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Ivan Drago
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Real name le Grizzli de Sibérie, le Tueur venu du froid
Ivan Drago (Russian: Иван Драго) is a fictional character that appeared as Rocky Balboa's rival in the 1985 film Rocky IV. He is portrayed by Dolph Lundgren. Like the Clubber Lang character from Rocky III, the character and his catchphrases have gone on to inspire multiple mentions in popular culture, including in the Family Guy episodes "Brian Goes Back to College" and "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side", the Chuck episodes "Chuck Versus the Final Exam" and "Chuck Versus the Anniversary", film Disaster Movie, as well as the name of Michigan heavy metal band, If He Dies He Dies. A poll of former heavyweight champions and prominent boxing writers ranked Drago as the third best fighter in the Rocky film series.
Biography
Ivan Drago is an Olympic gold medalist and an amateur boxing champion from the Soviet Union, who had an amateur record of 100-1-0 Wins (100 KO). He is billed at 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) and 261 pounds (118 kg, over 18 ½ stone). He wields a punch yielding over 2000 psi, whereas the average psi for a boxer is 700psi. He is also an infantry Captain in the Soviet Army and as seen on his chest, is a recipient of the Hero of the Soviet Union award. Drago is carefully fitted and trained to be the consummate fighter. His heart rate and punching power are constantly measured via computers during his workouts. Drago is seen receiving intramuscular injections in the movie, implied to be anabolic steroids, though the actual nature of the injected solution is never explicitly stated.Drago is married to another athlete, Ludmilla Vobet Drago (Brigitte Nielsen) who is mentioned to be a double gold medalist in swimming. She is much more articulate than Drago, who seldom talks, and always speaks on his behalf at press conferences and interviews. She dismisses allegations of Drago's steroid use, explaining her husband's freakish size and strength by saying, "he is like your Popeye. He eats his spinach every day!"
Best films
Played by the actor
Filmography of Ivan Drago (3 films)
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Rocky Balboa (2006)
, 1h42Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Boxing films, Le boxe anglaise
Actors Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia, Geraldine Hughes, Tony Burton, Geraldine Hughes
Rating70%
In 2006, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) has been retired from boxing for twenty years and lives a quiet life as a widower. His wife Adrian Pennino Balboa (Talia Shire) had died from cancer four years earlier. He runs a small but very successful Italian restaurant named after her, where he regales his patrons with stories of his past. He also battles personal demons involving his grief over Adrian's death, the changing times, and his eroding relationship with his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia), a struggling corporate employee. Paul "Paulie" Pennino (Burt Young), Rocky's brother-in-law and best friend, continues to keep by his side, but is tired of reliving the past.
Rocky V (1990)
, 1h51Directed by Sylvester Stallone, John G. Avildsen
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Boxing films, Le boxe anglaise
Actors Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Sage Stallone, Richard Gant, Burgess Meredith
Rating54%
Shortly after Rocky Balboa's victory over Ivan Drago in Moscow, he, his wife Adrian, his brother-in-law Paulie, and his trainer Tony "Duke" Evers return to the U.S., where they are greeted by Rocky's son Robert. At a press conference, boxing promoter George Washington Duke attempts to goad Rocky into fighting his boxer Union Cane for the World Heavyweight Championship in Tokyo, but Rocky declines the offer. Upon returning home, it is discovered that Paulie unknowingly had Rocky sign a "power of attorney" over to Rocky's accountant, who had squandered all of his money on real estate deals gone sour; in addition, the accountant had failed to pay Rocky's taxes over the past six years, and the mansion is discovered to be unpaid by $400,000.
Rocky IV (1985)
, 1h31Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action
Themes Politique, Sports films, Martial arts films, Boxing films, Political films, Le boxe anglaise, Robot films
Actors Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Burt Young, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton
Rating69%
In 1985, Ivan Drago (Lundgren), a muscular 6-foot-5, 261-pound Soviet boxer, arrives in the United States with his wife Ludmilla (Nielsen), and a team of trainers from the USSR and Cuba. His manager, Nicolai Koloff (Pataki), takes every opportunity to promote Drago's athleticism as a hallmark of Soviet superiority. Motivated by patriotism and an innate desire to prove himself, Apollo Creed (Weathers) challenges Drago to an exhibition bout. Rocky (Stallone) has reservations, but agrees to train Apollo despite his misgivings about the fight. He asks Apollo whether the fight is against the Russian, or "you against you".