Episode Details

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