Rocky II

UPC: 027616915146

Studio: MGM

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Violence, Questionable for Children, Adult Language]

Summary: By concentrating on character development with this first of several sequels to his Oscar-winning smash Rocky (1976), writer/director Sylvester Stallone earned critical praise that would desert him with the boxing saga's shallower subsequent chapters. Stallone returns as Rocky Balboa, a Philadelphia prize fighter enjoying his brief fame after nearly defeating world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). When Rocky is offered lucrative product endorsement opportunities, his limited education and lack of sophistication quickly become an impediment to his future success, causing him embarrassment and his pregnant wife, Adrian (Talia Shire), a great deal of financial concern. Meanwhile, Creed is brooding over his near loss to a fighter he considers an amateur far beneath him and decides to goad a reluctant Rocky into a high-profile rematch. With the family resources dwindling and his pride wounded, Rocky decides that fighting is all he knows and makes the fateful decision to climb back into the ring once more with Creed to vie for the championship belt, despite assurances from all concerned that he will blind himself irreparably. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Category: Drama

Awards: Best Picture – People's Choice Awards

Features: [None specified]

Rocky II

Format: DVD

Release Date: 02/08/2005

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 119 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
1. Flashback/Main Title [7:47]
2. After the Fight [6:16]
3. A Little Married [7:55]
4. Reversal of Fortune [7:20]
5. Hard Times [11:24]
6. "I am a Fighter" [9:07]
7. Apollo's Challenge [1:27]
8. Meet the Press [10:29]
9. New Strategy [2:27]
10. Family Matters [7:39]
11. Prayer, Talk & Poetry [4:59]
12. Training [9:26]
13. 5 to 1 Underdog [6:12]
14. The Fight [8:45]
15. The Final Round [10:26]
16. "I Did It"/End Credits [2:46]

Perry Seibert

Released in 1979, Rocky II arguably represents the beginning of '80s film. The original Rocky was a welcome turn from the nihilistic storylines that dominated early and mid-'70s American films. Sure, Rocky does not have such a fairy tale life that he wins the title, but he does accomplish his dream to go the distance with the champ, and he gets the woman of his (realistically modest) dreams. The film's first sequel represents Stallone's abandonment of personal cinema and his acceptance of what would become '80s rah-rah, boom-boom blockbuster cinema. While the first two thirds of the film expand on the characters of Rocky and Apollo, recognizable human emotions disappear during the hyper-dramatic final fight. It is in the character of Adrian that one can see the death of Stallone the artist and the birth of Stallone the superstar. Adrian's love for Rocky proves to be selfless. Only when she believes in him without reservation does he find the fortitude to defeat Apollo. This is exactly the relationship Stallone wanted with his audience. He wanted to be more than a standup guy with some talent; he wanted to be a larger-than-life hero who is adored for being a courageous warrior. Rocky was about a man who lived up to his potential. Rocky II is about an idealized hero. For good or ill, Stallone stopped being one of the common men and became an icon. He would never fully shed that screen persona. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Taurean Blacque  Actor 
Grainger Hines  Actor 
Frank Stallone  Actor 
Allison Caine  Actor 
Lou Filippo  Actor 
Sonny Melendrez  Actor 
Shepherd Sanders  Actor 
Rene LeVant  Actor 
Michael Dorn  Actor 
Fran Ryan  Actor 
Earl Montgomery, Jr.  Actor 
James J. Casino  Actor 
Eddie Lopez  Actor 
Stuart K. Robinson  Actor 
Charles Winkler  Actor 
Allan Warnick  Actor 
Roberto Duran  Actor 
Whitney Rydbeck  Actor 
Herb Nanas  Actor 
Charles "Honi" Coles  Actor 
Paul McCrane  Actor 
Hank Rolike  Actor 
Shaka Cumbuka  Actor 
Tony Munafo  Actor 
Ava Lazar  Actor 
Jane Marla Robbins  Actor 
Jeff Temkin  Actor 
Robert Chartoff  Producer 
Bill Conti  Composer (Music Score) 
Michael S. Glick  Executive Producer 
Frank Stallone  Composer (Music Score) 
Sylvester Stallone  Director 
Sylvester Stallone  Screenwriter 
Irwin Winkler  Producer 
Sylvester Stallone  Actor 
Talia Shire  Actor 
Burt Young  Actor 
Carl Weathers  Actor 
Burgess Meredith  Actor 
Tony Burton  Actor 
Joe Spinell  Actor 
Leonard Gaines  Actor 
Sylvia Meals  Actor 
Frank McRae  Actor 
Al Silvani  Actor 
John Pleshette  Actor 
Stu Nahan  Actor 
Bill Baldwin  Actor 
Jerry Ziesmer  Actor 
Paul Micale  Actor 

Country: USA