Rambo III (1988)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Peter MacDonald

Writers (WGA):

David Morrell (characters)
Sylvester Stallone (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 May 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

God would have mercy John Rambo won't!

Plot:

Rambo's Vietnam commanding officer Colonel Trautman is held hostage in Afghanistan, and its up to Rambo to rescue him.

Plot Keywords:

Rambo | Rescue | Colonel | Soviet | Afghanistan

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Sylvester Stallone	...	Rambo
Richard Crenna	...	Trautman
Marc de Jonge	...	Zaysen
Kurtwood Smith	...	Griggs
Spiros Focás	...	Masoud (as Spiros Focas)
Sasson Gabai	...	Mousa
Doudi Shoua	...	Hamid
Randy Raney	...	Kourov
Marcus Gilbert	...	Tomask
Alon Abutbul	...	Nissem
Mahmoud Assadollahi	...	Rahim
Joseph Shiloach	...	Khalid
Harold Diamond	...	Stick Fighter
Matti Seri	...	Gun Dealer
Hany Said El Deen	...	Gun Dealer
Shaby Ben-Aroya	...	Uri
Marciano Shoshi	...	Afghan Girl
Sadiq Tawfiq	...	Helicopter Person
Julian Patrice	...	Helicopter Person
Tal Kastoriano	...	Helicopter Person
Benny Bruchim	...	Helicopter Person
Tikva Aziz	...	Helicopter Person
Milo Rafi	...	Helicopter Person
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
R.T. Freeman	...	Afghan Warrior (uncredited)
Paul Dion Monte	...	Russian Gunner (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter MacDonald		(as Peter Macdonald)

Writing credits (WGA)
David Morrell		(characters)
Sylvester Stallone		(written by) and
Sheldon Lettich		(written by)

Produced by
Buzz Feitshans	....	producer
Mario Kassar	....	executive producer
Tony Munafo	....	associate producer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	executive producer (as Andrew Vajna)

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
John Stanier		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
O. Nicholas Brown
Andrew London
James R. Symons		(as James Symons)
Edward Warschilka

Casting by
Joy Todd

Production Design by
Bill Kenney

Art Direction by
Pier Luigi Basile
Alan Cassie
Benjamín Fernández
Adrian Gorton

Costume Design by
Richard La Motte

Makeup Department
Giannetto De Rossi	....	special makeup effects artist
Donna Barrett Gilbert	....	key hair stylist
Jeff Goodwin	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Terry Collis	....	production manager
Michael Fuller	....	unit production manager: Thailand
Charles Murray	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ernest Day	....	second unit director
Douglas Dean III	....	second assistant director
Jeff Jensen	....	second unit director
Nikolas Korda	....	second assistant director
Nikolas Korda	....	second assistant director: second unit
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director
Michael Murray	....	first assistant director: second unit
Terry Needham	....	first assistant director
Michael Stevenson	....	assistant director: Israel

Art Department
Howard Fannon	....	props/weapons
Fred Lucky	....	storyboard illustrator
Sam Moore	....	property master
David J. Negron Jr.	....	storyboard artist
Carlo Postiglione	....	props
Ron Reedy	....	props
John Sweeney	....	assistant propmaster
Larry Verne	....	construction coordinator
Peter Flynn	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Robert Misetich	....	paint foreman (uncredited)
John Naulin	....	sculptor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steve Bartlett	....	sound
Linda Folk	....	sound editor
William B. Kaplan	....	sound mixer
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rodger Pardee	....	sound editor
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	sound editor
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	sound editor
Michael R. Sloan	....	post-production sound supervisor
Eli Yarkoni	....	sound mixer
Jay Wilkinson	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Thomas L. Fisher	....	special effects coordinator
Jay King	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
John Coats	....	visual effects camera: Introvision
Tim Donahue	....	visual effects art director: Introvision
Joel Fletcher	....	effects sculptor: Introvision
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor
David Stump	....	visual effects camera: Introvision
Marcus Tate	....	visual effects cameraman: introvision system camera
Richard Kilroy	....	model builder (uncredited)
Jon Macht	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt coordinator
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts (as Bruce Barbour)
Kenny Bates	....	stunts
Ray Bonner	....	stunts
Clay Boss	....	stunts
Hank Calia	....	stunts
Robert Copenhaver	....	stunts
David D. Darling	....	stunts (as Dave Darling)
Mark De Alessandro	....	utility stunts
Steve DeFrance	....	stunts (as Steve M. deFrance)
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
Dan Doucette	....	stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Andy Epper	....	stunts
Danny Epper	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Terry Funk	....	stunts
Ralph Garrett	....	stunts
Bill Getzwiller	....	stunt horses: Arizona
J.B. Getzwiller	....	stunts
Joey Hamlin	....	stunts
Harry Hauss	....	stunts (as Harold Hauss)
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
John Hock	....	utility stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	utility stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts
Steven Lambert	....	stunts (as Steve Lambert)
Jeff Langton	....	stunts
Dave Lowry	....	stunts (as David Lowry)
Alan Marcus	....	stunts
Sean A. McGaughy	....	stunts (as Sean McGaughy)
Don McGovern	....	stunt double: slyvester stallone
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Cliff McLaughlin	....	stunts
Gene McLaughlin	....	stunts
Ben Miller	....	stunt horses: Arizona
Paul Dion Monte	....	stunts (as Paul Monte)
Dennis Motes	....	stunt horses: Arizona
Jeff O'Haco	....	utility stunts
Bob Orrison	....	stunts
Miguel Pedregosa	....	stunt performer
Chad Randall	....	stunts
Larry Randles	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
Kerry Rossall	....	stunts
Anthony G. Schmidt	....	stunts (as Anthony Schmidt)
Forrie J. Smith	....	stunts (as Forrest J. Smith)
Monty Stuart	....	stunts
Bob Terhune	....	stunts
Renaud Veluzat	....	stunt driver (as Paul Renaud Veluzat)
Mike Watson	....	stunts
Karl A. Wickman	....	stunts (as Karl Wickman)
Jeff Winn	....	stunts
Rodd Wolff	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Dickey Beer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jay King	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Itzik Ben-Aroya	....	key grip: second unit
Danny Ben Menahem	....	gaffer
Bob Bridges	....	clapper loader
Jacob Bukman	....	key grip
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer
Yoni Hamenachem	....	still photographer
Louis H. Lavelly	....	camera operator: Israel
Moshe Levin	....	camera operator
Roland Neveu	....	special still photographer: one sheet
Bob Rose	....	key grip: Arizona
Tony Rowland	....	key grip: Thailand
Rami Siman-Tov	....	focus puller
Yuda Tatarko	....	best boy electric
Michael T. Travers	....	grip
Ron Kunecke	....	musco light operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carol Fisher-Mann	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Scott Arundale	....	assistant editor
Noori Dehnahi	....	post-production coordinator
Ron S. Herbes	....	assistant editor
Eric Whitfield	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Nancy Beach	....	orchestrator
Michael Dittrick	....	music editor
Jerry Goldsmith	....	conductor
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Tim Abbatoye	....	second transportation captain
Ed Arter	....	transportation coordinator
Gregory Dultz	....	driver
Doron Mizrachi	....	action vehicles: Israel
Tommy Tancharoen	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Zafi Arieli	....	production secretary
Charles Bella	....	helicopter pilot: Gazelle
Delia Circelli	....	production coordinator
Juan Cruz	....	wrangler coordinator: Israel (as Juan Cruz Mesa)
Jim Davidson	....	production controller
Mike De Luca	....	security officer: Mr. Stallone
Harold Diamond	....	stick fight coordinator
Tony Didio Jr.	....	armorer
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Joseph Hausdorf	....	wrangler coordinator: Israel
Harry Hauss	....	helicopter pilot: Jet Ranger (as Harold Hauss)
Ray Herbeck Jr.	....	re-enactor coordinator
Sophia Lansky	....	consultant
Sophia Lansky	....	dialect coach
Tony Maffatone	....	weapons consultant
Juan Maján	....	wrangler coordinator: Israel (as Juan Majan)
Roy Matthews	....	pilot: Puma, second unit
Yoav Peled	....	pilot: Gazelle, second unit
Nick Phillips	....	helicopter coordinator: second unit
Ronit Ravich-Boss	....	script supervisor
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Jim Spahn	....	chief wrangler: California
Syd Stembridge	....	armorer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	presenter (as Andrew Vajna)
Karl A. Wickman	....	helicopter coordinator: Arizona (as Karl Wickman)
Jeff Winn	....	key craft service
Billy Yoak	....	helicopter modificator
Frans J. Afman	....	financial consultant (uncredited)
Brita McCollough	....	caterer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Carolco Pictures

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Films (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Guild Film Distribution (1988) (UK) (theatrical)
• Jugendfilm-Verleih (1988) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (????) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• TriStar Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Artisan Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Artisan Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Artisan Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Delta Vidéo Diffusion (????) (France) (VHS)
• Guild Home Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Thailand) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Live Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Live Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Maple Pictures (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Pioneer (1992) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Roadshow Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Vestron Video International (1989) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (HD DVD)

Special Effects

• Introvision International

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Intrada  score album released by

Also Known As:

Rambo 3 (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
Rambo: First Blood Part III (Malaysia: English title)

Runtime:

102 min | Finland:87 min (1988) (heavily cut) (VHS version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Italy:T | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (video release) (cut) | Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) (DVD release) | Finland:K-16 (1998) (uncut) (video) | UK:18 (uncut) (2001) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-16 (video rating) (1988) (heavily cut) | Finland:K-18 (theatrical rating) (1988) (uncut) | Malaysia:18PL | Brazil:14 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Norway:18 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Company:

Carolco Pictures

Trivia:

The other helicopter disguised as a Russian gunship was really an Aerospatiale/Eurocopter SA 341/2 Gazelle (also modified as the title helicopter in the movie Blue Thunder (1983)), of British/French design. The four fighter aircraft seen at a distance in the beginning are French-built Mirage-IIIs of the Pakistani Air Force.

Goofs:

Continuity: While kick-boxing in Thailand, Rambo offers his right hand to his opponent who fell on ground but when he comes up he's holding Rambo's left hand.

Quotes:

Hamid: What's that?
Rambo: It's blue light.
Hamid: What does it do?
Rambo: It turns blue.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Angry Video Game Nerd: Chronologically Confused About Sequel Titles (#1.15)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

IT IS OUR DESTINY

Not terrible, but...

With the highest budget of the three movies, the movie certainly looks expensive, with an epic scope at times. But you never quite get the feeling that the movie settles into a comfortable groove. Though the action sequences have plenty of gunshots and explosions, the way they are filmed - and edited - doesn't have the right impact or flow, like the action sequences in the second installment.

In another comparison to the second installment, the story - while as sparse as this one - certainly kept moving. Here there are a number of segments that move very slowly and/or don't seem to have much purpose. The movie should have gotten down to business. The uneven flow of the movie also suffers near the end, as if the movie all of a sudden decides it needs to wrap things up in a few minutes, making the final battle almost come out of nowhere.

(In fairness to the director, it should be pointed out that he was a sudden replacement after original director Russell Mulcahy was fired, and had only ONE DAY to prepare to helm the rest of the movie.)

Like the previous installment, there is some dumb dialogue, but this time around it's not delivered in a slight tongue-in-cheek manner. If they had been willing to show this time around that they weren't taking things so seriously, it would have helped. You might say that the actor playing the Russian commander is not playing things seriously, but he goes SO over the top that he's embarrassing.

It's watchable, but disappointing - they had the chance to make a kick-ass action movie here.

By the way, the Afghans that Rambo helps in this movie are *NOT* the Taliban. People seem to forget that Afghanistan is made up of a number of different tribes. You can tell these particular Afghans are not the Taliban, because (among other things), the women are not completely covered, and the men play the traditional Afghan game with horses and a goat's skin (forbidden by the Taliban.)