Rocky 4K UHD Boxed set - 2/28/23

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by mjvmovieman

Does Warner Bros not have the rights to release V and "Rocky Balboa"? Balboa was mainly released by Sony right?

Balboa was first released when Sony were (briefly) distributing MGM product having bought the studio, they also co-produced along with Revolution studios. But like Casino Royale the home video rights have long since reverted back to MGM, there's a 2012 Blu-ray release of the film via Fox (who were MGM's video distributor at that time).

Remember: all Warners are doing is distributing for MGM, having taken over from Fox, they don't own the movies.

[RCRochester]

This set works for me. I'm not a huge fan of anything past IV, and I'll still have all of those on blu-ray anyway.

[mjvmovieman]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

The problem with that is the people that buy the first box set get burned since they'd have to buy another box set with movies they already own. It wouldn't shock me if that happens though. Ideally, they should be selling singles and a box set with all 4 if someone wants to do that for a little cheaper.

Either way, it's dumb to be in this position. They should have just waited until 5 and 6 are done. As you mentioned, I'm guessing they are expecting 5 and 6 to be done around the time Creed 3 is scheduled to be out so 5 ,6 and Creed 1-3 would be the volume 2.

Hey, it's worked for Peter Jackson for almost 20 years.

[Ryan1973]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

The problem with that is the people that buy the first box set get burned since they'd have to buy another box set with movies they already own. It wouldn't shock me if that happens though. Ideally, they should be selling singles and a box set with all 4 if someone wants to do that for a little cheaper.

Either way, it's dumb to be in this position. They should have just waited until 5 and 6 are done. As you mentioned, I'm guessing they are expecting 5 and 6 to be done around the time Creed 3 is scheduled to be out so 5 ,6 and Creed 1-3 would be the volume 2.

Ya I agree. They should have waited to do a complete box set of all the movies once Rocky V and Rocky Balboa were done. It makes no sense to release the first four and then have the other two come out later.

[danman227460]

Originally Posted by Ryan1973

Ya I agree. They should have waited to do a complete box set of all the movies once Rocky V and Rocky Balboa were done. It makes no sense to release the first four and then have the other two come out later.

Creed 3 being released March 03 could be the reason why they probably rushed it. They wanted 1-4 out before Creed 3. Then when Creed 3 gets released on physical, they can sell Rocky 1-6 and Creed 1-3.

[batman2000]

What kind of announcement is that on the site is that for rocky that doesn’t remotely have any details.

[Ryan1973]

Originally Posted by danman227460

Creed 3 being released March 03 could be the reason why they probably rushed it. They wanted 1-4 out before Creed 3. Then when Creed 3 gets released on physical, they can sell Rocky 1-6 and Creed 1-3.

Hopefully you're right. That would mean they could be released this upcoming summer.

[dallywhitty]

Not this getting moved to the wish list section again. Did Sly Stallone sleep with one of the moderator's wives or something?

[steev210]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

Which would also be dumb, since Creed III would be missing (even though he's not in it, but then you have the Creed franchise left unfinished in the box)

I agree, it would be a dumb move. But I wouldn't be surprised if WB did a release strategy like this. Have consumers purchase box set #1 consisting of I-IV with matching artwork.

Then release box set #2 with V, VI, Creed and Creed II featuring the same style artwork of the first set, the same day Creed III hits home video which would be released as a standalone in amaray/slip packaging with original one sheet poster art that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Then around the holidays of 2023, release an all inclusive box set of all nine films with the artwork for Creed III revised to match the style of the previous eight. Or release two separate box sets, one containing the Rocky saga and the second, the Creed trilogy.

[ShellBeacher]

Originally Posted by dcx4610

The problem with that is the people that buy the first box set get burned since they'd have to buy another box set with movies they already own. It wouldn't shock me if that happens though. Ideally, they should be selling singles and a box set with all 4 if someone wants to do that for a little cheaper.

Either way, it's dumb to be in this position. They should have just waited until 5 and 6 are done. As you mentioned, I'm guessing they are expecting 5 and 6 to be done around the time Creed 3 is scheduled to be out so 5 ,6 and Creed 1-3 would be the volume 2.

This is not new. Studios do this all the time in home video, and most recently/notably with the original Paramount Star Trek films. I-IV were released, then a complete box set with I-VI. And I expect an "even more complete" one later with the four NextGen films in 4K.

Gotta say, though, if the rumors posted in this forum are true, color me surprised. If Stallone is being allowed to re-edit ROCKY V as well, they really are letting him run the ROCKY preservation store. It must be one way that MGM is compensating for Stallone's more recent public outbursts on not having any real legal "ownership" in the franchise. They essentially also kicked him off the CREED franchise because CREED II turned into almost more of a ROCKY movie than a CREED movie when you look at it, so I totally get it. The thing I love about Hollywood is that it never fails to surprise...

...I'm still going to wait for all six to appear on 4K before I purchase.

[batman2000]

Not a fan of creed for one reason

[Show spoiler]why did they have make Apollo have an affair to me that ruins his character all they had to do was have it be his son with his wife it taints my view of the movie before I go in once i start the rocky series proper

[IndyMLVC]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

Not this getting moved to the wish list section again. Did Sly Stallone sleep with one of the moderator's wives or something?

Seriously. WTF. Yet Red Eye and Superman remain in the main forum?!

[Croweyes1121]

I must say, I’d be far more enthusiastic about Stallone doing a recut of Rocky V if I hadn’t seen his recut of Rocky IV.

[Rayjg]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

I must say, I’d be far more enthusiastic about Stallone doing a recut of Rocky V if I hadn’t seen his recut of Rocky IV.

Ouch. So how bad is the new cut of IV?

[dcx4610]

Originally Posted by Rayjg

Ouch. So how bad is the new cut of IV?

It's not bad. Just kinda pointless. It's basically remove the robot, linger on certain scenes and use alternate takes. I didn't find it offensive or anything but it just feels like someone playing with their food. It didn't suddenly make Rocky IV feel like a respected drama like the first movie. It's still a goofy (but great) action movie regardless of the changes.

[TylerDurden389]

Originally Posted by Rayjg

Ouch. So how bad is the new cut of IV?

It's mostly bad from the editing. Certain scenes that should've been left alone were shortened and ruins the natural flow of the character's conversations (particularly in the scene when Apollo tells Rocky that he doesn't wanna change). The training montages were altered slightly but the music cues don't sync with the action anymore (and given that's it's more of the same exercises, but simply different takes, it wasn't really necessary, IMO). The biggest gripe people have though is the new AR, and the new color timing (it's a much brighter and bluer tone now). Also, the opening is a bigger recap of part 3 that just wasn't as necessary and doesn't flow as well as simply showing the end of the final round of part 3 like we're all familiar with (though it is cool that Rocky 4 now has the "Rocky" scrawl like all the others do).

As for the fight scenes, Sly definitely went out of his way to make sure it looks like both Apollo and Rocky have a fighting chance against Drago, which is good from a realistic standpoint, but on the other hand, the overall emotional impact from the editing of the fights lacks the "punch" (pun intended) that the editing from the fights in the theatrical version does.

Stallone would've benefited from having a professional editor help him work on this alternate cut, rather than doing it himself. As for the good, even though I like Paulie's robot, I understand why people are happy to see it completely removed. The new scenes with Adrian and Apollo definitely add more heart/weight to the story, and I personally like that Drago seems more like a real person now by having him both speak and emote more (Sly must've shot 2 versions of certain scenes where sometimes Drago spoke for himself, and in the ones in the theatrical cut where either his wife or his handlers spoke for him). The ending is different too, but I won't spoil it.

To me it's basically the Richard Donner Cut of Superman 2 all over again. Both versions have things that are good and bad, and a middle ground edit would be an overall better film (if you're a fan that wants to see that sorta thing and like to edit as a hobby). It seems like certain alternate takes were used just for the sake of making it feel like a different movie, something that can go either way depending on your preferences (there were a few alternate takes that I actually preferred over the theatrical ones, as I felt the actors delivered the lines better).

[ShellBeacher]

"We're back in the right forum, Adrian!!!"

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by ShellBeacher

"We're back in the right forum, Adrian!!!"

Give it a day before the tug-of-war continues.

[Croweyes1121]

Originally Posted by TylerDurden389

Both versions have things that are good and bad, and a middle ground edit would be an overall better film (if you're a fan that wants to see that sorta thing and like to edit as a hobby)

And then there’s Stallone’s inexplicable decision to crop the film to 2.39:1, making a truly seamless edit impossible.

[DMRI2006]

MGM not releasing V and BALBOA with the rest is as dumb a decision as when Fox opted to give us only the original ALIEN and DIE HARD movies on UHD -- and not their respective whole series (like they did with PREDATOR) -- when they had the chance. The way things are going you have no idea if there's going to be a revisit or another go-around, making a I-IV release very disappointing. For now anyway.

As for the IV recut -- didn't work for me. The widescreen cropping stinks, the stuff removed from the theatrical version I mostly miss. Yes there are some nice additions, but much like the overhyped and similarly disappointing Donner Cut of Superman II, there's no reason to bypass the original version for it.