All you have to do is say the name Rambo, and it conjures a very specific image. A one-man army, set on a mission of violent vengeance, full of macho and stereotypically 80s masculinity. Sylvester Stallone’s character – who appeared across five films (and an animated series!) from 1982 through 2019, is also an incredibly polarizing character.

However, it can’t be denied that the original Rambo trilogy didn’t just raise the bar for all action films to come. They were the quintessential ’80s action films, and they created an entire subgenre. Without Rambo, we wouldn’t have Die Hard, Commando, or Taken. Without Stallone’s muscle-bound action hero to lead the way, people like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Vin Diesel may never have found a career in the movies.

Stallone, as John Rambo, created the trope of the unstoppable, indestructible one-man army. And it’s because of these films that the word Rambo entered the lexicon and took on a life of its own.

The entire franchise (which has one of the most confusing naming schemes ever concocted) – 1982’s First Blood, 1985’s First Blood Part II, 1988’s Rambo III, 2008’s Rambo, and 2019’s Rambo: Last Blood – have recently been given the 4K Ultra HD treatment. The films themselves have never looked better. Seriously, if you have a 4K screen and a penchant for blow-em-ups, these discs do not disappoint.

And now, for the first time in the franchise’s 38-year history, all five films are available together – in a gorgeous complete SteelBook collection (Best Buy exclusive) that includes 4K, Blu-ray, and digital versions of each film, along with a digital redemption code for the “extended cut” of Last Blood.

Where the releases REALLY shine, though, is in the special features. Each of the original trilogy films is loaded down with extras, including a brand-new “Rambo Takes the ’80s” retrospective featurette that’s spread over the three discs. Also included are a bevy of behind-the-scenes clips; alternate endings; deleted scenes; and mini-documentaries about the Vietnam War, green berets, POWs, and more.

If you’re into audio commentaries, you also won’t be disappointed. First Blood features two commentaries from Sylvester Stallone and author David Morrell, First Blood Part II has one with director George P. Cosmatos, and Rambo III sports a commentary with director Peter MacDonald.

Honestly, all three films are LOADED with bonus features, both vintage and new. If you’re a fan of action movies, Sylvester Stallone, or the ’80s, then you’ll absolutely want to check these out.

The two more recent films are significantly lighter on special features, but Rambo sports an interesting feature-length (about an hour and a half) “production diary” showing behind-the-scenes footage and narrated by Stallone. Likewise, Last Blood also has a similar 50-minute production diary with narration by Stallone, director Adrian Grunberg, and others… and a brief focus on the score with composer Brian Tyler.

But, without further ado, here are the top 31 things I learned while exploring these new 4K releases…

1. David Morrell, author of the original First Blood novella, sold the rights to his story for an astonishing $380,000 in early-’80s money!

2. Morrell originally wrote the story and created the character of John Rambo after talking to students of his (he was a professor) who had returned from the war in Vietnam and were exhibiting signs of PTSD.

3. Morrell took inspiration from Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces when writing the story. First Blood actually follows Campbell’s mythic structure surprisingly closely.

4. The original film (First Blood) went through 26 scripts and 5 studios before it was made. It was one of the most optioned scripts in Hollywood at the time.

5. John Rambo doesn’t actually kill anyone in the first movie. That was intentional and integral to his character (which was totally ignored in the sequels).

6. Though Richard Crenna is most well known for the role of Col. Sam Trautman, he wasn’t the original choice. The filmmakers wanted Kirk Douglas for the role.

7. Kirk Douglas actually agreed and was on set for a while, but he was adamant about rewriting huge portions of the script. Most notably, he felt it was essential for the movie to stick close to the original novella and for Rambo to die at the end of the movie.

8. An alternate ending where Rambo dies was filmed (and is included as a special feature on the disc).

9. Sylvester Stallone really didn’t want Rambo to die, which is ultimately why Kirk Douglas walked away. Stallone thought his death would send the wrong message to real Vietnam veterans—namely, that death is the only solution to their problems.

10. First Blood was one of the first films to really examine the effects of PTSD on soldiers and the reception of Vietnam vets back home. Because it was framed as a blow-em-up action movie, though, it never truly received credit for that aspect of the story.

11. Despite Rambo having become synonymous with the “macho tough man,” First Blood ends with an intensely emotional scene that shows Rambo breakdown in tears and embrace Trautman. Stallone and the filmmakers felt it was essential to show his vulnerability not only to humanize the character but also to show real vets that it’s ok to feel.

12. First Blood was filmed in British Columbia in the winter. At times, the temperature reached 40 below. Despite that, Stallone still ran around in a tank top. In an interview, Sly said that was his biggest regret from the first movie. “I wish I had had Gore-Tex.”

13. Stallone performed many of his own stunts. The first major stunt he did on First Blood was falling off a cliff face through a tree. He broke a rib and ruptured his spleen in the fall. It was the first of many trips to the ER.

14. First Blood was one of David Caruso’s first film roles. His shockingly red hair steals every scene he’s in.

15. Jerry Goldsmith’s sweeping, emotional score for First Blood was meant to soften the character.

16. David Morrell, author of the original First Blood novella, finds First Blood Part II “humorous” because of how it changed the character.

17. The Rambo films played a surprisingly big role in Polish independence. The movies were forbidden, but those who were fighting for independence would smuggle them into the country, emulate Rambo by wearing his bandanna, and take to the streets. Many credited the films for inspiring the Polish people to gain their freedom from the USSR.

18. James Cameron (yes, THAT James Cameron) wrote the original screenplay for First Blood Part II.

19. First Blood Part II director George P. Cosmatos wanted to film in Thailand, and they actually went to Chiang Mai to scout locations. In the end, they filmed outside Acapulco, Mexico.

20. The filmmakers built and planted rice paddies in Mexico to make it look more like Vietnam.

21. Stallone went through 8 months of 4-hour-a-day training to prepare for First Blood Part II.

22. One of the deleted scenes from First Blood Part II elicited unintentional laughs from test audiences. As Rambo holds Co Bao (Julia Nickson) after she dies, he screams “NOOOO!!” as the camera dramatically zooms out. It was immediately cut when audiences found it hilarious. If only George Lucas had taken the same hint.

23. First Blood Part II made about $700 million in today’s dollars.

24. None of the interviewees or filmmakers included on the special features could even pretend to take Rambo III seriously.

25. Stallone directed and starred in 2008’s Rambo. The rushed 50-day shoot left him so exhausted with endless 16-hour days that he claimed “never again.”

26. Though set in Burma, Rambo was filmed in Thailand… where chainsaws are illegal. So in order to clear away the jungle and build the sets, they used local “manpower” with machetes.

27. Sylvester Stallone really likes the word hellacious. He uses it to describe lots of things.

28. The ranch (and all of its structures) from Last Blood was built from scratch in about 5 weeks. In Bulgaria.

29. Scenes set in Mexico were actually filmed in Tenerife, Canary Islands.

30. Everyone interviewed for the Last Blood production diary took the film very seriously.

31. Stallone admits the ending of Last Blood is left somewhat open, but he can’t imagine making another Rambo film.