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Every change in Rocky IV: Rocky Vs. Drago

posted 3 years ago by TMC-4 (19567)
13 replies | jump to latest

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/qs4973/every_change_i_noticed_in_rocky_iv_rocky_vs_drago/

No exploding gloves at the beginning

No Rocky v Apollo sparring in the beginning

Extends Rocky III recap instead

No Paulie bday party (!). No robot at all (!!!)

No anniversary cake in bed with Adrian

No car wash scene

No steroid question and Popeye joke during training session

"A normal heavyweight averages 700 pounds of pressure per square inch" is missing. Instead, they just show Drago hitting 1850 psi without context.

Adds yard talk between Rocky and Apollo

Adds kitchen scene with Rocky and Adrian

No robot interrupting dinner talk

Cut "regular people" line when Rocky and Apollo are watching old fight

No dressing room scene before Apollo fight

Cut ominous music before Apollo fight

No greeting between fighters' wives before Apollo fight

Rocky isn't announced before Apollo fight

Moved Drago's wife smoking to before the fight instead of after round 1

Added more to convo between Rocky and Apollo between rounds

Added Duke's speech at funeral, longer Rocky speech, talk with Adrian

Adds meeting with boxing officials who say Rocky can't fight Drago

No Drago's wife speech at press conference

Adds Drago trying to talk at presser (This was actually funny - a reporter asks Drago if he can talk and he just says, "Yes.")

"He's gonna have to kill me" speech moved from staircase talk with Adrian to cabin with Duke

Added stupid earmuffs joke between Rocky and Paulie in Russia

No kids watching fight from home ("What do you think we are, nerds?")

No "knock him out" speech from Duke before round 15

Adds ref warning to Rocky's corner before 15th

Different KO, no real count in new version. In original movie, Drago tries to get up, falls through ropes after about an 8 count

Different celebration, jumps into Duke's arms

Extended celebration, Rocky taps gloves with Drago after his speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvf8O9_lO2U

https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22777136/rocky-iv-directors-cut-review-stallone-rocky-vs-drogo

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/nov/11/rocky-iv-rocky-vs-drago-review-silly-directors-cut-is-a-losing-battle

[–] Interlepos (1789) 3 years ago

Great, thank you for the list.

I am highly skeptical of the new cut, but at the same feel it deserves a chance.

[–] CrabgrassWilly (1616) 3 years ago

You left one out:

After running up the mountainside to the top, Rocky yells "RICOLAAAAAAAAA!" instead of "DRAGOOOOOO!"

Damn you, product placement!

[–] FootOfDavros (7277) 3 years ago

No interest in this from the moment I read he was removing the robot.

It may seem like a small thing but it's integral to the fun tone of the movie. Trying to make Rocky IV serious is like trying to turn the Godfather into a comedy. It's an accidental classic and I'm happy for it to be left that way.

Plus the robot wishing Paulie a happy birthday and him saying she loves him while Double or Nothing plays in the background is one of the main highlights of the entire film. How can you just take that out?!!

[–] Interlepos (1789) 3 years ago

I agree with everything you said, but would remove the word accidental.

Without having seen the new cut I feel won't like these changes:

1. "No kids watching fight from home". I liked it when the kids were celebrating from home.

2. Not announcing Rocky at the Apollo fight

3. "A normal heavyweight averages 700 pounds of pressure per square inch" is missing. Instead, they just show Drago hitting 1850 psi without context. - why cut this awesome moment out?

Oh, and I like the car wash scene.

[–] Interlepos (1789) 3 years ago

Just saw the new version, you forgot many changes. Too many to go into, but this is a big one:

All the montages have been recut with about 70% being the same as before, but new scenes have been added + extended scenes and different snippets in every montage. Rocky using a punching bag in Russia, for example, is totally new. Also all the flashback footage in the No Easy Way Out montage is now black and white. The sound mix is somewhat lower also on the Vince DiCola score.

I have to say that while I liked many of the things in the new cut (all the new Adrian scenes were good, but he shifted the focus away from the son) - the theatrical cut is better.

[–] ValyrianJedi01 (23) 3 years ago

I thought the editing for some of the scenes in act one was an eyesore, such as the discussion between Rocky/Creed when they were watching one of their fights and the Creed/Drago press conference. The editing was better in the second and third acts.

[–] MillerJones (470) 3 years ago

I agree and the pacing feels off in DC version.

[–] Electone (40) 3 years ago

Another one is that the Politburo does not get up and clap at Rocky's speech at the end of the fight. This time, the Gorbachev character abruptly stands up from his chair and they all just leave the arena.

The changes are too numerous to list.

[–] FootOfDavros (7277) 3 years ago

Like the robot, this is another shocker.

I mean, the great metaphor was that Rocky had literally beaten communism into submission.

In the end when Gorbachev is forced to get up and applaud his speech, it's quite clear that Rocky himself with his stunning victory has ushered in the period of perestroika which will eventually lead to the end of the cold war.

Why would you take that out?

[–] diezman (1901) 3 years ago

Just watched it and I really enjoyed it. I really liked the deleted scenes. They really added to the story.

[–] hitfan (216) 3 years ago

I haven't seen it yet, but I'm skeptical of the changes. I feel that the robot is an integral part of this movie, and it's unfortunate that it has been cut out.

And there's no proper 10 count in the fight? I feel like this is a major oversight--I know that in real boxing referees will stop fights without administering a count, but this is a movie and the count in Rocky IV certainly adds to the emotional impact and provides a sense of finality.

Hopefully, some fan editor with initiative will combine the best elements of both versions. There's 40 minutes of new footage and perhaps this can be recut into a proper 2 hour film.

[–] diezman (1901) 3 years ago

Yer soooo funneeee!