Rocky IV: Rocky Vs. Drago - Mostly Better

 

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    Sylvester Stallone's beloved classic, 1976's Rocky, has undergone a plethora of sequels, spin-offs, and fresh iterations. Rocky III has always been my favorite of the original five films, while the spin-off series, Creed, is close to a masterpiece in my book. While I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the broadway musical interpretation (yes, it actually exists), if Stallone wanted to do it, then who am I to criticize anyone's desire for artistic expansion? 

    Speaking of which, Stallone's latest franchise expansion, his director's cut of Rocky IV (retitled Rocky IV: Rocky Vs. Drago), proves itself a surprisingly marvelous step-up from the original cut. While aspects of the original theatrical release hold a memorable (albeit hilarious) place in my heart, this new version of the 1985 classic is an impressive improvement in terms of narrative and character. 

    Since this is a new iteration of a thirty-seven-year-old classic (oh, do I feel old), I'm not as concerned with spoilers as I otherwise might be. However, to maintain an enjoyable unique viewing experience for my beautiful readers, I will do my best to keep spoilers to a minimum. 

    For those who may not know or need a quick refresher, the story follows heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and his best friend & former champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) dealing with the possibility of having to face the music and hang up the gloves. Things take an unexpected turn when a brand new challenger enters the fray in the form of the Russian boxing powerhouse, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). So, Apollo decides to challenge Drago to prove he is still a good fighter, despite his advanced age. However, when things turn for the worst, Rocky must step up and take on the challenge. Who will be victorious? 

    The most noticeable and significant change I was most impressed by in this new cut of the film is a small but vital moment in the fight between Apollo and Drago. Without spoiling precisely what happens, all I will say is that it involves the timing of the towel. One version played this moment out in a way that, in my opinion, went against Rocky's character. While the other version cuts it at just the right moment to maintain the intended impact while also maintaining character consistency. A little moment can play a significant part in the overall story, and I was most impressed by that little difference. 

    Some of the changes made to the film I disagree with are part of the image clean-up effects. One of modern digital restoration technology's most prominent (and often annoying) aspects is noise removal. This is when editors and colorists take a digital scan of the original film print and process it to remove grain and other unsightly blemishes in the image. Sometimes, this can work in the movie's favor, as it can provide the director a better and more precise version of their original vision. However, it can also just as easily betray the integrity and characteristics of the original image. 

    In the case of Rocky IV: Rocky Vs. Drago, when Rocky arrives in the snow-filled land of Russia, the images have been completely blown out (overexposed) to the point that it becomes painful to look at. This was not a case of lousy exposure on the original film, as the cinematography in the original print was pristine and calibrated just right to accommodate the bright snow-filled landscapes. But when the new team decided to "adjust" the image for this new release, they didn't consider the consequences of their adjustments with these particular shots, or at least it seems that way. 

    There are times when digital clean-up is called for when restoring or re-editing a classic film, and this was not one of those times. 

    If you're a fan of the Rocky franchise or just a casual observer, I highly recommend checking out this new version of the classic symbolic victory of the cold war. It's a better-told version of the story with a few minor hiccups here and there.

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.