First Blood

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Biography

First Blood (also known as Rambo or Rambo: First Blood ) is a 1982 Action film|action Thriller (genre)|thriller film directed by Ted Kotcheff . The film stars Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo , a troubled and misunderstood Vietnam War Vietnam veteran|veteran , with Sheriff Will Teasle ( Brian Dennehy ) as his nemesis and Colonel Samuel Trautman ( Richard Crenna ) as his former commander and only ally. It was released on October 22, 1982. Based on David Morrell|David Morrell's 1972 First Blood (novel)|novel of the same name , it was the first of the Rambo (film series)|Rambo series . Unlike the sequels, which were war adventure films set in foreign countries, First Blood was a post-Vietnam War psychological thriller set in the United States. First Blood lacks the gore and violence that would become a trademark of the series.

Since its release, First Blood has been a critical and commercial success and has had a lasting influence on the genre. It has also spurred many parodies. The film is notable for its psychological portrayal of the after-effects of the Vietnam War, particularly the challenges faced by American veterans attempting to re-integrate into society, something not deeply examined in subsequent Rambo movies.

In 2008, the film was chosen by Empire Magazine|Empire magazine as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time .

Plot

John Rambo ( Sylvester Stallone ) is a former member of an elite Special Forces (United States Army)|United States Army Special Forces unit and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in the Vietnam War . The film begins after the war, in America, and takes place in December 1981. Rambo is searching for one of his friends from his unit, Delmare Berry, and soon learns that he has died from cancer due to Agent Orange exposure. Although not yet revealed to the audience, Rambo knows he is now the last surviving member of his unit. The scene cuts to Rambo entering the fictional small town of Hope, Washington (actually filmed in Hope, British Columbia ) on foot. With his long hair and M-1965 field jacket|military-style coat , he is quickly spotted by the town's overzealous and overprotective sheriff, Will Teasle ( Brian Dennehy ) who quickly drives Rambo out of town in his police vehicle, expressing his strong distaste for " Vagrancy (people)|drifters ." Rambo heads back toward town immediately, angering Teasle, who arrests him.

Rambo stands his ground against the deputies at the station and is police brutality|brutalized and harassed by Art Galt ( Jack Starrett ), the sheriff's cruel head deputy and closest friend. While being processed, Rambo has flashbacks to his time as a prisoner of war . When Galt and two other officers ( Chris Mulkey and David Caruso ) attempt to dry-shave him with a straight razor, Rambo has a flashback (psychological phenomenon)|flashback to being tortured in a North Vietnamese P.O.W. Camp back in 1969 and loses control, escaping on instinct using his military training. He fights his way out of the station, assaulting most of the deputies and injuring one badly by throwing him out the window, throws a civilian off a motorcycle, steals it, and is pursued into the nearby mountains. The deputies are eventually forced to search for Rambo on foot and he climbs down onto a steep cliff to elude capture. After spotting Rambo from a helicopter, Galt blatantly disregards protocol and attempts to shoot him in cold blood. Rambo drops into a mass of trees and, while cornered, throws a rock at the helicopter in self-defense. The helicopter, struck by the projectile, pitches, causing Galt to fall to his death. Teasle, who had not seen Galt's attempt to kill Rambo, vows to avenge his friend's death.

Rambo tries to convince them that he did not mean to kill anyone, but they do not listen, and Teasle leads his deputies into the woods in an attempt to capture Rambo. The deputies are inexperienced and bicker, particularly after learning over the radio about Rambo's combat experience and status as a war hero. Rambo quickly disables the small, disorganized team using Guerrilla warfare|guerrilla tactics and booby trap s, severely wounding but not killing the deputies; he also kills their three tracking dogs. In the chaos, Rambo isolates and confronts Teasle with a knife to the throat. "Don't push it...or I'll give you a war you won't believe. Let it go!" he warns before disappearing into the woods. A base camp is assembled near the site, the State Patrol and the Washington Army National Guard|National Guard are called in. United States Special Forces Colonel Sam Trautman ( Richard Crenna ) arrives, explaining that he trained Rambo, and that the Army sent him to "rescue" them. He is surprised to find any of the deputies still alive and warns that it would be safer to let Rambo go and find him after the situation has calmed down. Fueled by a mixture of scorn and pride, Teasle refuses to heed his advice.

Rambo is eventually cornered by the National Guard in a mine entrance. The novice guardsmen fire a M72 LAW rocket at him, collapsing the entrance and trapping him inside. They assume Rambo is dead. Unbeknownst to his pursuers, Rambo has escaped into the tunnels of the mine. Rambo finds some old fuel and makes an improvised torch with a wood stick whose end is wrapped in layers of canvas. After wading through waist-deep water and fighting off rats, Rambo cleverly uses the flame of the torch (as an indicator of air flow) to find an escape. Rambo hijacks a passing M135 2½ ton cargo truck and is chased by a police car. He rams the car into an abandoned car, which explodes and overturns it, killing the two people inside. Rambo returns to town, crashing it into a gas station. He blocks the highway to anyone in pursuit by igniting the spilled fuel, also destroying the stolen truck. Armed with an M60 machine gun , Rambo destroys a sporting goods shop and a few other businesses in an attempt to confuse Teasle and identify his position before spotting him on the roof of the police station.

Rambo carefully enters the police station. Aware of Teasle's presence on the roof, Rambo darts under the skylight to draw fire so that Teasle's exact location is revealed. Teasle immediately fires at Rambo, and Rambo then observes Teasle's position. Rambo returns fire through the ceiling with the M60, injuring Teasle, who then falls through the skylight onto the floor. Rambo steps over him, prepared to kill him. Before Rambo can shoot Teasle, Colonel Trautman appears and tells him that there is no hope of escaping alive. Rambo, now surrounded by the police, rages about the horrors of war. He weeps as he recounts a particularly gruesome story about witnessing his friend dying by having his legs blown off by a booby-trapped shoeshine box planted by a Viet Cong child operative. Realizing he has nothing left to live for, Rambo then turns himself in to Trautman and is arrested while Teasle is taken to the hospital. The credits roll as Rambo and Trautman exit the police station.

Deleted scenes

TV version

The TV version of First Blood premiered on NBC on Sunday night, May 12, 1985, as a tie-in to Rambo: First Blood Part II . Three minutes were edited out and any suggestive dialogue was changed. However, the following scenes were added in order to make up for anything that was cut:

A scene in the beginning where Rambo tries to order takeout at a diner but then gets hassled, making Rambo leave.

A scene after the posse is injured.

A scene showing the Paramedics putting the posse in ambulances and Galt's body into a helicopter just as Kern arrives.

A longer version of the conversation between Trautman and Teasle about Rambo taking out his posse.

A longer version of the conversation about the capture of Rambo.

A scene where Teasle and Trautman land at the spot where Rambo is "killed".

A scene where Teasle returns to his office and is congratulated by the townspeople for "killing" Rambo.

None of these above scenes have ever appeared as extras on DVD or on Blu-ray.

DVD/Blu-ray

Recent DVD/Blu-ray versions include the following deleted scenes as bonus features:

A scene where Rambo settles into a cave and while taking a nap, begins to have a flashback that shows Rambo and his friends at a Vietnam night club, in addition to him having an affair with a random woman extra.

The original ending that shows Rambo killing himself with Trautman's gun. Test audiences found this ending to be "too depressing," as Sylvester Stallone had realized they would after witnessing Rambo's ordeal and developing sympathy for him, so a new ending was shot; this one became the one seen in all versions of the film since its original release.

Cast

Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo

Richard Crenna as Colonel Sam Trautman

Brian Dennehy as Sheriff Will Teasle

Bill McKinney as State Police Capt. Dave Kern

Jack Starrett as Deputy Sgt. Arthur Galt

Michael Talbott as Deputy Balford

Chris Mulkey as Deputy Ward

John McLiam as Orval the Dog Man

Alf Humphreys as Deputy Lester

David Caruso as Deputy Mitch

David L. Crowley as Deputy Shingleton

Don MacKay as Deputy Preston

Production

Shortly after David Morrell 's novel was published in 1972, Columbia Pictures bought the filming rights, which were then resold to Warner Bros. Ted Kotcheff was offered the project, picking out of many screenplays the one done by Michael Kozoll and William Sackheim. While Kotcheff was prepping the movie, Warner decided to pull the plug as they thought Vietnam was too recent and the film was not going to work. Kotcheff only returned to work on First Blood after Mario Kassar and Andrew G. Vajna of Carolco Pictures|Anabasis offered to finance one of his projects. Kotcheff offered the role of John Rambo to Sylvester Stallone, and the actor accepted after reading the script through a weekend.

Long before Stallone was hired to play Rambo, other actors were being considered for the role such as Clint Eastwood , Al Pacino , Robert De Niro , Paul Newman , Steve McQueen , Nick Nolte , John Travolta , Dustin Hoffman , James Garner , Kris Kristofferson and Michael Douglas . Terence Hill , as recently confirmed during an interview to an Italy|Italian TV talk-show, was offered the role but rejected it because he considered it "too violent". Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta declined the role for the same reason. When Al Pacino was considered for the role of John Rambo, he turned it down when his request that Rambo be more of a madman was rejected.

For the role of Sheriff Teasle, the producers approached Academy Award winners Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall but both turned the part down. Lee Marvin , another Oscar winner, turned down the part of Colonel Trautman.

Various screenplays adapted from Morrell's book had been pitched to studios in the years since its publication but it was only when Stallone, who at the time had limited success outside of the Rocky franchise (most of his non- Rocky films either barely broke even or were flops altogether), decided to become involved with the project that it was finally brought into production.

Stallone's star power after the success of the Rocky films enabled him to rewrite the script, to make the character of John Rambo more sympathetic. While Morrell's book has the Rambo character violently kill many of his pursuers - Kozoll and Sackheim's draft had him killing sixteen people - in the movie version Rambo does not directly cause the death of any police or national guardsmen. Stallone also decided to let Rambo survive the film instead of keeping the book's ending where he dies, stating that after Rocky he felt that the protagonist should not be killed. A suicide scene was filmed but Kotcheff and Stallone opted to have Rambo turn himself in at Trautman's urging.

Prior to Stallone taking the lead role, Steve McQueen expressed interest in it. When David Morrell wrote the novel in 1972 the producers first considered McQueen but then rejected him because they considered him too old to play a Vietnam veteran from 1975.

Just before shooting began, Kirk Douglas quit the role of Colonel Trautman over a script dispute; Douglas wanted the film to end as the book did, with the death of the Rambo character. Rock Hudson was approached but was soon to undergo heart surgery and had to pass up the chance to work with Stallone. Richard Crenna was quickly hired as a replacement; the role of Trautman became the veteran character actor's most famous role, his performance of which received much critical praise.

The film was shot in British Columbia , Canada in the winter. The town scenes in the movie were shot in Hope, British Columbia|Hope , while the rest of the movie was shot in Golden Ears Provincial Park and Pitt Lake in Pitt Meadows .

Music

The film's score was composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith , whose theme "It's a Long Road" added a new dimension to the character, and featured in the film's three sequels and animated spin-off. The soundtrack was originally released on LP by the Regency label, although was edited out of sequence for a more satisfying listen. The album was reissued on CD with one extra track ("No Power") twice, first as one of Intrada Records ' initial titles, then as an identical release by Varèse Sarabande . The complete score was released by Intrada in a 2-CD set, along with a remastered version of the original album, on November 23, 2010, as one of their MAF unlimited titles.

Track listing

;CD 1 – Complete Original Soundtrack
# "Theme from First Blood " (pop orchestra version)
# "Home Coming"
# "My Town"
# "Under Arrest"
# "The Razor"
# "A Head Start"
# "Hanging On"
# "Over the Cliff"
# "A Stitch in Time"
# "Mountain Hunt"
# "No Truce"
# "First Blood"
# "The Tunnel"
# "Escape Route"
# "The Truck"
# "No Power/Night Attack"
# "Hide and Seek"
# "It's a Long Road" (instrumental)
# "It's a Long Road (Theme from First Blood )" (vocal: Dan Hill)

;CD 2 – Original 1982 Soundtrack Album
# "It's a Long Road (Theme from First Blood )" (vocal: Dan Hill)
# "Escape Route"
# "First Blood"
# "The Tunnel"
# "Hanging On"
# "Home Coming"
# "Mountain Hunt"
# "My Town"
# "The Razor"
# "Over the Cliff"
# "It's a Long Road" (instrumental)
# "It's a Long Road" (recording session piano/vocal demo)
# "Carolco Logo"
# "Rambo" (Special Summer 1984 trailer)

Reaction

Box office performance

First Blood topped the North American box office for three weeks in a row, and its $6,642,005 opening weekend was the best October opening at the time. The film ended as a moderate financial success, with a total gross of $47 million domestically - ranking as the 13th highest-grossing film of the year - and $125 million worldwide, against a $14 million budget.

Critical reception

First Blood received generally favorable reviews, and is considered by many to be one of the best films of 1982. Stallone, in particular, received much praise for his performance. In his 1982 review, Roger Ebert wrote that he did not like the film's ending, but that it was "a very good movie, well-paced, and well-acted not only by Stallone...but also by Crenna and Brian Dennehy" He gave it three out of four stars. He even went as far as to say, "although almost all of First Blood is implausible, because it's Stallone on the screen, we'll buy it". In 2000, BBC film critic Almar Haflidason noted that Stallone’s training in survival skills and hand-to-hand combat gave the film, "a raw and authentic edge that excited the audiences of the time". James Berardinelli of ReelViews called the film "a tense and effective piece of filmmaking". He noted that the film's darker tone, somber subtext, and non-exploitative violence allowed the viewer to enjoy the film not only as an action/thriller but as something with a degree of intelligence and substance. On Stallone's performance, he wrote "it seems impossible to imagine anyone other than Stallone in the part, and his capabilities as an actor should not be dismissed".

David Nusair of Reel Film Views praised the film, stating that " First Blood is an engaging piece of work that ultimately doesn't have a whole lot in common with its increasingly cartoonish follow-ups and is anchored by Stallone's effective, surprisingly low-key performance". Film critic Eric D. Snider described the film as "a dark drama about war and the exorcising of demons, and an unforgettable one at that" and that "it's a shame this film became a prototype of sorts for shoot-'em-up, one-man-against-the-world action flicks, because it's so much better than that". He also praised Stallone's "haunting performance which showcased great range from the actor, and provided the film with its resonating depth and thought-provoking morality". Alex Sandell of Juicy Cerebellum called the film "a thriller that's actually thrilling".

The film has not escaped criticism. Although Bill Chambers of Film Freak Central praised Stallone's performance, stating that he "hits his climactic breakdown monologue out of the park" with a performance that was "sweet and moving", he gave the film two stars out of four. He stated "devotees of Joseph Campbell embrace First Blood because it has clear mythological roots, but recognizable art isn't always valid art". Brian Webster of the Apollo film site called First Blood "an embarrassingly sloppy production" with a weak script. Leonard Maltin gave the film one-and a half stars out of four, saying that it "throws all creditability to the winds about the time gets off with only a bad cut after jumping from a mountain into some jagged rocks."Maltin, Leonard (2009), p. 462. ''Leonard Maltin's 2010 Movie Guide . ISBN 978-0-452-29557-5. Signet Books . Accessed October 21, 2010. (Although in fact he had jumped into a tree.)

First Blood 's portrayal of a Vietnam veteran also sparked some controversy. Bill Chambers argued the film "reflect a new compassion towards traumatized veterans of the Vietnam conflict".

Legacy

In 2008, First Blood was named the 253rd greatest film ever by Empire (film magazine)|Empire magazine on its 2008 list of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time . The character of John Rambo was considered a possible candidate for the American Film Institute 's list '' AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains|100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains ''. The film itself was also a candidate for AFI's '' AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills|100 Years...100 Thrills '', a list of America's most heart-pounding movies.

First Blood s release on DVD sparked a series of contemporary reviews, earning it an 86% "Fresh" rating from Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 62 ("generally favorable") from Metacritic .

In a 2011 article for Blade (magazine)|Blade Magazine , by Mike Carter, credit is given to Morrell and the Rambo franchise for revitalizing the cutlery industry in the 1980s; due to the presence of the Jimmy Lile and Gil Hibben knives used in the films. In 2003, Blade Magazine gave Morrell an industry achievement award for having helped to make it possible.

References in popular culture

The Simpsons episode " Separate Vocations " references the film. Bart Simpson|Bart envisions himself as a Vagrancy (people)|drifter holding a green United States Army|Army duffel bag who complains how the sheriff drove him out of town, echoing the sequence in First Blood where John Rambo is ushered out of town by the sheriff for being a drifter.

In Episode 42 (entitled "I Can't Find Your %*#ing Legs") of the FUNimation Entertainment version of Crayon Shin-chan , a flashback sequence shows Yuu performing John Rambo's final monologue from the end of First Blood in preparation for an acting audition.

Distribution

Author David Morrell recorded an audio commentary track for the First Blood Special Edition DVD released in 2002. Actor Sylvester Stallone recorded an audio commentary track for the First Blood Ultimate Edition DVD released in 2004. This edition also includes a "never-before-seen" alternate ending in which Rambo commits suicide (a brief snippet of which appears in a flashback in the fourth film) and a "humorous" ending tacked on afterwards. Lionsgate also released this version on Blu-ray Disc|Blu-ray . Both commentary tracks are on the Blu-ray release.

Momentum Pictures released an HD DVD version of First Blood in the United Kingdom in April 2007. Lions Gate Entertainment|Lionsgate also released First Blood as a double feature on February 13, 2007, along with the 2004's The Punisher (2004 film)|The Punisher .

The film was re-released as part of a 6-disc box set, which contains all four films in the series, on May 27, 2008. However the box set is missing the David Morrell commentary, even though the packaging clearly states it is included. In anticipation of the release, the film was shown back in theaters for one night, May 15, 2008, through Fathom Events; the alternate ending was shown after the main feature.

Copyright Citations

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