| Reviews & Columns |
|
Reviews DVD TV on DVD Blu-ray 4K UHD International DVDs In Theaters Reviews by Studio Video Games Features Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Interviews DVD Talk Radio Feature Articles Columns Anime Talk DVD Savant Horror DVDs The M.O.D. Squad Art House HD Talk Silent DVD
|
 DVD Talk Forum |
|
|
| Resources |
|
DVD Price Search Customer Service #'s RCE Info Links |
|
Columns
  
 
|
|
|
Rocky Box Set
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Review
Features:Widescreen 1.85:1 enhanced for 16x9. Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and mono, French 5.1 surround, Spanish mono, French and Spanish subtitles. Commentary by director John Avildsen, producers Robert chartoff and Irwin Winkler, actors Talia Shire, Burt Young, carl Weathers, and Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown. Video commentary by Sylvester Stallone. Three featurettes: Behind the scenes with John Avildsen, Tribute to Burgess Meredith, Tribute to cinematographer James Crabe. Collectible booklet. Original theatrical trailers. Original advertising materials.
The Movie
The "Rocky" boxed set offers all five films in the "Rocky" saga, and that means you get all the blessings and curses of a great film that was sequeled to death. What's surprising, upon viewing these films in rapid succession, is that they're all better than you might have remembered. The stories get progressively sillier, but there's not a turkey in the bunch, especially if you regard Rocky Balboa as one of the greatest working-class heroes in movie history. "Rocky" won the Best Picture Oscar for 1976, and deserved it; it's a timeless tale of the underdog, made classic by the fact that Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) doesn't win the movie's climactic championship boxing match. "Rocky II" (1979) is really just a repeat, with Rocky winning his rematch against champion Apollo Creed, but the movie still gives you the rush of elation that made the first film so popular.
"Rocky III" (1982) finds Rocky enjoying the spoils of success, but he's humbled by low-rate challenger Clubber Lang (Mr. T), whose victory against Rocky leads to the death of Rocky's beloved trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith), and sets the stage for a third-act rematch, for which Rocky has been trained by his former rival, Apollo Creed. "Rocky IV" (1985) is arguably the worst of the five; by that time Stallone had made two "Rambo" films, so "Rocky IV" plays up the same jingoistic battle between righteous America and the evil Soviet invaders personified by steroid-pumped challenger Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), who kills Apollo Creed in the ring and provokes Rocky into a climactic match. Finally, "Rocky V" (1990) returns Rocky to his blue-collar roots in Philadelphia, where he initially neglects his loving son (played by Stallone's own son, Sage) while training a hungry young boxer (Tommy Morrison) to inherit the championship. It's ultimately an appropriate and sincere ending of the saga, emphasizing family and integrity over the corrupting influences of wealth and success.
The Picture
All five of the "Rocky" films are presented in fine form on DVD. All five films are in widescreen (either 1.85:1 or 2.35:1), and Rocky II and IV are also offered in standard full-screen format. Rockys I, III and V are also 16x9 enhanced. The Rocky films are often underrated in terms of cinematography, so it's good that MGM has applied their reliable high standards to the transfers of these enormously popular films. Simply put, these DVD look great.
The Sound
All five films sound very good on DVD, but they're not uniformly the same. Rocky II and IV are presented with Dolby Digital Stereo Surround, while I, III, and V are in Dolby 5.1-channel surround. The boxing matches are particularly impressive in 5.1, enhancing the drama with an approximation of a stadium atmosphere. Not state of the art, by any means, but still noteworthy.
The Extras
All five DVDs include theatrical trailers, but only the original "Rocky" is a special-edition DVD, with bonus features that make the previous DVD issue of "Rocky" all but obsolete. The audio commentary is outstanding, because it combines the perspectives of director, producers, and actors, with Talia Shire being a standout for her sensitive, thoughtful observations about her character, Stallone's script, and the essence of their scenes together. Stallone appears alone in the retrospective documentary, and his stories about the film's extraordinary history are as inspiring as the film itself, filled with humor and humility ("it's been downhill ever since," he jokes). Director John Avildsen offers his own perspective in a featurette, including 8-millimeter footage of original boxing-match rehearsals, while two other featurettes offer fitting tribuytes to actor Burgess Meredith ("Mickey") and cinematographer James Crabe.
Conclusion
There's no question that "Rocky" is the only film in the set that's truly worth watching more than once, but if you've enjoyed the Rocky character over the years, even the other films remain surprisingly entertaining. Replay value is limited after the original film, but there's a certain satisfaction to be gained from watching the Rocky saga in its entirety. You may be surprised to discover that Rocky II, III, IV, and V all have worthwhile qualities, while "Rocky" remains the indisputable jewel of the set.
Features:Widescreen 1.85:1 enhanced for 16x9. Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and mono, French 5.1 surround, Spanish mono, French and Spanish subtitles. Commentary by director John Avildsen, producers Robert chartoff and Irwin Winkler, actors Talia Shire, Burt Young, carl Weathers, and Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown. Video commentary by Sylvester Stallone. Three featurettes: Behind the scenes with John Avildsen, Tribute to Burgess Meredith, Tribute to cinematographer James Crabe. Collectible booklet. Original theatrical trailers. Original advertising materials.
The Movie
The "Rocky" boxed set offers all five films in the "Rocky" saga, and that means you get all the blessings and curses of a great film that was sequeled to death. What's surprising, upon viewing these films in rapid succession, is that they're all better than you might have remembered. The stories get progressively sillier, but there's not a turkey in the bunch, especially if you regard Rocky Balboa as one of the greatest working-class heroes in movie history. "Rocky" won the Best Picture Oscar for 1976, and deserved it; it's a timeless tale of the underdog, made classic by the fact that Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) doesn't win the movie's climactic championship boxing match. "Rocky II" (1979) is really just a repeat, with Rocky winning his rematch against champion Apollo Creed, but the movie still gives you the rush of elation that made the first film so popular.
"Rocky III" (1982) finds Rocky enjoying the spoils of success, but he's humbled by low-rate challenger Clubber Lang (Mr. T), whose victory against Rocky leads to the death of Rocky's beloved trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith), and sets the stage for a third-act rematch, for which Rocky has been trained by his former rival, Apollo Creed. "Rocky IV" (1985) is arguably the worst of the five; by that time Stallone had made two "Rambo" films, so "Rocky IV" plays up the same jingoistic battle between righteous America and the evil Soviet invaders personified by steroid-pumped challenger Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), who kills Apollo Creed in the ring and provokes Rocky into a climactic match. Finally, "Rocky V" (1990) returns Rocky to his blue-collar roots in Philadelphia, where he initially neglects his loving son (played by Stallone's own son, Sage) while training a hungry young boxer (Tommy Morrison) to inherit the championship. It's ultimately an appropriate and sincere ending of the saga, emphasizing family and integrity over the corrupting influences of wealth and success.
The Picture
All five of the "Rocky" films are presented in fine form on DVD. All five films are in widescreen (either 1.85:1 or 2.35:1), and Rocky II and IV are also offered in standard full-screen format. Rockys I, III and V are also 16x9 enhanced. The Rocky films are often underrated in terms of cinematography, so it's good that MGM has applied their reliable high standards to the transfers of these enormously popular films. Simply put, these DVD look great.
The Sound
All five films sound very good on DVD, but they're not uniformly the same. Rocky II and IV are presented with Dolby Digital Stereo Surround, while I, III, and V are in Dolby 5.1-channel surround. The boxing matches are particularly impressive in 5.1, enhancing the drama with an approximation of a stadium atmosphere. Not state of the art, by any means, but still noteworthy.
The Extras
All five DVDs include theatrical trailers, but only the original "Rocky" is a special-edition DVD, with bonus features that make the previous DVD issue of "Rocky" all but obsolete. The audio commentary is outstanding, because it combines the perspectives of director, producers, and actors, with Talia Shire being a standout for her sensitive, thoughtful observations about her character, Stallone's script, and the essence of their scenes together. Stallone appears alone in the retrospective documentary, and his stories about the film's extraordinary history are as inspiring as the film itself, filled with humor and humility ("it's been downhill ever since," he jokes). Director John Avildsen offers his own perspective in a featurette, including 8-millimeter footage of original boxing-match rehearsals, while two other featurettes offer fitting tribuytes to actor Burgess Meredith ("Mickey") and cinematographer James Crabe.
Conclusion
There's no question that "Rocky" is the only film in the set that's truly worth watching more than once, but if you've enjoyed the Rocky character over the years, even the other films remain surprisingly entertaining. Replay value is limited after the original film, but there's a certain satisfaction to be gained from watching the Rocky saga in its entirety. You may be surprised to discover that Rocky II, III, IV, and V all have worthwhile qualities, while "Rocky" remains the indisputable jewel of the set.
|
| Popular Reviews |
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Release List | Reviews | Shop | Newsletter | Forum | DVD Giveaways | Blu-Ray | Advertise |
|
Copyright 2024 DVDTalk.com All Rights Reserved. Legal Info, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use,
Manage Preferences,
Your Privacy Choices 
| |||||||