Rocky V [Blu-ray]

Director: John G. Avildsen John G. Avildsen

Overview

Touted upon its release as the finale of the Rocky saga, this fifth entry in the long-running series of sports dramas reunites star Sylvester Stallone with John G. Avildsen, director of the Oscar-winning original. Stallone is Rocky Balboa, suffering from career-ending brain damage as a result of his punishing bout with Ivan Drago at the finale of the previous film. Upon their return to Philadelphia, Rocky and his wife, Adrian (Talia Shire), discover they are broke, their fortune squandered by an incompetent accountant. Forced to move back to their working-class neighborhood, Rocky finds that his only asset is the run-down gym willed to him by Mickey (Burgess Meredith, who appears in new flashback sequences). Resisting big money offered to him by Don King-like boxing promoter George Washington Duke (Richard Gant), Rocky becomes a trainer and finds a talented comer in Tommy Gunn (real-life boxer Tommy Morrison, nephew of John Wayne). Rocky's son (played by Stallone's real-life son Sage Stallone) feels neglected by his father, who lavishes attention on his protégé, but Tommy ultimately turns his back on his mentor to sign a more lucrative deal with Duke, leading to a street-fight showdown.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/10/2011
UPC:	0883904242291
Original Release:	1990
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Mgm (Video & Dvd)
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, Dolby Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:44:00
Sales rank:	24,635

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Sylvester Stallone	Rocky,Rocky Jr.
Talia Shire	Adrian
Burt Young	Paulie
Burgess Meredith	Mickey
Tommy Morrison	Tommy
Richard Gant	George W. Duke
Tony Burton	Duke
Jimmy Gambina	Jimmy(as James Gambina)
Delia Sheppard	Karen
Mike Sheehan	Merlin Sheets(as Michael Sheehan)
Michael Anthony Williams	Union Cane
Elisebeth Peters	Jewel
Kevin Connolly	Chickie
Hayes Swope	Chickie's Pal
Tommy Gunn	Actor
Nicky Blair	Fight Promoter
Jodi Letizia	Marie(scenes deleted)
Christopher Avildsen	Druggy(as Chris Avildsen),Druggy
Don Sherman	Andy
Stu Nahan	Fight Commentator
Thunder Wolf	Actor
Al Bernstein	Fight Commentator
Kent Johnson	Reporter
Richard Wright	Drinker
Jeff Langton	Boxer
Daniel Epper	Boxer
Mel Scott-Thomas	Boxer
Billy Lucas	Boxer
Mark Thompson	Reporter
Dale Jacoby	Boxer
Clay Hodges	Boxer
Lloyd Kaufman	Drinker
Charles Hines	Boxer
Mark De Alessandro	Stunt Double

Technical Credits

John G. Avildsen	Director
Michael S. Glick	Executive Producer
Robert Chartoff	Producer
Irwin Winkler	Producer

Editorial Reviews

By keeping the emotional stakes at a realistic level, Stallone tells a simple human story about a man having difficulty walking away from his job. Instead of giving the audience some emotionally over-the-top reason for him to continue to fight (the death of a loved one, the love of country), Stallone forces his characters to interact with each other like real human beings. Having Rocky fail as a father (during the early parts of the film) makes him human. For the first time in three films, the audience can see Rocky as someone like themselves. Though the final street fight is silly, and the caricature of Don King is way too obvious, this film serves a purpose. Rocky Balboa ceases to be a superhero and becomes a man again in this movie. He is one of us. This film understands that the vast majority of the audience will never win a boxing title, but many of us would be thrilled to run up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum and go home to the woman we love.

All Movie Guide - Perry Seibert