‘Rocky IV’ Director’s Cut Gets One-Night Only Theatrical Run, Restores 40 Minutes of Footage
Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaIn 1985, a plucky underdog from the “City of Brotherly Love” helped ease Cold War tensions with his gutsy triumph over a Soviet slugger and his passionate reminder that “everybody can change.” That ringside speech, of course, was the dramatic culmination of “Rocky IV,” one of the biggest hits of that year and critical component of the Sylvester Stallone canon. There were come-from-behind-victories, dramatic montages, and that stirring theme music, courtesy of Bill Conti — all the things that made the franchise so great.