East vs West Culture in Rocky IV (1985)

 Introduction about East vs West culture

Today we will talk about the culture of the East vs West, and how it is portrayed in film.

To get to know the differences in culture between the East vs West, here is a short explanation: The Eastern culture is made up of countries such as Japan, China, and Korea (North and South). The Eastern societies emphasize and teach collectivism and social harmony. In China harmony, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, honesty, loyalty, and filial piety are some of the values that they deeply believe in and teach (Lihua, 2013).

The West is made up of countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and most of Europe (World Population Review, 2022). In Western culture, people like to emphasize individualism, freedom, and self-expression (The Migration Translators, 2019).

East vs West in “Rocky IV (1985)”

Russia, although it is in Europe, and Europe is part of the Western culture, it is one of the countries that has a mix of Western and Eastern due to historical interactions with the Byzantine Empire (www.dailyhistory.org, n.d.) and later, the Soviet Union (Riasanovsky and Medvedkov, 2019).

The fight between Rocky Balboa and the Russian boxer Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV (1985)"  is a classic cinematic representation of the East vs West culture and the clash that they had during the Cold War era. The film shows the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, using the boxing fight as a metaphor for the issues that were happening in real life between the two nations.



Themes of East vs West culture in Rocky IV (1985)

  1. Ideological Conflict: Individualism vs. Collectivism

The Rocky and Drago fight symbolizes more than just two boxers fighting. It represents the battle between Western individualism and Eastern collectivism. 

Rocky represents the American values of individual strength and hard work. As an underdog, he trains alone in harsh and natural environments (coldwar.unc.edu, n.d.). He uses his determination to prepare a classic "rags-to-riches" story based on personal hard work.

Drago, however, represents the Soviet Union’s focus on collective achievement over individual success. His training is very controlled and scientific, with advanced technology provided by the state of Russia (coldwar.unc.edu, n.d.). Drago isn't just fighting for himself; he is fighting for his country. This shows how the Soviet system influences personal success. In his world, he is winning for his country not for himself.


  1. Freedom vs Control

In Rocky IV (1985), Drago is shown as more than just a boxer, his character represents the strict, emotionless nature of the Soviet system. He isn’t fighting for himself, but he is used as a tool by his government, to get the win for his country rather than for himself. Drago's quiet and robotic behavior shows how controlled and restricted the environment around him is (coldwar.unc.edu, n.d.). Through Drago’s character, the film shows how personal freedom is sacrificed for the state's glory in the Soviet system.

Rocky, in contrast, fights for personal reasons, vengeance for the death of his friend Apollo Creed, but also for his legacy and freedom. This aspect reflects the Western values of individual freedom, independence, and the desire for personal goals, regardless of the system or establishment.




  1. Cold War Propaganda

Released during the peak of the Cold War, Rocky IV (1985) goes into the intense competition between the US and the Soviet Union. The film is in many ways, a form of cultural propaganda in favour of the Americans (since it is an American film), showcasing the Americans as hard-working and independent, and the Russians as evil and controlling (UKEssays, 2018). This was shown in a way that appealed to Western audiences of that time. 

After Rocky defeats Drago, he gives a speech about change and understanding between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, suggesting that peace is possible between the two rivals. But this moment only comes after the symbolic victory of the West over the East, where the "free man" Rocky Balboa defeats Ivan Drago the "controlled machine."



Conclusion

So, as you can clearly tell, the boxing match between Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago in Rocky IV (1985) is much more than a sports event. Rocky IV (1985) symbolizes the clash between East and West during the Cold War, highlighting Western values of individuality and freedom versus Eastern ideas of collectivism and control. The real-life tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet relations of the 1980s are clearly shown through this sports-drama film. 

 

References:

coldwar.unc.edu. (n.d.). Rocky IV (1985) | A Visual Guide to the Cold War. [online] Available at: https://coldwar.unc.edu/2019/05/rocky-iv-1985/.

Lihua, Z. (2013). China’s traditional cultural values and national identity. [online] Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Available at: https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2013/11/chinas-traditional-cultural-values-and-national-identity?lang=en.

O’Connor, C. (2021). Individualism and Collectivism: An American and Indonesian Comparison and Analysis on Central and Federal Government Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Individualism and Collectivism. [online] Individualism and Collectivism: An American and Indonesian Comparison and Analysis on Central and Federal Government Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lafayette College Digital Humanities Summer Scholar Program (DHSS) 2021. Available at: https://scalar.lafayette.edu/individualism-and-collectivism-an-american-and-indonesian-comparison-and-analysis-on-federal-govern/individualism-and-collectivism [Accessed Oct. 2024].

Riasanovsky, N.V. and Medvedkov, O.L. (2019). Russia | Geography, History, Map, & Facts. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Russia.

Saravia, J. (2020). Good vs. Evil: the construction of Soviet ‘otherness’ in Rocky IV. [online] PopMeC research blog. Available at: https://popmec.hypotheses.org/1635.

The Migration Translators (2019). Eastern vs western cultures. [online] The Migration Translators. Available at: https://www.migrationtranslators.com.au/east-vs-west-cultural-differences/.

UKEssays (2018). Depiction of Cold War in Rocky IV. [online] UKEssays.com. Available at: https://www.ukessays.com/essays/history/the-depiction-of-cold-war-in-rocky-iv.php.

World Population Review (2022). Western Countries 2020. [online] worldpopulationreview.com. Available at: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/western-countries.

www.dailyhistory.org. (n.d.). How did the Byzantine Empire influence Russia - DailyHistory.org. [online] Available at: https://www.dailyhistory.org/How_did_the_Byzantine_Empire_influence_Russia.

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