The Undisputed
Collection of the Rocky films included all six of the films in the franchise,
four of which were on Blu-ray for the first time. The discs for the first, Rocky (1976) and the last, Rocky Balboa (2006), in the series were
the discs from the previously released Blu-ray, which caused complaints from
many consumers. Now just a short time later we have yet another collection,
this time titled the Heavyweight Collection and featuring a newly remastered
release of Rocky and limiting the size of the package as well as the number of
discs needed. The seventh disc of special features has been removed this time
around, though nearly all of the former extras have still been included on the
first disc.
The Rocky films
can very easily be categorized by the decades that they were produced in,
Sylvester Stallone proving able to stay relevant with the times as he continued
the franchise. Stallone made his big break with the original film in 1976, but Rocky II in 1979 is just as effective in
portraying the financial difficulties of most in the recession prior to
Reagan’s consumerism-obsessed 80s. Rocky (Stallone) is an underdog from the
beginning because he is already seen as beyond his prime. He makes his living
on the rough streets of Philadelphia
Rocky II started a tradition that would
stay with the series until the final film, beginning with the final fight
sequence from the previous film. After Rocky makes it through the fight with
Apollo, he tries to make some money from the attention. What he discovers is
that he doesn’t know anything other than boxing, and when he starts a family
with Adrian (Talia Shire), money becomes an issue. Eventually he is forced to
agree to a rematch simply to pay the mortgage.
The 70s Rocky
films were powerful underdog tales, but the 80s became preoccupied with
superficial aspects of success that went completely against the spirit of the
first two films. Rocky III is all
about Rocky becoming soft with success. He becomes more interested in all of
the money and material possessions, allowing him to be taken down easily by a
challenger played by Mr. T. Hulk Hogan also makes an appearance in a silly
charity fight that combines wrestling and boxing. The films begin to force
emotional manipulation, just to hope to capture the magic from the first two
films. Rocky IV does the same,
killing off Apollo in order to initiate a silly film filled with montages and
bad dialogue.
The 90s
attempted to bring Rocky back to his roots, simply by having all of him money
stolen in an accounting scam. Rocky V
is a disappointment that seems to be clinging to the franchise without
attempting to adhere completely to it. Though the family returns to area of Philadelphia
Rocky Balboa, on the other hand, is a
near perfect film. This is the post-9/11 Rocky entry, a film focused on the
losses of life. Rocky is alive but he has lost Adrian Philadelphia
The special
features from the past Blu-ray releases are mostly all here, with the exception
of a few unimpressive additions. There are featurettes that cover many aspects
of the production, from make-up to the music, but there is also three-part
making-of documentary and a great deal of attention on the actual boxing world,
including interviews with icons who discuss the significance that the films had
on the sport. This release also has a few unique extras, including some 8mm
home movies from the production of the original film and a video commentary
with Stallone. The biggest complaints about releases like this often come from
consumers who already own the previous releases. It does not make sense to
purchase the collection a second time for a slight improvement on the quality
of the first film and a handful of new special features, but this is certainly
the best option for those who don’t already possess these films in their
library.
Entertainment Value:
10/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8/10
Historical
Significance: 9/10
Disc Features: 8.5/10
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