Review & Premiere of "Rambo", in a Los Angeles newspaper...

Item # 722621

May 22, 1985

LOS ANGELES TIMES, May 22, 1985

* Best "Rambo: First Blood Part II" advertisement
* Grand Opening Day movie premiere
* Sylvester Stallone - John Rambo

A terrific issue on the premiere of the motion picture hits "Rambo: First Blood Part II" and perhaps no better issue could be found than this, the leading newspaper from the home of the entertainment industry - the Hollywood area's prime publication.

Note: Where else might one find authentic, poster-size ads for Opening Day showings, in the most desirable Hollywood-area newspaper - as we were lucky enough to obtain this (and others) indirectly from the Los Angeles Times' own collection? It simply doesn't get any better! In over 40 years of collecting, we have yet to see such unique & dramatic coverage with truly top-shelf, eye-catching displayability (see images).

The front page of section VI has a review of the film headed: "Why A 'Rambo II' ? For Muddiest Of Reasons" And perhaps more significant is the terrific, full page poster-like advertisement for the film printed on it's opening day. (see).
A quite rare issue as it would not have been saved since it contains no historically significant content. Present are the complete sections 1 and VI totaling 36 pages. Great condition.

AI notes: Released in 1985, Rambo: First Blood Part II famously pivoted the franchise from a grounded study of veteran trauma into a high-octane, quintessential 80s action spectacle. Directed by George P. Cosmatos and co-written by James Cameron, the film follows John Rambo as he is released from prison for a "reconnaissance-only" mission to locate POWs in Vietnam, only to be betrayed by his own government. Fueled by a desire for redemption and revenge, Rambo abandons his orders to wage a one-man war against both the North Vietnamese and their Soviet allies, utilizing a signature arsenal—including his iconic survival knife and explosive-tipped arrows—that cemented his status as a pop-culture titan. While it stripped away the nuanced psychological weight of the original First Blood, its massive commercial success redefined the "muscular" action genre, offering a revisionist fantasy of military victory that resonated deeply with the political climate of the Reagan era.