Rambo: Five Movies, Three Books, One Legend

In 1972, the first novel by David Morrell about a Vietnam War veteran named John Rambo was published. In 1982, the first film starring Sylvester Stallone in the lead role, about one of the most famous action characters in cinema history, was released. Since then, the name Rambo has become generic, and the hero himself has become a role model for several generations of boys. But behind the bloody scenes and buff muscles in ‘Rambo’ lies the idea of the post-war experience of a veteran going through tough times. Journalist and film historian Nat Segaloff dives into the very phenomenon of the hero and explores Rambo's personality and all of his legacy. Rambo is a full-fledged pop culture icon, as controversial as it is popular with audiences in many countries. Five feature films. Three novels. Seven video games. Countless comics, figurines, and even an animated television series for children. Rambo’s machine was as unstoppable as the character himself, who became the second iconic hero for Sylvester Stallone.