Sylvester Stallone and His Friends' Films Podcast

Ryan welcomes Variety writer Matthew Chernov (How the West Was Cast) to It’s a Long Road for a scene-by-scene look at Rambo III’s botched rescue.
They talk Variety lists, why Matthew ranks Rambo III second in the franchise, then the failed raid: Trautman still captive, the injured boy, the sewer swim, the RPG that buys time, handing over Co’s necklace, and Stallone’s classic self-surgery with gunpowder. Matthew also walks through the 2021 Julian’s Auctions Stallone sale — First Blood knife, poncho, bow, Rocky script pages — and plugs How the West Was Cast plus his Variety pieces, including Tulsa King costume design.
Ryan also hosts One More Round, the Rocky series podcast.
00:00 – Intro and Matthew’s Variety work  
08:40 – Why he ranks Rambo III #2  
12:50 – Bond and western podcasts / How the West Was Cast  
41:00 – Sewer escape, the boy, and the failed mission  
43:30 – Sending the boy northwest / Co’s necklace  
45:30 – Wound-cauterizing sequence and the body cast  
48:30 – How the episode felt as a first-time video guest  
49:50 – Plugs: How the West Was Cast, matthewchernov.com, Tulsa King  
51:20 – Julian’s Auctions Stallone memorabilia  
56:10 – Wrap-up

Ryan welcomes Dominick Tartamella (Movie Thoughts podcast, Genuine Reels impersonations) to It’s a Long Road for another scene-by-scene pass through Rambo III.
They cover Dominick’s Stallone fandom from his dad’s VHS tapes, why Rambo III is his least favorite of the series, and then the aftermath of the village attack: the leader’s “where is the honor?” speech, Rambo declaring “it is now” his war, the boy who wants to fight, and the famous “he would do it for me / he calls me Johnny” walk-off. Along the way: hairline debates, possible lip work, a visible costume flub, and plenty of Rocky asides.
Find Dominick’s solo reviews on Movie Thoughts. Ryan also hosts One More Round, the Rocky series podcast.
00:00 – Intro and Dominick’s Movie Thoughts / Genuine Reels  
06:00 – Stallone and Rambo fandom origin  
12:30 – Overall take on Rambo III  
16:00+ – Hair, lips, and peak physical Stallone  
49:40 – Hair plugs debate  
51:40 – Leader scene after the attack / “where is the honor?”  
56:00 – “It is now” / “you’re a good friend”  
59:30 – The boy wants to fight  
1:00:30 – “He would do it for me” walk-off  
1:01:30 – Wrap-up and plugs

Ryan welcomes Sicco (Hugging a Cactus / the Mel Gibson podcast, the Arnold podcast, Last of the Action Heroes Network) for his first appearance on It’s a Long Road, the Rambo series podcast.
They talk overall Rambo fandom — why First Blood is Stallone’s best acting work — then settle into Rambo III: the well-shot Russian prison sequence with Trautman, the village hospital, Soviet toy mines, Yuri the defector’s rock-and-stick briefing, and the council that decides whether to help free Trautman. Sicco adds real-world timing on the Soviet-Afghan war and why the movie already felt slightly out of date in 1988.
Also plugged: Game Changers (starting with G.I. Jane), Bird on a Wire, Nowhere to Run, Spies Like Us, Red Dawn, and the new Arnold season.
00:00 – Intro and Sicco’s shows (Mel Gibson, Arnold, Game Changers)  
04:40 – Overall Rambo fandom and First Blood as acting  
07:00 – How Rambo III felt in 1988 vs now  
11:20 – Real-world Soviet-Afghan conflict timing  
16:50 – Back at the Russian base / Trautman in the cell  
18:00 – Cinematography and theatrical look  
43:40 – Village hospital, prosthetic limbs, toy mines  
45:40 – Yuri the defector  
47:20 – Council meeting and the miniature base briefing  
51:20 – “I’ll go alone” vs asking for two men  
53:00 – Holy warriors speech and why Stallone made the movie  
57:30 – Wrap-up and network plugs

Ryan welcomes friends Sean and Brad from **Eh & B! The PNW Sports Show** for more Rambo III coverage on It’s a Long Road!  
We pick up right after Troutman’s capture, dive into the intense interrogation with the Russian commander, Troutman’s powerful “We had our Vietnam” speech, the prophetic dialogue about the Afghan people, and the epic horseback trek through the mountains with Mousa.  
Expect plenty of laughs, wrestling stories, Sly vs. Arnold debate, and real talk about the franchise’s life lessons.  
**Find Sean & Brad:**  
Eh & B! The PNW Sports Show – available on all major podcast platforms  
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (search Eh & B! or The PNW Sports Show)
00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome  
01:15 Sean & Brad Intro + Wrestling Stories  
05:00 Eh & B! Podcast Background  
05:45 Rambo Franchise Fandom Overview  
08:29 Sean’s Rocky/Rambo Origin Story  
11:31 Rambo 3 Production Facts  
12:34 Sly vs. Arnold & Military Realism  
16:20 Picking Up After Troutman’s Capture  
43:03 Russian Commander Interrogation Begins  
49:24 Troutman’s “We Had Our Vietnam” Speech  
54:23 Mountain Trek with Mousa  
56:05 Afghan Prayer & Prayer of Crom Comparison  
59:15 Closing & Guest Plugs

Continuing Season 3 of It’s a Long Road with special guest Dan from the Retrospectors YouTube channel (Sega retro gaming & online multiplayer on original hardware)! We break down key early Rambo III scenes: Rambo’s refusal of the Afghanistan mission (“I’m not ready yet”), the contemplative rooftop moments, Troutman’s bizarrely planned nighttime operation that goes sideways, and Rambo’s decision to go in unofficially.
Dan shares how he discovered the podcast via James Rolfe, his Sega roots (Phantasy Star stories!), and how a younger fan found Rocky & Rambo in the early 2000s. Like, comment your thoughts on the mission planning, and subscribe!
Check out Dan’s channel: Retrospectors (Sega-focused retro gaming content).
00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome  
00:44 Dan’s Channel & How He Found the Podcast  
03:11 Sega Gaming Talk & Phantasy Star Story  
09:27 Rambo/Sega Games & Sly Fandom Origins  
15:37 Dan’s Path to Rocky & Rambo  
32:33 “I’m Not Ready Yet” Scene & Analogy  
35:31 Troutman’s Nighttime Mission Begins  
41:07 Mission Failure & Capture  
43:36 Rambo Learns the News & Goes Unofficial  
45:12 Closing & Full Circle Discussion