla. This is probably because they put both versions of this film on one 4K, which is asking a lot out of one disc, although it didn’t affect both versions of “Rocky IV” for some reason. It’s surprising to see that the worst film in the “Rocky” franchise, “Rocky V,” is the best-looking one out of the bunch.
Audio Info: All of the audio issues are fixed here from the previous release, but once again, I didn’t notice a big difference the last time they released these films on 4K. I know that Warner Brothers made sure to correct the issues from the last release based on what I’ve read online. You don’t have to worry about a disc replacement program with any of the audio tracks here. None of the films come with Dolby Atmos, which is a bit of a bummer, as the Rocky films seem perfect for Dolby Atmos. The audio is still really good, but this would have given it that extra boost.
Special Features:
“Rocky”
• Audio Commentary with director John Avildsen and producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burt Young, and Garrett Brown
• Audio Commentary with Lou Duva and Bert Sugar
• Audio Commentary with Sylvester Stallone
“Rocky Balboa”
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Sylvester Stallone
• Deleted Scenes
• Skill vs. Will: The Making of Rocky Balboa
• Reality in the Ring: Filming Rocky’s Final Fight
• Virtual Champion: Creating the Computer Fighter
• Fight Makeup
“Rocky” Bonus Disc
• 8MM Home Movies of Rocky
• 3 Rounds with Lou Duva
• Steadicam: Then and Now with Garrett Brown
• Make-Up! The Art and Form with Michael Westmore
• Staccato: A Composer’s Notebook with Bill Conti
• The Ring of Truth
• A Tribute to Burgess Meredith
• Stallone Meets Rocky
• The Making of “Rocky vs. Drago”: Keep Punching
• Trailers
Should You Buy It?
I don’t think Warner Brothers is going to release ANOTHER “Rocky” set, so I would say buy it, but I would wait until it goes on sale. As of right now, the price is way too high considering the packaging on this set and the lack of original special features. My feeling is this—if you are going to release a set like this, which is near and dear to so many people’s hearts, why not release it the right way and take your time? I would have loaded it up with as many special features as possible and spent a little more money on better packaging and a better case. The films, for the most part, look good and the audio is solid. I’m not trying to sound picky here or look a gift horse in the mouth, but this set should cost $60 and not $90 to $110, considering how they threw it all together in this packaging. You will enjoy the films, which is the most important part, but a little quality control would have gone a long way. This “Rocky” set on 4K does come recommended, but I recommend you wait for it to go on sale and not rush out and buy it right away.
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.
I saw “Creed III” in theaters when it came out in March, and I walked away very impressed by the directorial debut of Michael B. Jordan. Even though we were only three months into the new year, I felt it was an early candidate for one of the best films of 2023. I enjoyed his creative and inventive approach to filmmaking, the tremendous acting throughout the film, and the way it was paced just perfectly. Here we are, almost half-way through the year, and I feel even stronger about “Creed III.” It really surpassed any and all expectations I had for the film, and it also shows the “Rocky/Creed” franchise is in very good hands. Much like the “Scream” franchise did with “Scream 6,” it proved you can leave a key player or two from the franchise behind and not miss a beat if you have your heart in the right place, a good script, and you forge your own path while also remembering the pulse of the franchise.
I think by now it is common knowledge that Sylvester Stallone is not in “Creed III.” Stallone expressed his reasons why in interviews, and while I would have enjoyed him in this film, even if it was only in a minor role, I can’t say he was missed. I say this as a huge fan of Stallone and his contributions to the “Rocky/Creed” franchise. It says more about the fact that Jordan took the bull by the horns and really ran with it when it came to “Creed III.” He’s in front of and behind the camera here, and from what he showed me as a director, I can’t wait to see what he does with his next project. He has a keen visual sense and tremendous style without losing the heart and emotional weight of the film.
“Creed III” opens by showing us a young Adonis Creed hanging out with his friend from his group home, Damian Anderson. They are like brothers to one another, and Damian looks out for Adonis. Damian is on the rise as a young up and comer until he finds himself in prison for pulling out a gun while defending a young Adonis. Adonis ran away and never faced any jail time. Damian, on the other hand, spent almost two decades in prison and saw his chance go by the wayside. Adonis is ready for retirement after winning his final fight and leaving as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He’s now a family man with a beautiful house, wife, and young daughter.
Adonis is also running his own gym with the help of Little Duke (Wood Harris) and helping promote a fight for the world heavyweight champion Felix “El Guerrero” Chavez (José Benavidez Jr.) against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). On his way out of the gym one day, he runs into Damian (Jonathan Majors) who is out of prison and looking to make up for lost time. He wants to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world, as he was a top prospect and a Golden Gloves champion before he ended up in prison. Adonis agrees to let him hang around the gym and spar with Felix, but he feels uneasy about having him around and wonders what his true intentions are, especially after all these years.
As a matter of fact, Mary-Anne (Phylicia Rashad) is not too keen about Damian being around, as she remembers some of the trouble he and Adonis would get into as youngsters. Adonis is also dealing with parenthood as his hearing-impaired daughter Amara, played perfectly by Mila Davis-Kent, is having trouble expressing herself in school. When she is being bullied by another student, she resorts to violence instead of working things out in a more peaceful way. This is very troubling to her mother Bianca, played by the lovely Tessa Thompson. She is looking to raise their daughter to express her emotions in a more productive way instead of resorting to violence. For Bianca, she’s been adjusting to her career as a producer. While she enjoys it, she also misses performing and doing her own thing. However, she must also be protective of her hearing as she doesn’t want to cause further damage. She’s also noticing Adonis is pulling away from her and that something is bothering him. It’s clear he has unresolved guilt and anger from his past with Damian. Until he deals with those feelings, he will never be able to move forward in his life and will be stuck in the past.
I have to give major credit to the women of “Creed III” from Rashad to Thompson to Davis-Kent. They are attempting to help Adonis see the forest from the trees and learn that it’s okay for him to open up about his past and talk about his regrets and his pain. It’s not good for him to bottle it all up inside. The two main male characters played by Jordan and Majors are also terrific together on screen. Jordan is fantastic at expressing his emotions on his face and not overacting. That being said, he knows when to tap into an emotion, anger, and turmoil when the scene calls for it. His facials here are terrific, and he knows how to tap into whatever the screenplay needs out of him. Majors reminded me and others of a young Mike Tyson. He will do whatever it takes to win, and he is physically imposing and carries a tremendous presence on screen. When he’s on screen, you can’t take your eyes off him.
For a film which is nearly two hours long, there is rarely a dull moment. There is something dramatic which occurs in the film (no spoilers) that seemed to get glossed over and moved on from very quickly. It seemed rather unnecessary, and that is my only gripe with the film. As with any “Rocky” or “Creed” movie, the best scenes are not in the ring. The best scenes are the characters talking to one another, figuring out their inner conflict, and dealing with the past and the present. Yes, it’s a boxing movie, but the boxing ring serves as a therapeutic canvas for them to work out their pain. That being said, the boxing scenes are beautifully shot and are the best kind I’ve seen in a boxing film in a long time. Jordan makes some really interesting choices as a director, and they worked out perfectly for him.
“Creed III” is a feel-good film with a big heart behind it. It has a great soundtrack with some real bangers on it. It also has some fantastic acting from everyone in the cast. There isn’t a bad performance to be found here. The stakes also seem very high throughout. There is an urgency here. For a first-time director, this is a very, very impressive debut. I can see them carrying on the “Creed” franchise with Jordan working both behind-the-scenes and in front of the camera. He really hit a home run here, and I loved this movie from start to finish.
* * * ½ out of * * * *
4K Info: “Creed III” is released on a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It is rated PG-13 for intense sports action, violence and some strong language. It has a running time of 116 minutes. The 4K combo pack also comes with a digital code for the film.
Video Info: I loved the way this film looked in 4K. Warner Brothers has become one of the top studios for 4K releases, and they do not disappoint here with “Creed III.” I’m always happy when a film gets the Dolby Vision treatment, and this film is spectacular looking. We get a detailed, clean, and smooth look with dark darks to set the mood for the emotional trauma Creed is dealing with inside of him. This film really, really pops on 4K. Dolby Vision and Warner Brothers are always a match made in heaven. I truly was impressed by this 4K transfer and how it lends itself to the film.
Audio Info: More good news—we also get a Dolby Atmos track! For a film like this with great music and intense boxing action, you have to have a good Atmos track. The Atmos track makes the film sound absolutely perfect. Warner Brothers really did the right thing by “Creed III,” and I’m very thankful for that.
Special Features:
Michael B. Jordan: In the Ring/Behind the Camera – Featurette
There’s No Enemy Like the Past: Donnie and Dame – Featurette
Deleted Scenes
Should You Buy It?
If you saw it in theaters like I did, I’m happy to report it holds up very, very well on a second viewing. It’s one of the reasons why I love to watch a movie in the theater and then at home. It’s two totally different viewing experiences, and you pick up on certain things you might have missed initially. It was actually better on a second viewing. I highly recommend you pick this film up on its release date on 4K. It is truly the best way to watch this great film. With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, Warner Brothers really did a magnificent job of putting this film together for a great home-viewing experience. The supplements are a little light, and I would have liked a commentary with director/actor Michael B. Jordan, but still, this is a day-one purchase. I’m not sure how the rest of the year will play out, but this film is still one of the best of 2023, in my opinion. I loved the powerful performances, incredible emotion, ingenious boxing sequences, and how much fun this movie was. I highly recommend “Creed III” as a movie to proudly own on 4K. You won’t be disappointed.
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.
When it comes to the genre of underdog sports films, they don’t make them any better than the original “Rocky.” It was a film that came along at the right place at the right time and with the right actor. After all, Sylvester Stallone was the writer of the original “Rocky” script, and he demanded to star in the film even though the studio wanted a big name. Stallone was unknown at the time. It’s been 47 years since “Rocky” came out, but its staying power will last forever. It is why I was extremely pleased to hear Warner Brothers was going to be releasing a collection of the first four “Rocky” films in 4K and in a set. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year so far.
Many of you who are reading this review might be asking, “Where is ‘Rocky V?’ What about ‘Rocky Balboa?’ The ‘Creed‘ movies?” I heard rumblings that there are possible director’s cuts coming out for “Rocky V” and “Rocky Balboa.” As far as the “Creed” movies, I would imagine they will get a separate release, as they are part of their own universe. Now with all that out of the way, this review is going to focus on the first four “Rocky” movies and how they are available on 4K for the very first time.
The original “Rocky,” released in 1976, was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won Best Picture. When revisiting the film, which I’ve seen a number of times, it is easy to see why it has such staying power. It starts with the relationship between Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and a shy young woman named Adrian (Talia Shire) who works at a pet store. For my money, “Rocky” is a love story, first and foremost, and it is a sports movie second. The interaction Rocky and Adrian have with one another in his apartment is one of the most tender and genuine love scenes I’ve ever seen on film.
Rocky Balboa is a local southpaw boxer in Philadelphia where he makes little to no money, and he takes a lot of abuse in the process. He also collects for a local loan shark named Tony Gazzo, played by Joe Spinell. He hangs out at a local pub with his friend Paulie (Burt Young), who also happens to be Adrian’s brother. Paulie isn’t always the easiest guy to get along with, but Rocky is a very patient and understanding individual. As a matter of fact, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone that doesn’t like Rocky. It’s a well-known fact these days that Stallone was not someone the studio wanted to portray Rocky. However, the script was written by him, and he knew this character inside and out. He went on to write and direct “Rocky II, III and IV” which are also included in this set, along with “Rocky Balboa.”
That’s the beauty of this film. Stallone was an underdog actor at the time he sold his script, and the film is about an underdog boxer who is given a chance to fight the heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), after Creed’s original opponent ends up injured. Creed, being the shrewd businessman that he is, figures it would be a great idea to give an underdog a shot at the title in order to create a marketable gimmick and make some money. Rocky Balboa knows this is his chance to prove he can go make something of himself and stand out as a winner. He is trained by the cranky yet seasoned Mickey (Burgess Meredith), who is finally willing to give Rocky a chance. The two of them joust verbally back-and-forth with one another for some great comedic relief.
In “Rocky II,” Rocky is dealing with life after the big fight with Creed. Even though he didn’t win, he went the distance with the champion which shocked the world. He lasted all fifteen rounds and lost based on the decision of the judges. Regardless, many people think Rocky was the true winner of the fight. He has to figure out how to live a normal life now that he’s a well-known figure not only in Philadelphia, his hometown, but around the world as well. He starts to do commercials and even ends up with a manual labor job, but he realizes his true calling is as a boxer.
Apollo Creed also has a score to settle with Rocky. He wants to knock him out and prove to the world and himself that he’s truly the world heavyweight champion. Creed wants to show everyone that what happened in their previous fight was a fluke. Rocky, on the other hand, might go blind if he gets in the ring again after what happened in their last fight. He took quite a beating, but he came back for more. He knows he’s a fighter, and he knows the risks, even though he has to think of Adrian now and their child. Mickey has devised a plan for Rocky which he thinks will allow him to win the fight and protect his eyes at the same time.
In “Rocky III,” Rocky is forced to handle success. He learns that Mickey has been protecting him from the really good fighters out there because he wants to keep him safe and look out for him. This causes Rocky to feel like a paper champion and question his manhood. There is also a tough challenger coming for him by the name of Clubber Lang (Mr. T) who is hellbent on embarrassing Rocky in the ring and becoming heavyweight champion of the world. This time, though, he has a new trainer in Apollo Creed. Rocky once again must learn a new fighting style: it is one based on endurance and speed. Clubber Lang is bigger and stronger than Rocky, so it will take everything Rocky has in him in order to defeat him.
“Rocky IV” is where it gets very interesting, as there are two cuts of the film featured here on one disc. There is the original “Rocky IV” theatrical cut and also “Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago,” which is the ultimate director’s cut. This time, Rocky finds himself having to fight his biggest opponent yet in Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), who is a foot taller and thirteen years younger than him. He also must train in Russia as the fight will be taking place there on Christmas Day. Rocky will not only train like he never has before, but he will have to win in enemy territory against “The Russian,” as he’s referred to many times throughout the course of the film.
I didn’t want to give four full-length reviews for these films, as I imagine almost anyone reading this has seen and knows them fairly well, much like myself. If I were to give my ranking of the films featured in this set, I would go with the original “Rocky” as the best, “Rocky II” as the second best, “Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago” as the third best, and “Rocky III” as the fourth best. I would really advise you to check out the ultimate director’s cut of “Rocky IV” over the theatrical cut. It’s only two minutes longer, but the film is more serious, intense, and flows in a much more effective manner. It’s all in the tone of the film, and I loved the tone of the ultimate director’s cut. It really gave me a new appreciation for the fourth “Rocky” film.
As soon as this set arrived, it only took me two days to go through all four films. It was truly a treat to revisit them. I understand why they released these four films in a set together. It makes sense after watching them. You can also buy them as standalone steelbooks at your local Best Buy, but I believe they have different release dates. This set is out right now and while it is far from perfect, I’ll explain why later, if you are a “Rocky” fan, you have to buy this set for your collection. The original “Rocky” will always be a great, great piece of cinematic history. The second film is very, very good as well. The third one is good, but not great. “Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago” is also much improved with the ultimate director’s cut.
4K Info: “Rocky: The Knockout Collection” is released on 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. This set features five discs. The first three films are on their own individual discs and “Rocky IV” has the theatrical cut and the ultimate director’s cut on it. There is also a Blu-ray disc of special features. The set also comes with a digital code to have all of them in your digital library on 4K. “Rocky” has a running time of 119 minutes, “Rocky II” has a running time of 120 minutes, “Rocky III” has a running time of 100 minutes, and “Rocky IV” has a running time of 91 minutes (theatrical cut) and 93 minutes (ultimate director’s cut). All the films are rated PG. The set comes in a flipper case with a thick cardboard slipcover, so the discs are not stacked on top of each other and can be flipped through with their own slot. On one hand, I would have loved it if they released these films in four separate cases with slipcovers in a box set. However, for space reasons, this set works for me as it’s easy to put on the shelf with all four films together on five discs (including the Blu-ray special features disc) in a single set which isn’t much bigger than your average 4K film with a slipcover. All of the films come with Dolby Vision as well, which I was VERY happy with as a 4K collector.
Video Info: Let’s talk about the look of these films. The original “Rocky” is probably the worst looking film out of the bunch. I say this because of the age of the film and its low budget. It doesn’t look awful or terrible, but I don’t think it’s ever going to be a film that looks spectacular or blows you away. There is noticeable grain here, but in many ways, it adds to the gritty nature of the original film. That being said, if you are looking for a major upgrade with the first film on 4K, you probably are going to be disappointed. “Rocky II” looks very, very good. It’s a clean transfer which is smooth looking and crystal clear. The boxing scenes, in particular, look the best I’ve ever seen them look. This is when you can see the Dolby Vision and the HDR really, really stand out. This is a major upgrade. For “Rocky III,” the transfer is above average. It’s better than “Rocky,” but it’s not as good as “Rocky II.” There was noticeable grain, but it didn’t have the same old-school charm as the original look of the film. The best-looking film out of the bunch, far and away, is “Rocky IV.” I wish the majority of the films looked like this. This counts for both the ultimate director’s cut and the theatrical cut. You can see everything on their faces, and they really cleaned up this film. It looks beautiful and modern.
Audio Info: The following audio formats were used: English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, English/Spanish/French Dolby Digital, and 2.0 Dolby Digital with subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. I’ve read from a lot of people online that are unhappy with how the films sound. Personally, I don’t think the audio issues are as bad as advertised, and the problems don’t take away from the viewing experience. At times, the films can fluctuate in audio, but the dips are not that frequent. They are here and there throughout the four films. Truth be told, I would not have ever noticed these issues unless they were pointed out to me. Overall, though, I think it’s much to do about nothing.
Special Features:
“Rocky” 4K Special Features:
Audio Commentary featuring Sylvester Stallone.
Audio Commentary featuring John G. Avildsen, Irvin Winkler, Robert Chartoff, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burt Young, and Garrett Brown.
Audio Commentary featuring Lou Duva and Bert Sugar
Bonus Features Disc:
The Making of Rocky vs Drago: Keep Punching
8mm Home Movies of Rocky
3 Rounds with Lou Duva
Steadicam: Then and Now
Staccato: A Composer’s Notebook
The Ring of Truth
Tribute to Burgess Meredith
Stallone Meets Rocky
Trailers
* * * ½ out of * * * *
Should You Buy It?
This set was delayed in getting to me as it had a street date of February 28th, and I imagine a lot of that had to do with people complaining about the audio issues. I’m not a film snob by any means, but I am very particular about the audio and visual quality of 4K releases, as I’ve invested heavily into the 4K format. With all that being said, the pros outweigh the cons. Yes, not all of the films look great, but this is the best they have ever looked, with “Rocky II” and “Rocky IV,” in particular, looking fantastic. Yes, the audio is problematic at times, but it’s not so noticeable that it impacted my ability to hear the films or enjoy them. Right now, the set is going for about $53 plus tax, and I think for four films in 4K that are hugely popular, it’s a good value for the price. I would say this set is imperfectly perfect, as I enjoyed watching the films and the quality of them when they were flying on all cylinders. For film fans or Rocky fans, I think there is A LOT more to like than dislike with this collection. You can buy this set with confidence and try to ignore all of those folks out there who are analyzing every little detail to death. I think people are getting way too particular with 4K films, and this is coming from someone with high standards. The key is watching and enjoying the films with quality video and audio, and I felt I was able to do that more often than not. As far as the films themselves, many would argue these are the best films in the franchise, so it’s fine that “Rocky V” and “Rocky Balboa” are not included. “Rocky Balboa” is enjoyable nostalgia, and I imagine it will get a proper 4K release along with “Rocky V” at some point. As I often bring up, the special features are old special features. It’s hard to get people to sit down and do special features anymore, I feel like. At the end of the day, buy this set and enjoy it!
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
I have always had mixed feelings about “Rocky IV.” On one hand, it is a well-oiled machine which is entertaining, never drags, and you easily find yourself caught up in the action to where you join in with the audience chanting, “ROCKY! ROCKY! ROCKY!” On the other hand, it turned Sylvester Stallone’s iconic character of Rocky Balboa into a superhuman comic book character who has clearly spent far too many hours at the gym to develop his well-chiseled body. This character was a relatable human being who wanted to go the distance, and now he was being rendered as some untouchable force of nature who undergoes the most brutal training regime which no mere mortal can easily endure. Basically, I found this installment of the seemingly endless franchise lacking in humanity, and it would take 2006’s “Rocky Balboa” to bring the character back down to earth.
Well, it turns out Stallone felt the same way about “Rocky IV,” and thanks to this time of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw one of his projects get shut down, he decided to revisit this particular “Rocky” sequel which is still this franchise’s most financially successful as even he found it to be flawed. What resulted is his director’s cut entitled “Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago,” and it has the humanity which was once missing, but now has been found.
The story of “Rocky IV” remains the same. Apollo faces off against Russian boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and pays with his life, and Rocky travels to the Soviet Union to face off against Drago on Christmas Day. Does Rocky win the fight? Bitch, please, you know the answer to that.
Unlike Francis Ford Coppola’s recent director’s cuts of “The Cotton Club,” “Apocalypse Now” and “The Godfather Part III,” not much about “Rocky IV” has changed here. But again, the characters are fleshed out more here than they were previously, and this made for a more fulfilling cinematic experience for me, and that’s even if the pace drags at times. And yes, Paulie’s robot has been rendered obsolete in this cut. Suffice to say, that robot was no C-3PO and will not be missed.
After a look back at “Rocky III,” this cut starts off with Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in his luxurious swimming pool playing with his dogs when Drago and his entourage appear on his television set. This helps change the narrative a bit as we quickly see how this cut is more about Apollo as it shows the character as being restless in his retirement, and it becomes clearer to us how he wants to still matter in a world which may prefer to see him remain retired.
Indeed, Rocky thinks it is time, not just for Apollo, but for him to think about what else they can do with their lives as both have seemingly hit their athletic peak. But in Weathers’ eyes, you can see how desperate he is to remain relevant in the minds of many. It is not just Apollo’s ego crying out for acknowledgement, but also for a need to remain relevant and not easily forgotten. Watching Weathers’ performance here, I can see why Stallone regretted killing Apollo off. Of course, this did lead to the brilliant “Creed.”
Another actor who stands out here is Talia Shire who again takes on one of her most famous roles, Adrian Balboa. When you take the inevitable flashbacks into account, it is fascinating to watch Shire take Adrian from being a shy girl to becoming Rocky’s much-needed conscience as she exerts a confidence which has long since been earned. Indeed, this cut reminds us what a strong anchor she is to Rocky. She is the voice he needs to hear, and that’s even when she yells at him, “You can’t win!” Whereas she appeared quite meek in “Rocky,” she is a force to be reckoned with this time out.
And then there is the late Tony Burton who returns as boxing trainer Tony “Duke” Evans. His character really gets fleshed out a lot here as Tony gives a moving tribute to Apollo, and Burton later shares a thoughtful and moving scene with Stallone where he makes clear with his eyes that Rocky will be the last one standing. Stallone was right; Burton’s eyes were full of soul.
With the Sico the Robot gone, and the chance for Robert Doornick to earn residuals, what else is different about this “Rocky IV” cut? Well, Brigette Nielsen’s role Ludmilla Drago is pared down quite a bit to where her husband gets to talk for himself a bit more. In fact, the late great character actor Michael Pataki gets to speak more for the Russians as Nicolai Koloff this time around, and his wounded face at the movie’s end speaks volumes.
And because of the robot elimination, we see less of Burt Young’s Paulie here to where he is almost forgotten about in the first half. But Paulie does eventually make his cantankerous presence known as he flails around in the snow once in Russia, and his moving tribute to Rocky before he enters the ring is still quite touching. Of course, once Drago pushes Rocky’s gloves down, Paulie takes back what he said. It is very understandable why Stallone did not cut this scene out.
If there is anything I was hoping for in this “Rocky IV” director’s cut, it was to see Ivan Drago humanized a bit more. Part of this is because, during an interview Stallone did with TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz, he talked about Drago’s harsh origins and how he grew up in the gulag which he eventually escaped. This was very interesting to hear, but we do not see any of this onscreen. While presented as slightly more human, Drago is still portrayed as an invulnerable beast of a man. There isn’t much more to this character than that.
Other than that, it’s nice to see a lot of the cheesiness of the theatrical cut gone. Then again, the line of dialogue when Rocky tells Adrian to never ask him “to stop being a man” does land with as loud a thud as when Luke Skywalker begged his Uncle Owen to let him go into town to get some power converters in “Star Wars.” And no, I still don’t believe all the Russians would have began cheering for Rocky after booing him so viciously as he entered the ring. Sure, some would have started cheering him, but not all.
“Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago” is not a perfect movie, but I consider it a vast improvement over the original version. Around the time this sequel was released 35 years ago (I know, that freaks me out too), Rocky and the franchise was turning into a joke as we had been down this path one too many times it felt. Weird Al Yankovic spoofed Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” and called it “The Theme from Rocky XIII” in which Rocky bought the neighborhood deli, “Airplane II: The Sequel” featured a poster of a fictious “Rocky” sequel which showed the Italian Stallion fighting way past his prime, and who can forget this classic line of dialogue from “Spaceballs?”
“Coming up, Pongo’s review of Rocky Five… thousand.”
But to hear Sylvester Stallone talk about his director’s cut and having watched it myself, it is clear he did not simply want to just repeat the formula we had come accustomed to. Rocky Balboa rescued this actor, writer and director from a life of poverty where his dog ate more than he did, and it should be no surprise at how much he cares for this iconic character and the others surrounding him. Had this version of “Rocky IV” been released back in 1985, perhaps many of us would not have been so quick to start joking about the Italian Stallion.
After all these years, we are still clapping along to those songs by Survivor, and we still cheer on Rocky even though the conclusion is never in doubt. While I used to roll my eyes whenever Stallone wanted to revisit this franchise, I say let him do whatever the hell he wants. Except for another “Rambo,” movie, we don’t need it. The last one was awful.
I cannot believe it took me so long to watch Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.” Then again, when a movie is three and a half hours long, it feels like you have to set aside a whole day in order to watch it. Like many, I am working from paycheck to paycheck, so taking time off from work is tricky to say the least. But hey, this is Scorsese and, as I write this, we are still in a pandemic quarantine because of Coronavirus (COVD-19). With this in mind, there is no better time to watch a movie which is almost four hours long. Besides, it’s not like we can go anywhere.
Well, to be honest, at 209 minutes there is not a single wasted shot to be found in “The Irishman.” Like Scorsese’s best films, it takes you back to a place and time so vividly to where you feel like you are there. It also features a main character who gets sucked deep into the criminal underworld where one’s morality takes a backseat, and we come to see the high price many pay for living such a life. But with this film, Scorsese takes things a bit further as we see this main character whittling away his last days in a nursing home, and we are made to wonder if one person who has killed so many can ever find redemption.
We are introduced to Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), a World War II veteran who is working as a delivery truck driver in 1950’s Philadelphia. On one of his routes, he runs into Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci), head of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family, and eventually comes to do jobs for him as well as for members of the South Philadelphia underworld. Many of these jobs have him, as he puts it, “painting houses.”
Now while this film is called “The Irishman,” but you do not see this title at the beginning. Instead, we are the following: “I Heard You Paint Houses.” This is the name of the nonfiction book by Charles Brandt upon which “The Irishman” is based, but this title is not meant to be taken literally as it proves to be a euphemism for murder or contract killing. When Frank paints houses, he is essentially painting the walls with the blood of his targets. Later on, Frank also says he does his own carpentry work, meaning he cleans up after himself as well.
Just as in “Goodfellas” and “Casino,” the violence comes fast and bloody, and no one knows they are about to get hit. But unlike those films, Scorsese largely portrays the violence in “The Irishman” as largely banal or being just an average day at work. There was one sequence where we see Frank dumping a variety of firearms into the river, and this leads to a scene I have been waiting to see in a film for ages; We see a gun, after it has been dropped, sinking into the water and landing at the bottom where dozens of other firearms have been dumped as well. Considering the endless number of TV shows and movies which have shown characters doing this, this scene had to happen eventually.
Working with longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker, Scorsese takes a non-linear approach with “The Irishman,” and it proves to be a brilliant study in film editing. Just as Ethan Hawke did with “Blaze,” Scorsese and Schoonmaker takes us from one period of time in Frank’s life to the next with what seems like relative ease. No sudden change in the storyline ever seems jarring or misplaced, and it made this great film even more compelling than it already is.
As Frank continues to keep painting houses, Russell eventually comes to introduce him to the head of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). As pro-union as Hoffa appears to be, he still has one foot in the criminal underwood which has provided him with much funding. He struggles to balance out his duties with the teamsters and with members of the federal government, several of which look to take him down and send him to prison. During this era, Frank and Jimmy become great friends to where Jimmy hires him as his personal bodyguard. However, knowing what eventually happened to Hoffa, we know this story will not have a happy ending.
Seriously, how great is it to see all these actors working with Scorsese again? This is De Niro’s first film with him since 1995’s “Casino,” and I wondered if Scorsese could ever pull himself away from Leonardo DiCaprio long enough to do one more project with the “Raging Bull” actor. As Frank Sheeran, De Niro gives us one of his more subtle performances in recent years as he presents this character as someone who could easily disappear into the shadows. Had he never run into Russell Bufalino, Frank would have been another guy just doing a day job and supporting his wife and kids as best he can. De Niro makes us see this clearly as Frank does what he can to protect his family even as he delves deeper and deeper into a sinful life.
I am glad to see Pesci come out of retirement to appear here as he makes Russell into a study in quiet power. Russell never has to speak up too loudly to let you know who makes the rules in the mob, and Pesci almost succeeds in making Russell into the nicest character he has ever played in a Scorsese film. This is especially the case when you compare him to the characters he portrayed in “Goodfellas” and “Casino.”
There are some other performances I want to single out here as well. Harvey Keitel, working with Scorsese for the first time since “The Last Temptation of Christ,” is a very welcome presence here as mob boss Angelo Bruno. I also got a real kick out of Ray Romano who plays IBT attorney, Bill Bufalino, and he continues to prove to the world he is a better actor than we typically give him credit for.
And then there’s Al Pacino who, to everyone’s utter astonishment, is making his first ever appearance in a Scorsese film. Looking at their careers, you figured these two were made for each other, but it took the role of Jimmy Hoffa for these two to finally collaborate. While he does have some of those “whoo-ah” moments which have infected his acting ever since “Scent of a Woman,” Pacino ends up giving one of his very best performances in quite some time here. As Hoffa, he makes the long-lost teamster boss a study in pride as it comes to be one of his biggest sins. Even when the cards are stacked against him, Hoffa believes he is untouchable, and Pacino makes his boundless pride all the more reckless and palpable.
Now there has been some controversy regarding Anna Paquin who plays Frank’s daughter, Peggy Sheeran. Many have said she does not have enough dialogue, and this is especially pertinent as “The Irishman” relegates the majority of its female characters to the back burner. However, I think people miss the point. After Frank beats up a storekeeper for berating Peggy, we see her living in constant fear of her father to where she is terrified to speak up. When Peggy does, Paquin turns it into a truly a shattering moment as any trust between Peggy and Frank is forever shattered to where no one needs to spell out why. Seriously, the look on Paquin’s face speaks volumes, and she needs no extra dialogue to tell us what we need to know.
As we watch Frank recede in his golden years, we see him desperately trying to reconnect with his family his efforts are rebuffed constantly as they see right through him. Peggy, in particular, shuts him down at every opportunity even as he begs for her to listen to him. When I think of the relationship between Frank and Peggy, I am reminded of a scene between Michael and Kay in “The Godfather Part III:”
“I did what I could, Kay, to protect all of you from the horrors of this world.”
“But you became my horror.”
When we reach “The Irishman’s” last act, Frank is a shell of his former self as he wastes away in a wheelchair and reflects on a past which everyone has forgotten or never bothered to learn about. This proved to be one of the most interesting aspects of this film to me. When “Goodfellas” and “Casino” reached their conclusions, their main characters barely managed to escape certain death, and the stories stopped there. But here, we see what happens to Frank long after he has left his criminal life behind, and there isn’t much left for him except to pray for some form of redemption. Looking at Frank’s life, it is tempting to think he is hardly worthy of any kind of redemption. But then again, who are we to deny anyone in their attempts to make peace with their sins?
When it comes to “The Irishman,” I have to say thank god for Netflix as this film would not exist otherwise. Granted, the short span of time between it shown in theaters and then being available for streaming is unfortunate as this film, like many of Scorsese’s works, deserves to be seen on the silver screen. But considering the state of entertainment today which values franchises and superhero movies above thoughtful character studies, it is sadly easy to see why no Hollywood studio would touch it. It’s a real shame as it is films like these which demonstrate the wonderful and amazing power cinema can have over us.
In many ways, this is the perfect career capper for Scorsese. While he is revisiting many themes such as organized crime, greed, destruction and redemption, he is also seeing it in a different perspective. “The Irishman” belongs on the same shelf alongside his best works, and it is one worth revisiting over and over again. I just hope the next time I see it will be in a movie theater.
The Ultimate Rabbit 