How to Watch Rocky IV - The Director's Cut
In the wake of the COVID/lockdown of 2020, Sylvester Stallone has gotten a lot of spare time to make a new director’s cut of Rocky IV. With a little more than 40 minutes of previously unreleased footage, it’s a much more interesting take on this classic film.
For instance, in this new version, Apollo Creed is given a much longer funeral scene and Talia Shire gets a few more lines as Adrian. And Rocky’s fight with Ivan Drago is a bit more brutal in this version too.
How to watch the director’s cut
If you’re a Rocky fan, you’ve probably been keeping an eye out for the director’s cut of rocky 4. This new version has about 40 minutes of footage that Stallone reportedly removed and replaced. It’s set to premiere on November 11 in theaters through Fathom Events.
The recut includes many dramatic changes that make the movie feel more serious. For one, it removes Paulie’s robot from the film entirely.
It also gets rid of a lot of exposition and dialogue. It even cuts some of the jingoist rhetoric and cuts the famous star filter that Rocky uses to show off his athleticism.
In addition to all of the dramatic changes, Stallone shortened the film from 91 minutes to around 94 minutes. He also added a number of montages to the story.
While the recut isn’t going to be able to match the level of the first Rocky, it does make the film more dramatic and adds an interesting layer to the overall plot. There’s a more somber opening to the movie and Apollo’s motivation for fighting Drago is deeper than ever before.
I went to see the recut of rocky 4 with a few friends and it was a blast. The audience was cheering in all the right places and everyone had a great time.
The recut is a little jarring at first but it soon settles into its rhythm and it feels more like a real Rocky film. There are a few alterations that will leave fans confused but it’s a good way to rewatch the classic movie and watch Rocky become more meaningful and less cornball.
If you’re a Rocky fan, it’s a must-watch. It’s still one of the best boxing films of all time. It’s not only an excellent example of how to tell a sports story, it’s also a masterpiece of dramatic storytelling.
Stallone had been teasing the recut on Instagram all summer and it’s now finally here. The recut will be screening in theaters around the country for one night only. To celebrate, he has released a behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the cut. It’s an intimate look into the process and gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the recut of rocky 4.
How to watch the original version
Sylvester Stallone has been teasing the director's cut of rocky 4 on Instagram for months. During quarantine, the Oscar-nominated actor kept fans updated on the recutting process and shared behind-the-scenes footage.
When the film first released in 1985, Rocky IV was an instant hit - it was the kind of movie that feels like a time capsule, perfectly capturing the excess and politics of the American 80s. The film is about a pugilist named Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) who challenges Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the vengeful leader of the Soviet Union, for a boxing match.
The fight was epic, and the film ended with an impassioned speech from Rocky about change. This new director's cut is a reworking of the original, and it makes Rocky IV feel a little less cornball.
It also eliminates the iconic robot that Rocky gives to his brother-in-law Paulie as a gift. This is the biggest change of all, as the robot was a staple of almost every scene in Rocky IV's first act.
But that's not to say the new version isn't compelling. There are a few changes that feel awkward at first, but once you get used to them, the director's cut becomes a much more organic version of Rocky IV.
One change that stands out is how Rocky hesitates to throw his towel during the final round of the fight, allowing Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) to take the last blow. This isn't a major change, but it does highlight a different motivation for Rocky in this cut than in the original.
Another change that's more subtle is the re-writing of the opening montage, which recaps nearly all of Rocky III. It's still a montage, but it feels more layered and meaningful than in the original.
Some of the other changes are less noticeable, such as a tamping back of the jingoist rhetoric, or cutting the obsession with the video camera by Rocky Jr. While these may not seem important, they add a more subtle dramatic tone to the film.
Besides these changes, there's also a lot more dialogue between the characters and an overall darker tone. This is a stark contrast to the original, which is full of brash 1980s excess and over-the-top jingoism.
How to watch the extended version
If you're a Rocky fan and want to watch a recut version of the film, then you have to check out this new director's cut. Sylvester Stallone has been teasing this new version for months now, and it's finally here!
With about 40 minutes of new footage, this version of Rocky IV is going to be much different than the original. And it's not just the new fight between Apollo and Drago that was changed in this cut. In fact, there are several other changes to this version that will make this the best recut of the movie so far.
One of the biggest changes that fans will love is the recutting of the famous final fight between Rocky and Drago. The new version features a longer version of the final round that has both Rocky and Drago looking much more exhausted than in the original. It also has a lot more emotion and depth to it as well.
Another change is that Apollo gets more lines and a lot more chemistry with Rocky. This is something that wasn't really seen in the original version and it shows how much Apollo meant to Rocky.
This was a big change for me, as I always thought Apollo was one of the biggest characters in the movie. I also liked that the fight between Apollo and Drago was different. It was a lot more exciting than I thought it would be, and I loved the way that Apollo's character developed in this version.
There are a few other small changes as well. For example, there's a scene in the house where Apollo tells Rocky that he wants to fight Drago. This is a much more personal moment for Rocky and the audience can see that it's not just Apollo who wants to fight him.
The recut version of the movie has also removed several scenes that were not necessary. These include a wedding anniversary with Adrian (Talia Shire) and a birthday party for Paulie. These are both very sentimental scenes that shouldn't have been in the original version of the movie.
How to watch the special features
After reclaiming his title and living a life of luxury, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) suddenly finds himself the target of an arrogant, menacing challenger named Clubber Lang. He turns to his old nemesis Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) for help.
The new director’s cut of Rocky IV adds nearly 40 minutes of new footage, allowing the movie to be a full 93 minutes long and feature more material than the original 91 minute theatrical release. It also features a number of changes that are sure to please fans.
For starters, a new opening montage recaps the main events of Rocky III and a longer funeral scene for Apollo Creed adds some emotional depth to the film. There are also a few more character beats with Adrian, Duke and Drago that were previously missing from the movie.
Those who aren’t as familiar with the film may find it hard to follow at first because of all the alterations. But they’ll eventually grow accustomed to the new pace and dramatic tone.
One of the biggest differences is in how Rocky responds to Apollo’s death. In the original version, Rocky throws a towel in the air to end the fight, but he hesitates and allows Apollo to finish the fight off with the last punch. In the director’s cut, Rocky is more honest with his feelings and doesn’t hesitate to pick up the towel as Apollo is about to hit him with another blow.
He also feels a lot more guilty for not giving Apollo the respect and attention he deserves. This isn’t as obvious a change, but it does make the movie feel more genuine and more like an honest drama.
In other words, it’s a very different film from the one we all know and love. But it still feels as if it’s a Rocky film.
As a bonus, you can check out a 90 minute documentary on Sylvester Stallone’s efforts to create the new version of Rocky 4. It’s free and will take you behind the scenes to see how this director’s cut came together.
