The Corner Penthouse

Warner Brothers recently released the Rocky: The Knockout Collection 4K UHD 4-film set. Read on to find out more about it...

[ SYNOPSIS ]

Rocky (1976) - Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a struggling Philadelphia club fighter, gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight for love, glory and self-respect. Featuring a legendary musical score and thrilling fight sequences, this rousing crowd-pleaser scores a knockout!

Rocky II (1979) - After club fighter Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) goes the distance with the world heavyweight champion, boxing fans clamor for a rematch. But Rocky, having sustained massive injuries, announces his retirement. Though he tries to make a new life for himself, Rocky realizes that he can't escape his true calling. The ring beckons once more, and the "Italian Stallion" must prepare for the fight of his life.

Rocky III (1982) - As Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) fights his way into the hearts of millions, life couldn't be better. But when Clubber Lang (Mr. T) KOs Rocky in a humiliating defeat, it becomes apparent that the "Italian Stallion" has lost his edge. Considering hanging up his gloves, Rocky receives encouragement from an unlikely ally: his old nemesis, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). With Creed's help, Rocky strives to regain the "eye of the tiger" before confronting Lang in a grueling rematch!

Rocky IV (1985) - Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) holds the world heavyweight boxing championship but faces a new challenger: Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a 6'4", 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union. Rocky prepares for a powerfully charged fight, in which he must defend not only himself but the honor of his country! (Also included is Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago, in which Stallone masterfully reshapes Rocky IV in the ultimate director's cut!)

[ SPECIFICATIONS ]

Each of the four films is on its own 4K UHD disc (no Blu-ray copies). Each movie is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, though the Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago director's cut has been reformatted into 2.35:1. All four original movies have been rated PG, while the Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago director's cut has been rated PG-13 for violent sports action and brief strong language. Audio languages include English, Spanish, and French for all movies. Subtitle languages include English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, and Dutch for the original four movies; and just English SDH, French, and Spanish for Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago.

Rocky IV contains an odd "glitch": Around the 10-minute mark, the 1.85:1 matting briefly disappears for roughly 7 seconds before reverting back to normal. It only occurs during just one single shot of Rocky washing his car while talking to his son. This scene doesn't appear during the Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago director's cut.

[ SPECIAL FEATURES ]

The commentaries can be found on the first 4K UHD disc with the first movie. All of the other content listed below can be found on the bonus Blu-ray disc. There are no special features on the 4K UHD discs for the second, third, and fourth movies.

• Rocky: Audio Commentary - with director John Avildsen; producers Irvin Winkler and Robert Chartoff; actors Talia Shire, Carl Weathers and Burt Young; and Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown.
• Rocky: Audio Commentary - with Boxing trainer Lou Duva and sports historian Bert Sugar.
• Rocky: Audio Commentary - with writer/star Sylvester Stallone.
• 8MM Home Movies of Rocky (12:32) - A montage of clips introduced by director John Avildsen.
• 3 Rounds with Lou Duva (4:34) - Boxing manager Lou Duva answers three rounds of questions, imparting his philosophy of training in the process.
• Steadicam: Then and Now with Garrett Brown (17:26) - Cinematographer and Steadicam-inventor Garrett Brown shows off some of his early test footage, details his involvement with Rocky, and talks about the whole Steadicam aesthetic.
• Make-Up! The Art and Form with Michael Westmore (15:11) - Makeup designer Michael Westmore takes us through Rocky's practical makeup effects.
• Staccato: A Composer's Notebook with Bill Conti (11:30) - Bill Conti, who created all of the memorable themes from the Rocky films, explains how the music underscores the various themes of Rocky.
• The Ring of Truth (9:37) - Art Director James Spencer discusses the look of Rocky and the challenges of on-location shooting.
• A Tribute to Burgess Meredith (7:53) - Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young and others offer up their thoughts on the great Burgess Meredith, who passed away in 1997 after an almost 70-year career in Hollywood.
• Stallone Meets Rocky (3:00) - A split-screen skit between Sylvester Stallone and Rocky Balboa.
• The Making of "Rocky vs. Drago": Keep Punching (58:29) - This behind-the-scenes documentary of the new director's cut is actually over 30 minutes shorter than the free version on YouTube.
• Trailers (14:05) - One for each of the four original films, plus a fifth trailer for Rocky vs. Drago.

[ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ]

A digital copy code voucher (that redeems for all four movies) is included inside the standard five-disc black UHD case. The first print run includes a shiny slipcase.

[ NOTES ]

If you're a Rocky fan, or even just someone who has been paying cursory attention over the past 45 years, you may remember that the Rocky film series consists of SIX films, not four. For reasons that I don't know, the last two films - Rocky V (1990) and Rocky Balboa (2006) - are NOT included in the Rocky: The Knockout Collection 4K UHD 4-film set. I really have to wonder why Warner Brothers would release an incomplete set. If you can do without Rocky vs. Drago and the 4K resolution, all six original films are in the Rocky: Heavyweight Collection Blu-ray set. The "Heavyweight Collection" also includes some additional special features that were not included in this new set.

Honestly, I would hold off on buying this. I'm sure that there will be a boxed set with all six original films and new Blu-rays not too long into the future. This "Knockout Collection" feels like a rush job thrown together to coincide with the theatrical release of Creed III.

[UPDATE - 7/23/2024]
As expected, Warner Brothers released a new 4K set containing all six movies. Read my review of the Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection 6-Film 4K UHD set to learn more about it.

This item has been provided by Warner Brothers for review on this site.