CCJ offers yet another video choice for your viewing pleasure:
1 hr, 49 min
Rocky VI has been called "a copyright-infringement tour de force". The description proves apt, as any bootleg video expert worth their salt will tell you. The Rocky franchise, brought to life in 1976 and concluded in 1990 with Rocky V is brought back to life in this new pirated installment.
Unfortunately, the low-resolution picture on the cover is misleading. Sylvester Stallone is not featured in the film, as he was in the actual Rocky series. Instead, the role is played by Hideki Shigama. The casting choice is inexplicable; Shigama is Japanese, 4'10", and 110 pounds. He plays the role with spirit and vitality, but the physical differences are obvious and hard to ignore.
Rocky has once again hit rock bottom, living in the old neighborhood (actually a run-down section of Seattle, home to director Kevin Goldman) without money or friends. However, new boxing champ Wedge Stevenson (played broadly by Frank Jachs) has challenged him to one last match. Will Rocky be able to fight and reclaim his honor?
The aging former champ trains to a pounding score, which mainly consists of "Eye of the Tiger" blared on a portable cassette player. The climactic match between Rocky and Wedge will have you holding your breath. The red-dyed corn syrup flows like water as the boxers duke it out. The liberal use of different camera angles allows for Shigama's stunt double to fill in frequently. The double, unfortunately, is 6'2" and African-American.
The film is unrated, as the director did not bother to submit it to the MPAA. However, the obviously faked blood in the fight scenes, while prompting eye-rolling in adults, may disturb children. The film receives one and one-half stars. The black dye from the cheaply-produced cover rubbed off on my fingers; perhaps the simple, powerful message of this film will rub off on your heart. Direct-to-video release.
