History Trivia / RamboIII

* CreativeDifferences: Russell Mulachy was originally chosen as director on the basis of his music videos and ''Film/{{Highlander}}''. He left due to differences with Stallone:

* BannedInChina: The movie was banned in the USSR (the ban was lifted very quickly because of the Soviet Collapse).

** A popular urban legend claims that the dedication at the end was originally "to the brave Mujahideen fighters of Afghanistan" before TheWarOnTerror, when "brave Mujahideen fighters" was supposedly changed to "gallant people." In reality the dedication always said "gallant people," though the movie itself does glorify the Mujahideen to a degree that's become HarsherInHindsight since 9/11.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Rambo says to the BigBad, "Your worst nightmare", not "I'm your worst nightmare".

* FatalMethodActing: Averted. During filming, Creator/SylvesterStallone had a close call with a spinning helicopter rotor blade. In fact, had he been struck, it would have certainly decapitated him. Stallone laughed off the near miss with the quip "at least I'd have saved a fortune on haircuts!"

* GoneHorriblyRight: For one scene, Creator/SylvesterStallone was directed to fire a crossbow at a board with a tape 'X' and a ''very'' doomed camera mounted behind a hole...

* BannedInChina: The movie was banned in the USSR (the ban was lifted very quickly because of TheGreatPoliticsMessUp).

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film was criticized for being dated right as [[ExaggeratedTrope it hit theatres]]. The anticommunism goes UpToEleven in a time when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar was actually melting down, and worst of all, the Soviet Union acknowledged defeat and [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp began to withdraw from Afghanistan]] ten days ''before'' the movie's release. This is before one even considers the impression of Afghanistan that many Westerners have formed since UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror, when [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters those previously considered "freedom fighters" were increasingly regarded as or conceptually associated with "terrorists."]]

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film was criticized for being dated right as [[ExaggeratedTrope it hit theatres]]. The anticommunism goes UpToEleven in a time when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar was actually melting down, and worst of all, the Soviet Union acknowledged defeat and [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp began to withdraw from Afghanistan]] ten days ''before'' the movie's release. This is before one even considers the impression of Afghanistan that many Westerners have formed since Event/TheWarOnTerror, when [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters those previously considered "freedom fighters" were increasingly regarded as or conceptually associated with "terrorists."]]

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film was criticized for being dated right as [[ExaggeratedTrope it hit theatres]]. The anticommunism goes UpToEleven in a time when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar was actually melting down, and worst of all, the Soviet Union acknowledged defeat and [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp began to withdraw from Afghanistan]] ten days ''before'' the movie's release. This is before one even considers the impression of Afghanistan that many Westerners have formed since TheWarOnTerror, when [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters those previously considered "freedom fighters" were increasingly regarded as or conceptually associated with "terrorists."]]

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film was criticized for being dated right as [[ExaggeratedTrope it hit theatres]]. The anticommunism goes UpToEleven in a time when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar was actually melting down, and worst of all, the Soviet Union acknowledged defeat and [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp began to withdraw from Afghanistan]] ten days ''before'' the movie's release. This is before one even considers the impression of Afghanistan that many Westerners have formed since TheWarOnTerror, when [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters those previously considered "freedom fighters" were increasingly regarded as or conceptually associated with "terrorists"]].

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film was criticized for being dated right as [[ExaggeratedTrope it hit theatres]]. The anticommunism goes UpToEleven in a time when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar was actually melting down, and worst of all, the Soviet Union acknowledged defeat and [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp began to withdraw from Afghanistan]] ten days ''before'' the movie's release. This is before one even considers the impression of Afghanistan that many Westerners have formed since the GlobalWarOnTerror, when [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters those previously considered "freedom fighters" were increasingly regarded as or conceptually associated with "terrorists"]].

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film was criticized for being dated right as [[ExaggeratedTrope it hit theatres]]. The anticommunism goes UpToEleven in a time when the UsefulNotes/ColdWar was actually melting down, and worst of all, the Soviet Union acknowledged defeat and [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp began to withdraw from Afghanistan]] ten days ''before'' the movie's release.

** Stallone later said his original premise of the film "was more in keeping with the theme of ''Film/TearsOfTheSun'', but set in Afghanistan."[

** David Morrell, writer of the novel ''First Blood'', co-wrote an earlier draft for the third film, which was originally going to be about Rambo rescuing Trautman, who has been taken hostage by revolutionaries in some Central American country. The producers, however, wanted to take advantage of the media coverage surrounding the Soviet-Afghanistan wars and decided on a new script putting Rambo in the middle of that action.

* RevisedEnding: The film's ending was longer: In the original cut, as Rambo and Trautman are driving away from the freedom fighter's camp, as seen in the theatrical cut, Rambo decides to not go back with Trautman home to America and Rambo decides to stay with the freedom fighters, feeling that he has finally found somewhere he belongs. Trautman understands and says goodbye to Rambo and wishes him luck and returns home to America alone.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: This was filmed just before TheGreatPoliticsMessUp. To a 21st century audience The Afghan War is likely to be seen as TheWarOnTerror. This has UnfortunateImplications regarding Afghan rebels to a contemporary audience.