Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago
by Robbo
Posted on 22 November 2021
Rating -
Rocky IV is a 1985 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone.
Rocky vs Drago is the directors cut of the original film.
In all, approximately 38 minutes of previously unreleased footage were added to the film, including significant extensions of both fight scenes and the Apollo Creed funeral scene.
Conversely, a significant amount of footage was removed, as the director’s cut runs 93 minutes compared to the original cut’s 91 minutes.
The film opens with a re-cap of the events of Rocky III. Rocky (Stallone) being beaten by Clubber Lang (Mr T) and questioning whether to quit boxing altogether. At Mickey’s gym he is approached by Apollo Creed (Weathers) who encourages him to take time and re-consider. Apollo trains Rocky for the upcoming rematch with Lang, which Rocky wins.
Fast forward a couple of years and Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Lundgren) is touring the USA with his wife Ludmilla (Nielsen), his team of trainers, and his manager Nicolai Koloff (Pataki), who takes every opportunity to promote Drago as the ultimate athlete and fighter, a triumph of Soviet superiority.
A conversation between Apollo and Rocky reveals that the Soviets have contacted him regarding a match between him and Drago which he doesn’t feel he needs to get involved with. Motivated by patriotism and an innate desire to prove himself, Apollo challenges Drago to an exhibition bout. Rocky has reservations, but agrees to train Apollo, despite his misgivings about the match.
During the match it is clear that Drago is too strong for the ageing Apollo as he is being dominated in the ring. At the end of the first round Rocky and Duke (Burton), Apollo’s trainer beg Apollo to stop the match but Apollo refuses and tells Rocky that he shouldn’t stop the match “no matter what”.
Drago continues to pummel Apollo and Duke begs Rocky to throw in the towel. Rocky picks up the towel ready to throw it in, but he hesitates, allowing Drago to land one final devastating punch, killing Apollo. Drago displays no sense of remorse, commenting “If he dies, he dies”.
Frustrated by the Soviets’ cold indifference, Rocky challenges Drago himself. As Drago has never fought professionally, the boxing commission will not sanction the fight, therefore Rocky has to surrender his championship.
The fight is scheduled to take place on 25 December in Russia due to the threats of violence Drago has received.
Rocky, Paulie (Young) and Duke travel to Russia and are taken to a remote farmhouse which will be their home and training camp until the fight.
This is where the training montage kicks in. Rocky training “old school” by running up mountains, lifting rocks and chopping wood whereas Drago is seen training in an ultra high tech gym.
Rocky is first one into the arena where he faces a hostile Soviet crowd whereas Drago is introduced with an elaborate patriotic ceremony.
The two boxers spend the first 11 rounds trading blows with Rocky being knocked down on several occasions but finding the strength to get up and continue. As the 12th round begins, the crowd begin to warm to Rocky fuelled by his spirit and determination.
In the final round, with both boxers exhausted Rocky manages to dig deep and unleashes a series of vicious blows, eventually knocking out Drago and avenging Apollo’s death.
I am always a little sceptical whenever a studio release a “directors cut” of a film. Is this a cynical move to make more money, or a genuine attempt to present the director’s unrealised vision. Is this going to be the directors cut that contains 20 seconds of unseen footage?
As Stallone states in his interview, he is older and more mature and looking back at the original film he felt that it was flawed. He stated that the studio would let him do anything so he would include things in the film that didn’t really help the story, but just because he thought it would be cool.
Although at 93 minutes this cut is only two minutes longer than the original, it contains 38 minutes of unseen footage so he had to cut 36 minutes from the original.
Gone is the scenes involving Paulie’s robot. Scenes involving Ludmilla played by Brigitte Nielsen are substantially diminished. And the final scene has been altered so that the Soviet leaders no longer applaud Rocky after his victory.
In my opinion this version of the film is a lot better than the original. The directors cut is less fight driven and more character driven, although the fight involving Rocky and Drago has been extended. Stallone has added or extended scenes involving Drago which help to develop his character and reveal him as a real person and not just a boxing robot.
Initially I was hesitant about seeing this film as I didn’t want to be disappointed, but I will admit I was completely wrong. Although I really liked the original I think this cut is far superior and the changes make for a completely different viewing experience, almost like seeing the film for the first time.
Consider what you have been looking at with this new cut of Rocky 4…Stallone, one of the most successful motion picture stars in history, has taken one of his very few truly beloved films…one that he wrote and directed, as well as starred in…and castrated it for the sake of placating people who will never like him, in any event. I went to see this, with very mixed feelings…lured by the prospect of seeing brand new footage of a favorite that was made so long ago…but apprehensive because I know how feeble his insecurities have made Stallone…and my fears were justified. There is only one truly valuable addition to the film…the moment where Adrian breaks down and begs him not to go to Russia…that was an impressive scene, because Adrian is generally so stoic and quiet…to see her break down like this is affecting. But most of what Stallone has done is to simply go back and alter old scenes, making them at times awkward…and at times downright anemic. Consider some of the things that he and his critic pal maligned the film for in their discussion…too slick, too ’80’s’, they said….so what did Stallone do to ‘fix’ this? Look closely, and you can actually see moments that transpire exactly as they did before…but he went back and substituted less becoming shots of himself. I mean, scenes that unfold exactly as before…but Stallone replaced iconic shots of himself with lame(dare I say dorky) shots…This is particularly true as Drago makes his entrance for the climactic fight. Nothing gets rid of that annoying 80’s era polish like choosing less compelling shots when much better ones exist. Most unforgivably of all, he eliminated the scene where Rocky and Drago make eye contact right after Apollo’s death. That scene is a microcosm of the film…an unforgettable moment in American cinema(Apollo Creed’s death scene is absolutely brilliant, in its totality)….and that moment of eye contact was transcendent…But I guess that’s considered worthless 80’s melodrama, so the simpleton removed it because…well, because some geek behind a keyboard somewhere mocked him over it…For a man of Stallone’s caliber, and track record, to lower himself like this…for the sake of earning some validation from people who are not fit to polish his shoes…is about as degrading as anything I’ve ever seen. The look of peace, and satisfaction, that radiates from his features…while he parrots mockeries and insults that have been directed towards his own film…a film that, along with the first 3 Rocky movies, happens to comprise the biggest and most indelible part of his legacy…is absolutely pathetic…and, frankly, disturbingly so…