The Different Cuts of "Rocky IV"

(Scene starts with a laser beam in the sky as the music of the 1994 American Gladiators opening theme plays the angle of the camera goes into the laser as four shadowed figures with a lasered outlines appear as the shadows reveal themselves to be James Faraci in the center, Paulo Fonseca on the right and Rebecca Yaun on the left as their names appear above the characters. As they run out of frame moving towards the camera, four more shadowed figures with lasered outlines appear and the shadows reveal themselves as Brenda Fonseca on the right, Nick Yaun on the left, and John and Mike Santos, and their names appear above the characters. As they run out of frame moving forward moving towards the camera, five more shadowed figures with lasered outlines appear as they reveal themselves to be Renee Miller and Eric Kurtzke on the right, Andrew Beach and Ed Champion on the left, and Olivia Horvath appears in the center as their names appear above the characters. As they run out of frame credits of “Written by James Faraci, Edited by Eric Kurtzke, Makeup by Olivia Horvath Produced by First Choice Productions” as it ends the Laser beam disappears and at the 0:28 mark of the theme song the laser beam cut out the words “The” “Last” “Of” “The” appear. At the 0:32-0:36 mark, the word “Americans” start to come forward as it pulls down, and James’ Morpher and Sonic Screwdriver is flung into the frame as James grabs both and morphs into The Last Of The Americans with James Daniel Walsh on his right with half of team TLOTA and the other half on his left as the camera pulls back to see the slab with the markings “The Last Of The Americans”. Fade cut to James in his office.)

TLOTA:
I’m James Faraci The Last Of The Americans and The views I’m about to express are that of my own and some of yours. And hey-yo! It’s time for The Different Cuts! (Whistling version of “The Lumberjack Song” is heard as Team TLOTA dressed as Lumberjacks see a gigantic piece of film celluloid and James chops it down and the other members cut it to different lengths and on the ends sticking out of the back of the truck the words “The Different Cuts” are seen in differing syllables. Cut to clips from the ROCKY/CREED movies as “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor plays in the foreground and James does voiceovers.)

TLOTA (V.O.):
The ROCKY movies and its continuation movie series CREED have been quite a solidly entertaining story. With the ROCKY movies it told the tale of an underdog boxer named Rocky Balboa played by Sylvester Stallone as he was given a chance to go for the World Heavyweight Championship against Apollo Creed played by Carl Weathers and the sequels in real-time showed Rocky’s Rise, Fall, and Redemption with who he is and, in the interim, becomes a champion, celebrity, and ultimately Robert “Rocky” Balboa. The continuation movie series CREED tells the tale of Adonis Johnson, a child born of wedlock to Apollo Creed, and his tale of trying to discover who he is by going into the ring and seeing if he is his father’s son or if Adonis is his own man as he should be. The Sequel to Creed sees him dealing with demons of his dad’s and Rocky’s past in the form of the son of Ivan Drago, Viktor played by Florian Munteanu. (Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
And Ivan was the challenge that sealed the fates of so many in ROCKY IV! (Cut to the title card from the trailer of Rocky IV then to clips of the movie as James does a voiceover.)

TLOTA (V.O.):
While critically it did not do as well as the first three, Rocky IV remains to this day the most commercially successful movie in the entire Rocky franchise. And to celebrate the success of Creed II, Sylvester Stallone decided to release a director’s cut of the film. Interesting choice seeing as how Stallone was the Writer and Director of Rocky IV. But after both the pandemic and other delays in 2021 Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago was released on digital and it is one of the best directors’s cut’s of a movie I have seen since The Lord Of The Rings Special Editions. And that is a statement I don’t make lightly. (Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
And today, we’re going to decide which movie is the better cut in the four rounds. Our first round is the plot! (Cut to dual opening points on Blu-Ray covers which turns to the front of the covers the Blu-Rays the one on the right showing the Classic Rocky IV cover and the one of the left showing the Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago cover. The two covers collide and explode and the words “THE PLOT” appear in the title font of the trailer of Rocky IV as the first forty-eight seconds of Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor plays in the foreground. Cut to the different cuts of the movie as James does a voiceover.)

TLOTA (V.O.):
Inspired by the stories of the battles between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling and the political heat between the Countries. Ivan Drago as a peaceful ambassador wants to take on a goodwill exhibition with Rocky Balboa. However, Apollo Creed wanted to try to start a comeback which ends in tragedy as Ivan Drago ends Apollo Creed in the exhibition in Las Vegas! Wanting justice for what happened to Apollo, Rocky goes to the USSR in a non-sanctioned fight to put Ivan Drago down in the ring!  But which one set this event up in the right direction? To be honest, I have to give it to the Drago cut. Nothing against the classic version. It just wasn’t well set up if you ask me. The original set up Rocky’s life which included his son this time played under a Pseudonym by Seargeoh Stallone, who is Sylvester’s other son, and how the Drago stuff was poorly set up. The Drago cut has the fights better set up and shows the friendship that started in the turning point of Rocky III and developed between III and IV. (Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
And with that, the first round goes to Drago cut! (Cut to the original version’s poster on the left of the screen and the Drago cut on the right with one Boxing glove on the poster while the first twenty seconds of “Hearts On Fire” by John Cafferty. Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
Now we move on to what has become the most heated part of this movie’s differences, Editing! (Cut to dual opening points on Blu-Ray covers which turn to the front of the covers the Blu-Rays the one on the right showing the Classic Rocky IV cover and the one on the left showing the Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago cover. The two covers collide and explode and the words “EDITING” appear in the title font of the trailer of Rocky IV as the first forty-eight seconds of Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor plays in the foreground. Cut to the different cuts of the movie as James does a voiceover.)

TLOTA (V.O.):
I have to say that the editing is as different as night and day and there are Spoilers here, you have been warned. While the original version is mostly montages and fights as is the Drago cut. There’s no major difference in time but there is in tone. The opening has changed, where the original picked up at the end of Rocky III before moving towards what happens with Rocky and his life, The Drago Cut gives us the start of the timeline of their friendship, shows us where the two had grown, and sets up Apollo’s character arc at this point. The fight between Apollo and Drago while ending the same way with Apollo buying the farm but, in the Drago cut, it was as brutal but this cut did give Apollo a fighting chance. And in the original version towards the end of the fight, Duke, played by Tony Burton is begging Rocky to throw the towel and Apollo grunts out one last “No” or two. In the Drago Cut, Duke’s pleads comes seconds before that fatal knockout blow, so he didn’t even have the chance to question what to do. And Ivan gloats a bit more. The Funeral is different as well. Where Rocky was stoic as he tells what Apollo meant to him. In the Drago Cut, he is barely able to speak because he’s had at this point been through a lot with Apollo, first as rivals in Rocky and Rocky II, then as friends in Rocky III and this movie. Then there is the added scene of Rocky and The Boxing Commission considering what to do next, especially with somewhat despondent Rocky blaming himself for the death of Apollo. Because in the original version, this moment was briefly seen as photos setting up the press conference between Rocky and Drago. That’s another part of this that I have to talk about. While the original had more moments of Ludmilla, played by Brigitte Nielsen, doing the speaking for her husband, because, at the time, Stallone was engaged to Nielsen and probably gave the role as a way of supporting her. Well in the Drago cut with the exception of a few lines have been scrubbed out of the movie, partly due to the fact that two years after the movie was released Stallone and Nielsen were divorced. Also scrubbed out is most of Burt Young’s performance of Paulie as has the robot that was used for the movie, because, I swear upon heaven and earth this is true, Seargeoh Stallone is Autistic and apparently this robot was used to help him with his Autism.  (Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
Which now has opened a can of worms for me. (James pulls out his Morpher and reverts back to being James Faraci)

James Faraci:
In the mid-1990s, I was diagnosed with Autism myself, specifically, Asperger’s, which is a high-functioning form of Autism. However, I have never let that be my defining trait about me. I consider myself, A very dependable worker, A College Student, An Uncle to three, A great-uncle to baby Kinsleigh, A man who is trying so hard to get a project I have been working on that it is killing me slowly, and A wonderful cook, A Son and someone who is trying to get everything in his life together! As well as an Internet Reviewer. Being Autistic will never define me.  Now with that said… (James pulls out his Morpher and becomes The Last Of The Americans again.)

TLOTA:
Let’s get back at it with the editing. (Cut to the different cuts of Rocky IV as James does a voiceover.)

TLOTA (V.O.):
The Classic is more recognizable for a lot. MTV music video style editing and Montage, Apollo Creed’s death is brutal, Cold War ideology, and not much is different. The Montages are also a little different. The No Way Out segment where Rocky tries to understand his grief isn’t as slick as the MTV music video it’s supposed to be in the original. The scenes of the past take on more blue, darker hues and are grainier the Drago cut. The training montages are also different. Rocky’s first training montage is composed of different takes if not moments that probably work better in the Drago cut. The fight between Rocky and Drago is different at the beginning and the end. While the fight between the two in the original cut and Drago Cut is the same, for the most part. One moment where Rocky is knocked down and much like in Rocky Balboa tells himself through inner monologue as to what to do next after a near knockdown and the montage between the end of the second round and the final round is nearly identical, just some technical aspects of the fighting choreography and it feels less like the MTV music video in the original. While the fight itself ends in the same way. The speech feels different. In the Original cut, he gives the speech about how change can be a good thing and wishes his son a Merry Christmas. Did I forget that this fight takes place at Christmas time? Better late than never. Then we come to the Drago cut of the speech where it feels as impactful it ends with Rocky shaking Drago’s hand and walking out of the ring while “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor plays in the foreground. (Cut to James Physically)

TLOTA:
So which one takes this round? This one is going to have to go to the Judges. (Cut to Paulo Fonseca, Nick Yaun, and Eric Kurtzke at a table discussing which version between the two cuts)

Nick Yaun:
After much discussion which includes all the differences, we have a split decision! (Cut to James)

TLOTA:
HOW?! (Cut to Eric Kurtzke)

Eric Kurtzke:
After watching both cuts, I think the classic version is the best-edited version. Paulo? (Cut to Paulo Fonseca.)

Paulo Fonseca:
I actually found the Drago cut the better-edited version because it felt like how Sylvester Stallone would have done it if he could’ve had more say. Nick? (Cut to Nick Yaun)

Nick Yaun:
The two cuts were so good; that I could not decide which one is best. (Cut to James)

TLOTA:
So in this case both get the point. (Cut to the original version’s poster with one Boxing Glove on the poster on the left of the screen and the Drago cut on the right with Two Boxing gloves on the poster while the first twenty seconds of “Hearts On Fire” by John Cafferty. Cut to James physically as a bell rings)

TLOTA:
Okay, the first half of the review is over; I need to take a break. I need a rubdown and some water. We’ll be back.

(The scene fades to black it then cuts to the 0:36 mark of the 1994 American Gladiators theme as it shows James entirely morphed with the half team TLOTA on his right and the other half on his left as the camera pulls back to see the slab with the markings "The Last Of The Americans." Cut to the 0:36 mark of the 1994 American Gladiators theme shows James entirely morphed with the half team TLOTA on his right and the other half on his left as the camera pulls back to see the slab with the markings "The Last Of The Americans." Cut to James as he is getting rubbed down by his team, given inspirational messages by Alex, and taking a swig of water and a bell ring as everyone disperses.)

TLOTA:
Okay, okay, I’m ready to go again. And now it’s time for the Cast and characters! (Cut to dual opening points on Blu-Ray covers which turn to the front of the covers the Blu-Rays the one on the right showing the Classic Rocky IV cover and the one on the left showing the Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago cover. The two covers collide and explode and the words “CAST & CHARACTERS” appear in the title font of the trailer of Rocky IV as the first forty-eight seconds of Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor plays in the foreground. Cut to the different cuts of the movie as James does a voiceover.)

TLOTA (V.O.):
Talk about a great cast brought together by great storytelling. Sylvester Stallone who wrote and directed this movie as well as Rocky II, III, & Rocky Balboa, Talia Shire as Adrian, Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, Burt Young as Paulie, Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago, Tony Burton as Duke, Brigitte Nelson as Ludmilla and so many others. But which one did this cast use better? Well as I said in the editing segment that while Brigitte was scrubbed out as was most of the Drago cut as was Burt Young’s Paulie, The Robot, among other characters. However, (Cut to Team TLOTA as they say “To Be Fair” in the same way Letterkenny does it as it cuts back to the movie as James does a voiceover.) Dolph getting more screen time and showing that Drago has more personality and depth isn’t a bad thing. This is where the Drago cut shines. And the cast did a great job, this is where the original Rocky IV shows its age as the cast have to handle the situation in the same way, and to me, the less is more gives Drago a mystique that Rocky had to break in the ring. Part of what keeps people watching this and quoting/referencing this is the performances. (Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
Which gives the edge to the Original. Nothing against The Drago cut but for me, I enjoyed the classic and when we get to the final round We’ll discuss why. And for me, the point goes to the original cut.

(Cut to the original version’s poster with Two Boxing Gloves on the poster on the left of the screen and the Drago cut on the right with Two Boxing gloves on the poster while the first twenty seconds of “Hearts On Fire” by John Cafferty. Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
We’re tied up in the points, so this is going to the final round, The Re-Watch Factor!

(Cut to dual opening points on Blu-Ray covers which turns to the front of the covers the Blu-Rays the one on the right showing the Classic Rocky IV cover and the one of the left showing the Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago cover. The two covers collide and explode and the words “Re-Watch Factor” appear in the title font of the trailer of Rocky IV as the first forty-eight seconds of Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor plays in the foreground. Cut to the different cuts of the movie as James does a voiceover.)

TLOTA (V.O.):
The classic version has been in the pop culture lexicon for so long, it has the Re-Watch Factor without question. The Drago cut is a unique retelling of this movie. Showing Drago as someone who is the total package in the Drago cut is interesting and is the best retelling of Rocky IV. But it needs time to get to the point of the original cut. What made both versions of this movie incredible wasn’t the fight which according to the trailer for the Drago Cut was voted “The Greatest Fight in Cinematic History”, where that was? I don’t know but it was voted as such. It was the realistic views and when you watch the Drago cut, the views seemed a little less realistic but it was ultimately felt as less than the original. (Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
And as cheesy and as corny as the classic was, it still remains an amazing movie from the 1980s that aged well. It’s that age that gives the Classic cut the win in this fight.

(Cut to the original version’s poster with Three Boxing Gloves on the poster on the left of the screen and the Drago cut on the right with Two Boxing gloves on the poster while the first twenty seconds of “Hearts On Fire” by John Cafferty. Cut to the final round of Rocky vs Drago with Rocky’s gloves pummeling away at the Drago cut and Rocky gets the knockout. Cut to James physically)

TLOTA:
Now as for my thoughts on the future of the Creed movies and the character of Rocky Balboa. Well… (Cut to clips of CREED & CREED II as James does a voiceover.)

TLOTA (V.O.):
After seeing Adonis Creed come out from the shadows of what he felt was something he didn’t know he wanted because of his father’s legacy and what he has ultimately become creating his own legacy. It’s safe to say that there is no need for Rocky Balboa to be in his corner as it was Illustrated in Creed II as Rocky told Adonis that it was his time and sat back down relaxed and then we find Adonis going to his father’s grave saying how it was now his legacy and introduced Apollo to his Granddaughter and Rocky makes the pilgrimage to see not only Robert but also to see his grandson, Logan. And because Rocky creator Sylvester Stallone has said that CREED II was his final movie as Rocky Balboa. I think it would be a good plot point in the third movie for Robert and Adonis to meet, Robert to tell Adonis about Rocky passing away quietly and surrounded by his loving son and grandchildren. And that would cause Adonis to examine how and when he would be at the point Rocky was when Adonis got Rocky in his corner. Whatever happens, We know the legacy of Rocky and Creed is Gonna Fly Now and forever. (Cut to James physically in Boxing gear.)

TLOTA:
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got something to do. I’m James Faraci The Last Of The Americans and that’s my opinion. (James gets up as we see Chad Narducci in one corner of a Boxing Ring and James in the other as John Ross Santos comes into the ring.)

John Ross Santos:
Ladies and Gentlemen, we welcome you to this winner take all fight. In the White Corner, “The Man” Chad NARDUCCI! (Crickets chirp) and in the red corner, he is “The Last Of The Americans” James Benjamin FARACI! (A roar of people cheers James) Our referee, Ed Champion.

Ed Champion:
I want a good clean fight! Obey my commands at all times! Watch your body punches, kidney punches, rabbit punches, and Low Blows. And remember I am fair yet firm. Touch gloves and get it on! (The fighters touch gloves and the bell rings as James and Chad dance around as the punches connect The Scene freeze frames in the same way as Rocky III. Fade To Black)