Rocky - Ultimate Knockout Collection (UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Warner Brothers     
Release Date: July 16, 2024
Rating: PG
Film: See Below

Plot
Rocky (5/5)
An unknown boxer (Sylvester Stallone) scores a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champion of the world (Carl Weathers) when the champ comes to Philadelphia and gives the chump an opportunity to be the champ. 

The film is directed by John G. Avilsden from a screenplay and story by Sylvester Stallone. The film is produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff and stars Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, and Burgess Meredith.

ROCKY received ten Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Picture. Best Director and Best Film Editing.  In 2006, the Library of Congress selected ROCKY for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Rocky II (4.5/5)
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.

The film is directed by Sylvester Stallone from a screenplay and story by Stallone. The film is produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff and stars Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, and Burgess Meredith.

Rocky III (4/5)
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!

The film is directed by Sylvester Stallone from a screenplay and story by Stallone. The film is produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff and stars Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Burgess Meredith, and Mr. T.

Rocky IV (4/5)
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. Stallone masterfully reshapes Rocky IV in the ultimate director’s cut!

The film is directed by Sylvester Stallone from a screenplay and story by Stallone. The film is produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff and stars Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Brigitte Nielsen, and Dolph Lundgren.

ROCKY V (2/5)
Upon returning home from his latest triumph, Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) learns that his money has been lost and that his fight-related injuries mean retirement. Moving the family back to South Philly, the fighter must resolve the deep-rooted resentment held by his son (Sage Stallone), a bitterness that only grows when Rocky trains Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison), a young boxer who soon rises to national prominence. And when Tommy turns against his mentor, Rocky knows he must fight once more!

ROCKY BALBOA (4/5)
When he loses a highly publicized virtual boxing match to ex-champ Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), reigning heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) retaliates by challenging the Italian Stallion to a 10-round exhibition bout. To the surprise of his son (Milo Ventimiglia) and friends, Rocky agrees to come out of retirement and face an opponent who's faster, stronger and thirty years his junior. Rocky takes on Dixon in what will become the greatest fight in boxing history!

Also included is ROCKY BALBOA Director’s Cut, featuring an additional 14 minutes of footage not seen in theaters.

My Thoughts
Just like the underdog story goes in Rocky, the 1976 Oscar winner for Best Picture launched the career of Sylvester Stallone into the stratosphere. Not only was he the star, but he also wrote the fan favorite that spawned a total of five sequels over the next 30 years (well, eight if you count the Creed movies too). Unlike the set released last year (with its audio errors, which were eventually corrected by WB with an exchange program by emailing whv@wbd.com), this new set includes all six films with the audio tracks corrected.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the way they look. In fact, this is the best the first film has ever looked. While the 2014 remastered Blu-ray looked great, it’s taken to another level here. I really liked how the primary colors popped off the screen. The other films all look great as well and this is the first time I’ve seen of Rocky IV: The Ultimate Director’s Cut. Off the bat I noticed the color timing is a bit cooler than the theatrical version and in-lieu of a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, it’s now 2.35:1. The transfers on the two additional films are quite good as well, so no complaints from me there.

As I mentioned earlier, the audio tracks have been fixed on this release (which I didn’t think were too egregious in the 2023 set), so if you skipped that release waiting for all six films in one box, your patience has been rewarded.


Video 8/10

Audio 8/10 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

Special Features:

• Three Audio Commentaries on Rocky
• 8MM Home Movies of “Rocky”
• 3 Rounds with Lou Duva
• Stedicam: Then and Now with Garrett Brown
• Make-Up! The Art and From with Michael Westmore
• Staccato: A Composer’s Notebook with Bill Conti
• The Ring of Truth
• A Tribute to Burgess Meredith
• Stallone Meets Rocky
• The Making of “Rocky vs. Drago”: Keep Punching
• Trailers
• Digital Copies of each film.

Conclusion
I grew up watching the Rocky films and they hold a special place in my heart. In fact, the movies have been known to bring a tear to my eyes in certain scenes such as when Rocky meets with Adrian in the ring at the end of the first film, when she tells him to “win” in the second, when Mickey has a heart attack, just to name a few. While some find the fourth film to be a bit corny with its Cold War vibes, I absolutely love it and the soundtrack for that film rivals the first. The fifth film should have sunk the franchise (and did for over a decade), but 2006’s Rocky Balboa allowed the franchise to go out on a high note with a fantastic closing to the saga. 



Reference Review System:
 
 JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
 Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
 ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-990
 M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
 M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
 Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[bmoney]

Never seen any of these!







Haha jk. Love them all except after 4. Ugh why couldn’t they just stop there