From: Reviews and Criticism of Vietnam War Theatrical and Television Dramas (http://www.lasalle.edu/library/vietnam/FilmIndex/home.htm) compiled by John K. McAskill, La Salle University ([email protected]) R2403 RAMBO III (USA, 1988) Credits: director, Peter MacDonald ; writers, Sylvester Stallone, Sheldon Lettich. Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Marc de Jonge, Kurtwood Smith. Summary: Action/adventure film set in contemporary Afghanistan. The film opens with John Rambo (Stallone) living a secluded life in a Thai Buddhist monastery searching for inner peace. When friend and mentor Col. Sam Trautman (Crenna) visits to ask for his help in a top secret mission to Afghanistan, Rambo declines to enter another war. Trautman goes it alone and is captured by the Russians. When Rambo learns of his friend’s fate, he sets out to free Trautman. Adair, Gilbert. Hollywood’s Vietnam [GB] (p. 133, 142) Ansen, David. “The arts: Movies: A macho for all seasons” Newsweek 111 (May 10, 1988), p. 60-61. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1989] Avins, Mimi. “The secret of Sly’s excess; Rambo” Premiere 1 (Jan 1988), p. 52-5+ [5 p.] Berman, Janice. “Rambo’s new battle cry” Newsday (May 25, 1988), pt. II, p. 9. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1989] Brauerhoch, Annette. “Rambo III” EPD Film 5 (Sep 1988), p. 42. Buchardt, Nikolaj. “Rambo III” Levende billeder 4 (Oct 1988), p. 56. Budra, Paul. “Rambo in the garden: The POW film as pastoral” Literature/film quarterly 18/3 (1990), p. 188-92. Burden, Martin. [Rambo III] New York post (May 25, 1988), p. 25. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1989] Canby, Vincent. “Film view: Will summitry sideline Rambo?” New York times 137 (Jun 19, 1988), sec. 2, p. 23+ [2 p.] “Carolco delays ‘Rambo III’ shoot until fall: Locale search still on” Variety 327 (Apr 29, 1987), p. 5+ [2 p.] “Carolco may whip out ‘Rambo III’ for film’s guarantors at market” ‘Red heat’ may also be screened” Variety 330 (Feb 24, 1988), p. 15+ [2 p.] Cliff, Paul. “Movie trax” Film monthly 1 (Feb 1990), p. 34. Colpart, Gilles. “Rambo III” Revue du cinema hors ser. 35 (1988), p. 92. Cosford, Bill. “Rambo III” Miami herald (May 25, 1988), p. 1D. __________. “Understanding Stallone’s Rambo” Philadelphia inquirer (May 28, 1988), p. D1, D10. Denby, David. “Movies: On the warpath” New York 21 (Jun 6, 1988), p. 60-61. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1989] Devine, Jeremy M. Vietnam at 24 frames a second [GB] (p. 100, 284-5) Early, Emmett. The war veteran in film Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, 2003. (p. 160, 164-5, 234) Edelstein, David. [Rambo III] Rolling stone 528 (Jun 16, 1988), p. 70. Eder, Shirley. “‘Rambo III’ a rocky trial for Stallone” Detroit free press (May 7, 1988), p. 12D. Floyd, Nigel. “Rambo III” Monthly film bulletin 55/656 (Sep 1988), p. 274. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1989] Gibson, James Wilson. Warrior dreams: paramilitary culture in post-Vietnam America New York : Hill and Wang, 1994. Gibson, W. [Rambo III] In these times 12/29 (Jul 6, 1988), p. 21. Gold, Richard (Rich). “Rambo III” Variety 331 (May 25, 1988), p. 16. ___________. “Tri-Star, Carolco execs insist ‘Rambo III’ won’t die at b.o.” Variety 331 (Jun 22, 1988), p. 4+ [2 p.] Golja, Marco. “Rambo III” Ekran 14/3-4 (1989), p. 35-6. Grauman, Edwige. “Sylvester Stallone: Les mauvais jours de ‘Rambo III’” Cine revue 41 (Oct 8, 1987), p. 37. Guild, Hazel. “Germany rates ‘Rambo III’ highly: Protests mounting” Variety 332 (Aug 31, 1988), p. 1-2. Harmetz, Aljean. “Hanks bashes Stallone at box offices” New York times 137 (Jun 15, 1988), p. C20. Hinson, Hal. “Movies: ‘Rambo III’: Flex and violence” Washington post (May 25, 1988), p. C1. Hoang, Minh. “Rambo o Ixraen - nguoi thay hay ten hoc tro?” Nge thuat dien anh 60 (Jan 1988), p. 55. Hoberman, J. “Film: The bod that failed” Village voice 33 (Jun 7, 1988), p. 62. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1989] Holzl, Gebhard and Peipp, Matthias. Fahr zur Holle, Charlie! [GB] (p. 201, 203, 298) Howe, Desson. “‘Rambo III’: Shooting sitting ducks, redux” Washington post (May 27, 1988), Weekend, p. 41. Jackson, Niel. “Nothing is over!: Rambo’s rampage” in Search & destroy (edited by Jack Hunter) [London] : Creation Books, 2003, c2002. (Chap. 10, p. 161-176) Jeffords, Susan. “The big switch: Hollywood masculinity in the nineties” in Film theory goes to the movies (edited by Jim Collins, Hilary Radner, and Ava Preacher Collins) New York : Routledge, 1993. (p. 196-208) ____________. Hard bodies: Hollywood masculinity in the Reagan era New Brunswick, N.J. : Rutgers Univ. Press, 1994. (p. 41-49+) ____________. “Masculinity as excess in Vietnam films: The father/son dynamic of American culture” [GB] ____________. The remasculinization of America: gender and the Vietnam war [GB] Johnson, Brian D. [Rambo III] Macleans 101 (Jun 6, 1988), p. 62. Kolomitz, Nancy. “Rambo III” Film journal 91 (Jun 1988), p. 19-20. Lafontaine, Yves. “Rambo III” 24 images 39-40 (fall 1988), p. 112. Lanning, Michael Lee. Vietnam at the movies [GB] (p. 300-1) LaSalle, Mick. “‘Rambo’ takes a wrong turn: Deified Sly kills foes for a pal” San Francisco chronicle (May 26, 1988), p. E1. Lebouc, Georges. “Rambo III” Grand angle 15/109 (Oct 1988), p. 41-2. Lichtenfeld, Eric. Action speaks louder : violence spectacle, and the American action movie Westport, Conn. : Praeger, 2004. (p. 66-68+) MacTrevor, Joan. “Sylvester Stallone: Sa rage de vaincre n’epargne pas ses amoursi” Cine revue 16 (Apr 14, 1988), p. 20-21. Malo, Jean-Jacques. “Rambo III” Vietnam war feature filmography (1992 draft) [GB] (p. 324-5) and Vietnam war films [GB] (Entry 486) Maslin, Janet. “Reviews/film: Stallone’s ‘Rambo III,’ globe-trotting cowboy for the 80’s audience” New York times 137 (May 25, 1988), p. C15. Masty, S. J. “‘Rambo III’ hits home with Afghan mujahideen” Variety 331 (Jul 6, 1988), p. 2+ [2 p.] Materac, Piotr. “Sen o potedze” Kino 23 (Jul 1989), p. 42-4. Matthews, Tom. “Rambo III” Boxoffice 124 (Aug 1988), p. R64. Mead, Taylor. [Rambo III] Spin 4 (Aug 1988), p. 30. Morrell, David. [Rambo III] Playboy 35 (Aug 1988), p. 89+ [6 p.] Muse, Eben J. The land of Nam : the Vietnam war in American film [GB] (p. 196, 202, 263) Noriega, Chon. “Rambo III” Magill’s cinema annual Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Salem Press, 1982- (1989, p. 252-55) O’Brien, Tom. “Screen: Natural men II/III” Commonweal 115 (Jun 17, 1988), p. 370-71. Peipp, Matthias (see under Holzl, Gebhard) Pinkwas, Stan. [Rambo III] Video 12 (Nov 1988), p. 77. Prince, Stephen.. A new pot of gold : Hollywood under the electronic rainbow, 1980- 1989 New York : Scribner’s, 1999. (p. 58, 143, 145, 147, 183, 195, 198, 316- 18, 320, 322, 329) “‘Rambo’ crew’s bounced checks during Israeli filming is causing confusion as to who’s to blame” Variety 329 (Jan 6, 1988), p. 7+ [2 p.] [Rambo III - Israeli govt. confiscates funds in lieu of taxes] City limits 329 (Jan 21, 1988), p. 25. [Rambo III - review] City limits 360 (Aug 25, 1988), p. 25-6. [Rambo III - review] Empire 42 (Dec 1992), p. 42. “Rambo III” Film review annual 1989 Englewood, N.J. : J.S. Ozer, 1981- (p. 1169- 77) [Rambo III - report of Russell Mulcahy leaving the production] Hollywood reporter 298/49 (Sep 17, 1987), p. 1, 9. [Rambo III - dir. of photography walks out after differences with Stallone] Hollywood reporter 299/17 (Oct 9, 1987), p. 1, 41. [Rambo III - review] Hollywood reporter 302/26 (May 23, 1988), p. 3, 24. “Rambo III” Listener 120/3077 (Aug 25, 1988), 32. “Rambo III” Motion picture guide annual (edited by Jay Robert Nash and Stanley Ralph Ross) Chicago : Cinebooks, 1987-2000. (1989, p. 137-38) [Rambo III - report on Russell Mulcahy leaving the production] Screen international 619 (Sep 26, 1987), p. 2. [Rambo III - review] Screen international 655 (Jun 4, 1988), p. 23. [Rambo III - review] Time out 940 (Aug 24, 1988), p. 30. “‘Rambo III’ eyes $150-mil in b.o. o’seas - Carolco” Variety 331 (Jul 20, 1988), p. 25. “‘Rambo III’ fait un malheur” Film echange 42/2 (1988), p. 58. “‘Rambo III’: Four score or so millions to reach the market” Variety 331 (May 4, 1988), p. 6. “‘Rambo III’ ready for Aug. 30 start” Variety 328 (Aug 26, 1987), p. 4+ [2 p.] Ryan, Desmond. “Stallone returns in ‘Rambo III’ with even more violence” Philadelphia inquirer (May 25, 1988), p. E5. Saada, Nicolas. “Rambo III” Cahiers du cinema 413 (Nov 1988), p. 63. Salamon, Julie. “Film: Summer fun with Hanks, Hogan and Stallone” Wall Street journal (Jun 2, 1988), p. 20. Savran, David. “The sadomasochist in the closet: White masculinity and the culture of victimization” Differences 8/2 (summer 1996), p. 127+ Schickel, Richard. “Cinema: Muscles + money = excess” Time 131 (May 30, 1988), p. 64. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1989] Shindler, Merrill. [Rambo III] Los Angeles 33 (Jun 1988), p. 200+ [3 p.] Sikorski, Radek. “The world stage: Why Rambo’s not right” National review 40 (Nov 7, 1988), p. 52. Springer, Claudia. “Rebellious sons in Vietnam combat films: A response” Genre 21/4 (1988), p. 517-22. Steinmetz, Johanna. “‘Rambo III’ acts like a good western” Chicago tribune (May 25, 1988), Tempo, p. 7. Sterritt, David. “This summer, skip any movie with II or III in the title” Christian science monitor (Jul 25, 1988), p. 20. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1989] Sullivan, Jim. “‘Rambo III’: The mayhem as before” Boston globe (May 25, 1988), Arts and Film, p.