Rocky: 25th Anniversary Special Edition
June 2001 Reviewed by: Doug Schneider Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

"Yo, Adrian."

It’s hard to believe that those two words are now part of cinematic history, but they are. Say it to anyone and it is as recognizable as "Me Tarzan, you Jane," or "I’ll be back."

Rocky is a great film and it should be part of any collector’s set. The story may be old now, but it’s a timeless classic that begs to be watched over and over again. This, the 25^th Anniversary Special Edition, is the second release on DVD, and I’m thankful because the first was simply awful.

A lengthy discussion of the story is not warranted, but a brief mention is still worthwhile. Sylvester Stallone plays Rocky, a down-and-out boxer in Philadelphia who is given the opportunity of a lifetime to fight the heavyweight champion of the world. It’s a one-in-a-million chance that doesn’t happen in real life, but that’s OK; suspend your disbelief, because this is the movies. On Rocky’s side is a bitter old trainer named Mickey (Burgess Meredith), his dog, and his oddball girlfriend Adrian (Talia Shire). Other than that, he doesn’t have much going for him, except a lot of drive and determination -- and that’s what makes him the ultimate underdog. Does Rocky win in the end? Well, if you can’t remember, I suggest you definitely watch it all again.

Why Rocky works so well is the fact that Stallone is Rocky. He wrote the film, and fits perfectly into the lead role because it mirrors his own life at the time. When Rocky was conceived Stallone was an aspiring actor, but essentially a nobody. And like Rocky, he certainly didn’t have much going for him. What he had was an idea and a dream, and from that he created a script that caught Hollywood’s attention. We learn in the interview that’s included in this DVD, however, that although the producers wanted the script, they didn’t want him. They simply wanted to pay him (which at the time would have been an enormous amount of money for Stallone), and send him on his way. Stallone, though, wanted to star in the film. Admirably, he fought, eventually got the part, and the rest is history. Rocky won Best Picture, along with a host of other awards, and Stallone became a superstar. Had Stallone never written Rocky I doubt we’d know who he is today.

The first DVD release of this contains both full-screen and widescreen images. In both cases the screen image and accompanying sound is awful -- there’s no use owning it, and I’ll probably just throw my copy out. This one contains only the widescreen presentation (you shouldn’t be watching full screen anyway). The video image is somewhat improved, but still not to the degree I would like. Contrasts are better rendered and there are far fewer artifacts throughout, but based on the amount of grain and other problems that are still apparent I would say there is a much better video transfer still waiting to happen. Much the same can be said about the sound. The original mono track is included and they’ve also added a remixed 5.1 track. Again, it’s an improvement, but not as significant as it should be. And since there’s still plenty of room for improvement, perhaps we’ll see yet another version (but likely not for some time).

The real purpose for owning this Rocky is the extras that are included (the first version had none). They are not necessarily exhaustive in comparison to what some DVDs have these days, but they are worthwhile -- it’s a case of quality over quantity. What I enjoyed most is the commentary that you can play with the film. Director John Avildsen and actors Talia Shire and Burt Young contribute the most here (Stallone doesn’t speak at all in this part but he does have a lengthy interview included where he discusses the film). Surprisingly, in the commentary it’s Talia Shire, who plays meek Adrian, who gives the most insight. Her perspective on how each of the scenes play-out is truly fascinating. If you don’t believe there’s much to be seen in Rocky you must listen to what she says.

Enough said. The 25^th Anniversary Special Edition of the film may not be perfect, but it is still worth owning. You can also get this release as part of a new five-disc box set, but since the four subsequent films all pale in comparison to the original (by far), I recommend just saving your money and buying this one.

• Go Back