Rocky – Heavyweight Collection: Blu-ray Review
Sylvester Stallone stars in the greatest boxing saga of all time and triumphs as one of the most inspirational characters in cinematic history. Witness every epic, action-packed fight and unforgettable moment as Rocky strives for greatness through sheer determination against impossible odds.
I remember vividly seeing Rocky for the first time as a kid. Even me being so small I knew I was about to see something really special as the title scrolled across the screen from right to left and as the now famous theme song played. After seeing the films again after so long they are just as inspiring now as they were back then. Even though each film has its beginning and end there still lies a main story that is very apparent throughout the franchise. From his humble start and his rise to fame all the way through his fall from grace and his eventual swan song. The score that accompanies theses films are amazingly epic and widely known by everyone. If I stood out on the street playing the soundtrack I guarantee the first thought to pop in everyone’s head would be the Rocky franchise. They can be so powerful but extremely sad as well. This is a perfect example of just how much music can drive a film. There are so many great moments throughout the franchise and some of my favorites include the training montages. I challenge you to watch them and not have the urge to go for a run or start doing some sort of physical activity. The other moments that stood out were the deaths in the films. From Mickey to Apollo and eventually Adrian, those were the moments that tugged at you heart and made you get behind Rocky and his journey. I can honestly consider these some of the best films in the genre (yes, even Rocky V) and new generations of film fans will flock to these films time and time again and be inspired. Now the set as a whole is essentially the same as the Undisputed Collection that came out back in 2009 except for the newly remastered Rocky that is included in this one. If you already have the previous collection you may be inclined to skip it unless you’re like myself and love the beautifully remastered version of the original film but if you never got around to picking it up then this would be the collection to grab.
Special Features:
8MM Home Movies Of Rocky (1975) – Narrated by director John G. Avildsen and production manager Lloyd Kaufman, this recently found behind the scenes footage is probably one of the most interesting thing I’ve seen. Such a fantastic feature that gives a little bit of insight on a history making moment.
Three Rounds With Legendary Trainer Lou Duva – A short talk with Duva on what it takes to train and become a fighter.
Interview With A Legend: Bert Sugar – Sugar talks a bit about the film and the cultural impact it had on the sport of Boxing and in general.
The Opponents – A 16 minute feature on all of the antagonists in the film franchise.
In The Ring: Three-Part Making-Of Documentary – An extremely interesting documentary that runs a little over an hour long but could easily encompass 2 hours.
Steadicam: Then And Now With Garrett Brown – Brown talks about how he created his invention and how it has now revolutionized filmmaking.
Make Up! The Art And Form With Michael Westmore – Westmore speaks a bit on how he created all of the make-up effects for the film.
Staccato: A Composer’s Notebook With Bill Conti – An fascinating feature on the musical feel of the film and how he came up with some of the iconic themes.
The Ring Of Truth – Production designer Bill Cassidy talks a bit about how he visualized the locations and the look of the film.
Behind The Scenes With John G. Avildsen – Avildsen shares some 8mm footage that contains fight and make-up tests along with a few stories from set.
Tributes To Burgess Meredith And James Crabe – Cast tells stories and memories in these two heartfelt tributes.
Video Commentary With Sylvester Stallone – A 28 minute feature that has Stallone doing commentary with they switch back and forth between the film and himself.
Sylvester Stallone On Dinah! (1976) – Stallone doing a talk show appearance while promoting the film.
Stallone Meets Rocky – A pretty funny promo video where the two stars meet with the help of some video editing.
