The Rocky series is my favorite series of movies hands down. I know they are cliche and campy but I just adore them. This transfer is one of the best I've seen IMO. Now don't expect to watch Rocky I-V and it look as good as the Avatar blu ray because it just won't. But they are great transfers and the sound that is picked up on them that I've never heard before watching the old DVD releases is just amazing. If you like Rocky and are a fan of HD then you owe it to yourself to get this. The packaging looks great as well...And enough about the price drop. Seriously. If you want to complain, blog about it. Create a discussion on this product. Don't rate the product poorly because YOU paid too much.
As for those of you complaining about the price droppings...have you noticed the significant drop overall in blu-ray pricing? Now the blu-ray is becoming more mainstream, the prices are coming down! If there are no advantages to pre-ordering, then don't get it! Everyone has had a situation where they paid for something and later saw it cheaper and lost a few bucks. Amazon is still cheaper than going out to Best Buy or Wal-mart and getting it. Factor in that the majority of Amazon users don't have to pay tax and can have the items shipped to you for FREE, then that is even more in savings. So again, if you don't like it, don't buy it!Finally, the Rocky set has made it to blu ray. I have been a fan of Sylvester Stallone since I was a kid.(I am now 39.) I already have the complete Rambo collection on blu ray and it is great to finally have the Rockys.
The quallity of each movies are much better than the previous dvds. The sound is superb. I have a 76 inch flatscreen tv and surround sound and I'll tell you the quallity of the blu rays make me feel like I'm watching all of them in the theater again. Awesome! If you have a blu ray player, buy these. Much better than dvd.
If I was to complain about any one thing it would be thisWhere are the Director's cut of each one? That is why it is getting 4 stars out of 5. The movies themselves and the blu rays are 5 stars.
Thank you Amazon for very fast delivery. 5 starsThe odds were equally stacked against Sylvester Stallone as they were against his creation, the fictional southpaw boxer Rocky Balboa a million to one shot. Languishing in obscurity as an extra in small films, Stallone managed to sell his script, about a Philadelphia club fighter who gets a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship, and an American cinematic icon was born. Spanning six films, the Rocky series stands as one of the most lucrative franchises in Hollywood history and has truly penetrated the cultural lexicon.
In Rocky, washed-up Philly boxer Rocky Balboa is granted the chance of a lifetime. Hand-picked by boxing champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) as his next opponent, Rocky Balboa (Stallone) must find the physical strength under the tutelage of scrappy trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) and the courage to go the distance and prove that he's "not just another bum from the streets." But even if he doesn't win, at least he will find love and self respect in the arms of Adrian (Talia Shire). Rocky won the 1978 Oscar for Best Picture, made the name "Adrian" an annoyance to anyone bearing the name, and inspired countless people to run up staircases and throw their fists in the air triumphantly.
In Rocky II, The Italian Stallion tries to start a family and a new life away from the boxing ring. Despite partial blindness in his right eye sustained from his first bout with Creed and a wife clinging to life, Rocky is lured back to the ring for a rematch that will literally come down to the last second.
Rocky III takes the series in a slightly more surrealistic directon. Rocky's partial blindness is never addressed again for the rest of the franchise, and Rocky's opponents become more like caricatures, in the form of flamboyant wrestler Thunderlips (Hulk Hogan) and grimacing, mohawked brawler Clubber Lang (Mr. T). Life as the world champion has made Rocky complacent after a string of easy fights. But after being soundly beaten by Lang, Rocky finds an unlikely ally in former foe Apollo Creed, who trains Balboa in his own style so he may regain the "eye of the tiger" and reclaim the championship from Lang.
Rocky IV veers directly into the realm of 80's anti-Communist propaganda absurdity and MTV slickness, as Rocky finds himself taking on roided-up Russian superfighter Ivan Drago, who possesses a 1800 PSI punch harder than actual gunshots! Synth-accompanied training montages abound as Rocky mourns Apollo's death at Drago's hands and heads up to snowy Siberia in order to prepare for the fiercest fight of his life.
In the aftermath of Rocky IV, Rocky finds himself brain-damaged and inexplicably broke in Rocky V. Seems that Rocky's brother-in-law, Paulie (Burt Young), signed away power of attorney over the Balboa fortune to some shady lawyer who loses all the money. Forced into retirement by his scrambled noggin, a much more punch-drunk Rocky sells off his remaining belongings and moves his family back into his old Philadelphia neighborhood. Rocky reopens Mickey's boxing gym and takes a young fighter, Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) under his wing. Tommy quickly rises up the boxing ranks, but betrays Rocky by signing with Don King-esque promoter George Washington Duke (Richard Gant) in order to get a title shot. Gunn wins the title easily, but fears forever living in Rocky's shadow. He calls out Balboa, culminating in a bizarre fist fight between teacher and student on the cold Philly streets. Rocky emerges the victor, yet somehow avoids being arrested while Gunn gets taken away by the cops. Stallone's desire to return the character to its roots after the increasingly cartoonish direction the series was taking is understandable, but having Rocky lose the fortune he fought so hard for and earned over the course of four films is just depressing, let alone the "shady lawyer" angle seemed highly contrived. Rocky V remains the most confusing, misconceived installment in the franchise, and left a bad taste in everyone's mouths, including Stallone's.
Stallone sought to make up for Rocky V with Rocky Balboa, which finds an aged Rocky (Stallone himself was 60) the owner of a a Philly restaurant where he indulges its patrons with stories of his glory days in the ring. Looks like the Italian Stallion has found an opponent even he can't defeat time (though his brain damage is forgotten, much like his partial blindness). Adrian has since died of "woman's cancer" and Rocky Jr. (Milo Ventimiglia) is now an emotionally distant businessman. After a simulated boxing match on ESPN finds Rocky the victor over current heavyweight champ, the absurdly named Mason "The Line" Dixon (Antonio Tarver), Dixon challenges the long-retired Balboa to an exhibition match. Balboa, longing for one more throwdown, accepts the invitation and sets out to prove that the last thing to age is your heart. Though Rocky Balboa (the film) prescribes to the Rocky formula established from the very beginning and the prospect of a sextagenarian with or without brain damage being allowed to take on anyone in a sanctioned boxing match is more than a tad outlandish, this final installment (which Stallone assures us is the FINAL one) feels the most genuine since the original, as Stallone imbues his most iconic character with his own frustration with growing old and that lingering desire to make good on past regrets (like Rocky V) while he still can. With Rocky Balboa, the story finally feels whole.
And you have the whole story here, in Rocky: The Undisputed Collection on Blu-ray.Received this box set around 9/15/2010.
This review is broken into 5 categories: Packaging, Plot, Disc Quality, Movie Quality, Extra Features
Packaging: 4/5
Box art looks like it's from Rocky Balboa, no frills, WYSIWYG.
Plot: N/A
I won't go into it because I'm assuming you've seen any number of these titles if you are interested in the box set. But overall it's a story of overcoming obstacles and believing in yourself. All family friendly except Rocky 5 has some slight language, but nothing to extreme.
Disc Quality: 3/5
Rocky and Rocky Balboa have professional looking menus and the disc themselves look different than the other four movies. 2,3,4,5 all look like standard blu ray discs with just the name of the movie on them and a still frame for a menu. Don't expect any commentary.
Movie Quality: 4/5
If you've seen older movies put on blu ray with minimal restore then you get the idea with these. Rocky 1 looks the worse, some clipping and sometimes grainy, didn't notice too much blur on 120Hz. Rocky 2 is a little better, not as grainy. Rocky 3 looks like most 80s blu ray movies I've seen (Rambo, Commando, etc.) with some blur. Rocky 4 is exceptional, looks clear, great color and great sound and no blur. Rocky 5 is also clear and the sound is clear as well but you don't know much of a difference, if any, between this movie and 4. Rocky Balboa has some weird lighting but overall obviously it's the best looking one in the bunch.
Extra Features: 2/5
Some nice Sly training videos for Balboa and some making of's but nothing like a reunion episode or documentary looking back with Sly or anything. Pretty much just thrown into the box set.
Overall, I give this a 4/5 simply because it's Rocky and it's the top of the line right now. If you have it on DVD and is it worth it to rebuy it? My opinion would be no because nothing on these discs looks better than up converting a DVD. That being said, it is the latest and greatest format to have Rocky on and if you see Amazon selling it for a good deal pick it up, especially if you don't own any Rocky collection.
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