European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 10, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sly one mean dude an innocent american town in flames. In rambo ii he was stranded in enemy territory by a cynical lying High level bureaucrat who was covering up knowledge of american prisoners in Vietnam. The worst that can be said of the . Embassy official in rambo Iii is that he s a Little brusque. In the first Book Worrell had this explanation Lor rambo s rage he had killed a great Many people and a could pretend their deaths were necessary because they were All a Parl of what was pushing him making it impossible for someone like him to get along. But he did not totally believe it. He had enjoyed the Light too  the rambo of the books has a Hamlet Streak to kill or not to kill. But Stallone s Hambo won t talk about self defense or Jusli liable wars. His audience he  t want lectures. They know the essence of the character and they know what he does Best and they Mantlo get to  Stallone is already thinking about Ramba in scouting 1 the Globe for a crisis where one mean dude could lend a hand. I Panama is leading up to be a very interesting situation says Stallone who regards Gen. Manue Antonio Noriega As the perfect villain. I could you cast a better Man seriously i mean he s god sent Good Guy bad Guy the face the look his own private army the drugs i mean the canal itself the importance. Incredible. That s a  by Robert Sarr associated press ticks stones. Tanks and helicopters can1 Hurt rambo but critical words Are sharper than death for Sylvester Stallone. Of yeah it hurts he says and he remembers some that stung. Like this is a Guy who should now consider going to Louisiana and become a Bayou Fisherman thai s a Little rough. Or when someone will say his career is stranger than crib death " it hurls so much he laughs. In one Way ii is very humorous. But if i said these things to a child. The kid would be in an institution by the Lime he was 12. He would have no ego. He d be gone said Stallone who was grinding through a Lull Day of interviews to promote the $63 million Bambo Iii. I be seen a id of actors they get on a bad Roll and they keep descending and the critics keep pounding on hem. And maybe rightly so. But Loo harshly. I mean lighten up a Little bit or you la kill that  Flambo 01 follows the failure of Over the top in which Stallone played a trucker who wins his son s affection in Parl through Arm Wres Llang in Over the top. I just Felt that the movie was what ii was a simple Tittle movie he said. It was sold i think improperly because people perceived it As this big action epic audit was  Stallone 41, was All but unknown when Rocky burst on the screen in 1976. Made Lor $1.1 million Rocky took in More than $45 million at the Box office won an Academy award Lor Best picture and received Bast actor and Best screenplay nominations for Stallone laser films have made More Money bul Norto has enjoyed that kind of critical Success. Rambo Fol figures to be critic proof returning to the violence Laden formula that carried rambo ii to a worldwide Box office of $270 million. People say yeah you re giggling All the Way to the Bank " said Stallone who picked up nearly $20 million Lor reprising his role. No no the Money is a result of he Success of the film but if you Are perceived As a failure in the eyes of your Peers you see what i mean you have a problem. Ii reminds me of the character in East Olden Jet rink remember that when he has a banquet and no one shows up he s a billionaire and he stands there All alone and he collapses on the table. Seating for a thousand and he s All  Salta be. Though expects to keep going Lor a while and he joked about a sequel Way Down the Fine we Lind out that rambo had a brother and it s Rocky Balboa. And they meet and we do like a Mayley Mills split screen he said. We could keep this baby going on forever. I know we re reaching it s getting kind of thin on plot but Lei so Tor  meanwhile he s so lung ideas for Rambolt and gelling ready for Rocky Vanyl even talking about cobra when it comes to his characters. Stallone is no killer. It s hard. Nol if i like them no i really can tha said. Because i think people die a Hundred limes Over when you keep them alive when their Honor is gone and they be been shamed publicly or their manhood has been impugned irreparably wheel deals is easy. Living is hard in terms of critical acceptance Stallone thinks maybe he should have followed David Morrell s Book first blood and killed rambo in the lire film. It was shot that Way a first but was t palatable to test audiences or to the Star. A was a psycho in he Book and being True o Hal character he wiped out everyone Stallone said. And i think it would have been a great movie on that level Loo. Bul in would have been a harsh expose. I think it would have received More accolades that this was an important film like platoon of coming Home if we had stayed Wilh ii because Hal really would have been  cashing in on ram Bucks by George gatties associated Pressa attention rambo fans coming soon o a Stora near you lha rambo Bowie knife 17 deadly inches Long with a Damascus steel Blade Ebony handle and top Grain leather Sheath. Just $2,250. You can also get your rambo action dolls rambo survival watches rambo camouflage makeup a full line of posters calendars comic books and headbands and for the first Lime this year ram Buddha necklaces plastic replicas of lha rugged hero s Jade Buddha Charm behind lha hype in care co pictures inc., the producer of tha rambo movies including rambo Iii. Carol co not Only brought he Man actor Sylvester Stallone to the role and rambo to the screen it also controls movie and video rights to the series and Sells the right to make rambo paraphernalia to producers of toys weapons and the like. Rambo has been Good to Carrico. In worldwide ticket sales alone the first rambo movie earned $120 million and the second is closing on $300 million according o Kathryn Linclau Carol co s vice president for marketing. Analysis say rambo wiil make at least $160 million at the Box office in the United Stales alone and that s before the profits Slart rolling in from videocassette and television rights and the Lees from some 70 licenses Lor rambo products. So far the movie is no doing As Well As expected for fans who can afford the lop Mohe line replica of the knife Vietnam vet John rambo uses to dispatch his foes on his now foray into soviet dominated Alghan Islan there will be a slain Oss steel version for 11 ,000 and a utilitarian version for $ 125. New this year will be rambo trading urals Gold and Silver survival currency $5, $10 and �20 denominations Selling for $59 to $598, said Danny Simon who s in charge of licensing for Carol co on All its operations fast year Carol co made a profit 01 $1 1 .4 million on sales of $36 4 million and most of that Rode in on rambo s Broad shoulders. Stallone hat his own production company for lha Rocky movies and other ventures but Carol co owns he Maxi and the alar is on the payroll in a big Way. Stallone reportedly gets $16 million plus a piece of the almost certain profit from rambo i but that s Money Well spent according the Jeffrey Logsdon an analyst who follows show business for the los Angeles investment company Crowell Weadon & co. He is really playing the role of writer director Star and creative consultant Logsdon Oaid. When you have that kind of bankable Talent you re going to have to pay a  production costs traditionally Are made Public Only through informed speculation and the Trade paper daily variety pegs rambo Iii at $63 million. Carol co president Peter Hoffman called the estimate High but refused to give another figure Logsdon suggests rambo 01 Likely Cost $57 million or �58 million to make. Those estimates put rambo Iii among the Stosl expensive movies of All time. War and peace made in 1966, Cost $100 million in 1966 dollars according to the los Angeles times while More recent non adjusted figures include those Lor Tome 1932$51 ,5 million Cotton club 1984. $51 million and i Filat 1987$45 million. ,1988 the stars and stripes Page 15