The Rambo tattoo on my left calf get’s a lot of attention. People do a double take, and then ask me if it’s who they think it is! Yup it’s Rambo, John J I tell them, often in the hopes of a follow up question, why? Sadly that usually doesn’t happen. So with the official release of Rambo: Last Blood on September 20th I can take the opportunity to plaster the reason all over the place.
You can listen to the clip below from The Morning After episode to hear the story as well, along with a fun audio piece I put together 11 years ago when the last Rambo movie came out in 08′ That is when I got the Rambo Portrait tattoo. Rambo First Blood was my introduction to a problem I had no idea existed, and that problem was the mistreatment of Veterans, in particular Vietnam veterans. I grew up in a house hold where veterans were respected and looked at as what they are, heroes. My Dad was a Marine during the 50’s and my Sister at the time was active duty Army. So when I saw the movie, I had no idea that there was a world where Veterans were getting spit on and looked down upon for their service.
The movie for me shed light on the reality, and ever since then I have done anything I can to be of service to those who have served out country. So that was the stepping off point for the reasoning behind the tattoo. Then of course my fanboydom of Sylvester Stallone. A person I have always felt was an underdog in the industry. No doubt we have seen all of his movies, but the work he did behind many of those and others is what really sparked my interest in him. Underrated as a writer and a director in my opinion. While I am REALLY looking forward to Last Blood, I really wish he had taken up the director’s chair for this mission, much like he did in the last movie, Rambo.
Keep an eye out for our Morning After The Movies Podcast for a review of the movie.
