Rambo and the Forces of Freedom

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article or section seems to contain embedded lists that may require cleanup.
To meet Wikipedia's style guidelines, please help improve this article by: removing items which are not notable, encyclopedic, or helpful from the list(s); incorporating appropriate items into the main body of the article; and discussing this issue on the talk page.
Rambo and the Force of Freedom
Genre Action / Adventure
Created by David Morrell
Written by Jack Bornoff
Michael Chain
David Morrell
Directed by John Kimball
Charles A. Nichols
Presented by Ruby-Spears Enterprises
Carolco Entertainment
Voices of Neil Ross
Michael Ansara
James Avery
Michael Bell
Peter Cullen
Ed Gilbert
Dale Ishimoto
Robert Ito
Mona Marshall
Alan Oppenheimer
Russi Taylor
Lennie Weinrib
Frank Welker
Theme music composer Shuki Levy
Haim Saban
Country of origin Flag of the United States United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 65 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive
producer(s)		 Shuki Levy
Joe Ruby
Haim Saban
Ken Spears
Producer(s) Walt Kubiak
Running time 30 minutes (including commercials)
Broadcast
Original channel First-run syndication
Original run September 15, 1986 – December 26, 1986
Chronology
Preceded by Rambo: First Blood Part II
Followed by Rambo III
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Rambo and the Force of Freedom was a syndicated animated series based on the John Rambo character from the movie series of the same name who was in turn based on David Morrell's character from the book First Blood. It ran for 65 episodes and was produced by Ruby-Spears Enterprises. The cartoon series debuted on April 14, 1986 as a five part mini series, and was renewed in September as a daily cartoon. However, the series only lasted one season and was cancelled in December of the same year. The series also spawned a toyline.

Contents

[edit] Plot

In the cartoon, Rambo was now part of a G.I. Joe-like team called The Force of Freedom, which went on missions around the world battling against an evil terrorist organization called S.A.V.A.G.E., led by one General Warhawk. Other known members of the group were Edward "Turbo" Hayes, an African American mechanical expert, and Katherine Anne "Kat" Taylor, an Asian woman, who was a master of disguises. Fictional countries and backstories would frequently be featured, some of them parodies of historical events or literary successes. Although the cartoon was filled with much fighting and gun fire with accurately illustrated guns, there was never any sensational violence, blood or gore, and rarely did anyone ever die. Rambo (who was never called by his first name, even by Trautman, who very rarely called him "John" in all the movies) used violence as a last resort and relied on quick thinking and fast moves to outwit his opponents — a character trait not consistent with the later films (Rambo avoids deliberately killing anyone in the first movie).

[edit] Controversy

The cartoon generated a mild controversy at the production studio, with writers wondering how they could present a child-friendly main character who was created as a troubled veteran with PTSD.

The show's child psychology advisors believed that the target audience, young children and preteens, would not grasp that aspect of David Morrell's character. They recommended that the cartoon not make any references to Vietnam, POWs, or Rambo's experiences in First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II.[citation needed]

As a result, Rambo and the Forces of Freedom was quickly derided by fans of the movies and David Morrell's original novel.

[edit] Episode list

  • 1. First Strike
  • 2. The Angel of Destruction
  • 3. Battlefield Bronx
  • 4. Raise the Yamato
  • 5. The Taking of Tierra Libre
  • 6. Subterranean Holdup
  • 7. Trouble in Tibet
  • 8. S.A.V.A.G.E. Island
  • 9. General Warhawk's Curse
  • 10. Deadly Keep
  • 11. Beneath the Streets
  • 12. Cult of the Cobra
  • 13. Raid on Las Vegas
  • 14. The Lost City of Acra
  • 15. Guns Over Suez
  • 16. Exercise in Terror
  • 17. The Doomsday Machine
  • 18. Disaster in Delgado
  • 19. Fire in the Sky
  • 20. Enter the Black Dragon
  • 21. Reign of the Boy King
  • 22. Rambo and the White Rhino
  • 23. Pirate Peril
  • 24. Mephisto's Magic
  • 25. The Halley Microbe
  • 26. Death Merchant
  • 27. Return of the Count
  • 28. Night of the Voodoo Moon
  • 29. Lagoon of Death
  • 30. Snow Kill
  • 31. Terror Beneath the Sea
  • 32. Swamp Monster
  • 33. Freedom Dance
  • 34. Texas Inferno
  • 35. The Iron Mask
  • 36. Children for Peace
  • 37. S.A.V.A.G.E. Rustlers
  • 38. Mind Control
  • 39. Vote of Terror
  • 40. Target, Supertanker
  • 41. Enter the White Dragon
  • 42. Skyjacked Gold
  • 43. Attack on El Dorado
  • 44. The Ninja Dog
  • 45. When S.A.V.A.G.E. Stole Santa
  • 46. Blockbuster
  • 47. Supertrooper
  • 48. Warhawk's Fortress
  • 49. The Konichi
  • 50. Robot Raid
  • 51. Alphas, Arms, and Ambush (1)
  • 52. Alphas, Arms, and Ambush (2)
  • 53. Crash
  • 54. Mirage
  • 55. Blind Luck
  • 56. Turbo's Dilemma
  • 57. Masquerade
  • 58. Just Say No
  • 59. Monster Island
  • 60. Quarterback Sneak
  • 61. Sepulcher of Power
  • 62. The Twin Within
  • 63. S.A.V.A.G.E. Space
  • 64. Change of Face
  • 65. Horror of the Highlands


[edit] Cast

[edit] DVD release

Lions Gate Entertainment (which also owns the DVD rights to the Rambo films) has released the entire series on DVD in Region 1 in 6 volume sets.

DVD Name Ep # Release Date Additional Information
Volume 1: A World of Trouble 11 June 14, 2005
Volume 2: Enter The Dragon 11 June 14, 2005
Volume 3: S.A.V.A.G.E. Island 10 September 13, 2005
Volume 4: Up In Arms 11 September 13, 2005
Volume 5: Snow Road 11 December 13, 2005
Volume 6: Face of Freedom 11 December 13, 2005

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Rambo
Films
Cast
Video games
Rambo · Rambo III · Rambo on Fire
Other
First Blood · Rambo and the Forces of Freedom · The Intruder · Son of Rambow
Languages