It was also the highest-grossing fourth installment of a film in the United States and Canada, surpassing the record of Sudden Impact (1983). [34] Rocky IV also won Germany's Golden Screen Award. Audiences and critics alike cheered this American success story of an "everyman" triumphing over all odds. Winner. He won the Marshall Trophy for Best Actor at the Napierville Cinema Festival. Emanuela Muni. The script development was the subject of a famous copyright lawsuit, Anderson v. Rocky IV is a 1985 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. Sylvester Stallone. The home crowd is squarely on Drago's side and hostile to Rocky. Due to the COVID-19 crisis we were unable to hold our annual awards event in person. Drago's camp agrees to an unsanctioned 15-round fight in the Soviet Union on Christmas Day, an arrangement meant to protect Drago from the threats of violence he has been receiving in the United States. At one point in the filming of the scene, Lundgren tossed Weathers into the corner of the boxing ring. 2002 saw the release of Rocky, based on the first five Rocky films. In the final round, with both fighters exhausted, Rocky initially takes more punishment, but manages to stay on his feet. Adrian arrives unexpectedly to give Rocky her support, which gives Rocky a new vigor. Rocky V Awards and Nominations. LeRoy Neiman plays the ring announcer in the Creed-Drago match. Songs from the movie included "Living in America", by James Brown, and also music by John Cafferty ("Heart's on Fire", featuring Vince DiCola), Survivor, Kenny Loggins, and Robert Tepper. | One of the funniest, oddest … For some, it’s the Academy Award-winning original. Enraged, Rocky decides to fight Drago in the Soviet Union to avenge the death of his friend and defend the honor of his country. [32], In 2020, Maxim magazine ranked the film 8th in the list of “12 most delusional films about Russia”, noting that “cinema takes its grudge against the most unpleasant, pre-Gorbachev Soviet realities. By participating in activities and events, members can earn points towards recognition levels. [40][42], Rocky IV has also been interpreted as a commentary on the power struggle between technology and humans, illustrated by both Paulie's robot and the technology utilized by Drago's trainers.[43]. "[31], Russian goodwill ambassador Katya Lycheva objected to the character Ivan Drago, saying that the film uses him to vilify the Russian people. The robot is identified by its engineers as "SICO" and is/was a member of the Screen Actors Guild. Rocky honors Apollo's wishes, which allows Drago to land one final punch on Apollo, killing him. [24] It grossed a total of $127.8 million in United States and Canada, and $300 million worldwide, the most of any Rocky film. [17] The most notable change to the film is the omission of Paulie's robot. Rocky IV is a 1985 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. Stallone wanted to capture a realistic scene and Lundgren agreed that they would engage in legitimate sparring. As he waits nervously in the ring, the lights in the arena suddenly go out, and Drago is introduced with an elaborate patriotic ceremony, with the Soviet general secretary and the Politburo in attendance. 4-H members may earn only one (1) Clover Award per 4-H year and may earn the same level award more than once in their 4-H years. Appearing as themselves are singer James Brown and commentators Stu Nahan, Warner Wolf, R. J. Adams, Barry Tompkins and Al Bandiero. [21] On April 6 he announced a completion of the cut. ", 12 most crazy films about Russia. [20], The cut missed its previous November 27 release date, though by February 2021 Stallone stated that he was "putting the finishing touches". PG | 1h 31min | Drama, Sport | 27 November 1985 (USA) Rocky Balboa proudly holds the world heavyweight boxing championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago, a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union. Rocky IV is the only film in the series not to feature original music by Bill Conti, who was replaced by DiCola; however, it does feature arrangements of themes composed by Conti from previous films in the series, such as "The Final Bell". Rocky takes a fierce pounding in the first round, but goes on the offensive toward the end of the second round after landing a brutal right hook that cuts Drago's left eye, stunning both Drago and the crowd. Meanwhile, Rocky has purchased a robot for his brother-in-law, Paulie. "The robot is going to the junkyard forever, no more robot," Stallone commented. Sylvester Stallone. In contrast to his match with Apollo, Drago immediately goes on the offensive. The Soviet premier stands up and reluctantly applauds Rocky, and his aides follow suit. External Reviews [2] The film co-stars Dolph Lundgren, Burt Young, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Brigitte Nielsen and Michael Pataki. Some even love Rocky V. For many, though, the sweet spot in the Stallone-starring series is 1985’s Rocky IV. Best Actor in a Leading Role. While the film marked Carl Weathers' final appearance in the series, his character would still be referenced in each subsequent film. Richard Halsey. Scott Conrad. "[29] Ian Nathan of Empire gave the film two out of five stars, calling the script a "laughable turd" and describing Rocky IV as "the [film] where the Rocky series threw in the towel on the credibility. Stallone's future wife, Brigitte Nielsen, appeared as Drago's wife, Ludmilla. The bout starts tamely with Apollo landing several punches that are ineffective against Drago, but Drago suddenly retaliates with devastating effects. Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events. By the end of the first round, Rocky and Apollo's trainer, Duke, plead with him to stop the match, but Apollo refuses to do so and tells Rocky to not stop the match "no matter what." [12] The robot was written into the movie after it had been used to help treat Stallone's autistic son, Seargeoh.[13]. [14] Timothy Anderson developed a treatment for Rocky IV on spec; after the studio decided not to buy his treatment, he sued when the resulting movie script was similar to his treatment. Conti's famous piece of music from the Rocky series, "Gonna Fly Now", does not appear at all in Rocky IV (the first time in the series this happened), though a few bars of it are incorporated into DiCola's training montage instrumental. Go West wrote "One Way Street" for the movie by request of Sylvester Stallone. <…> Soviet sports and party apparatchiks are portrayed in the film with incredible poison and malice".[33]. The robot's initial voice was that of the company's CEO, Robert Doornick. After being berated by Koloff, Drago rebels, throwing him from the ring and directly addressing Gorbachev, stating he fights only for himself. Sylvester Stallone becomes the third person to be nominated for both acting and writing in the same year, following Charles Chaplin for The Great Dictator (1940) and Orson Welles for Citizen Kane (1941). Recipients of the Ossie Abrams Faculty Excellence Award are nominated by seniors who have spent at least six semesters at Rocky. "Rocky IV," arguably the most polarizing yet influential of the "Rocky" sequels, will be getting a director's cut courtesy of Sylvester Stallone as part of the film's 35th anniversary. Rocky IV: Worst Director: Rocky IV: Won Worst Screenplay (shared with James Cameron and … What did Katya Lycheva do wrong? The boxing exhibition takes place at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Stallone shared the movie's title … Rocky, on the other hand, does roadwork in deep snow over mountainous terrain and workouts utilizing antiquated farm equipment. [15], Rocky IV premiered in Westwood, Los Angeles on November 21, 1985. album award information for Rocky IV [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] - Various Artists on AllMusic Wyoming doubled for the frozen expanse of the Soviet Union. The film co-stars Dolph Lundgren, Burt Young, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Brigitte Nielsen and Michael Pataki. [18][19] Robert Doornick, founder of International Robotics and the voice of the robot, commented that Stallone cut all of the robot scenes in the director's cut to save money on royalty fees that were given to Doornick in the original cut. It toured with James Brown in the 1980s. John G. Avildsen. Paulie's robot, a character that through the years has enjoyed a cult following of its own, was created by International Robotics Inc. in New York City. [37][38] Writer/director Stallone highlights the nationalistic overtones of the Balboa–Drago fight throughout the film, such as when Drago's wife claims the United States is filled with "threats of violence" to her husband. [5] Apollo enters the ring in an over-the-top patriotic entrance with James Brown performing "Living in America" complete with showgirls. | Rocky gives a victory speech, acknowledging that the local crowd's disdain of him had turned to mutual respect during the fight. Four of these songs became U.S. chart hits, three of which reached the Top Five. 'Rocky IV' still stands, not as a highlight of the series (certainly not that) but as a quintessential artifact of mid-'80s studio filmmaking: soulless, flag-waving, soundtrack-blasting Product. 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