First Blood (1982)

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writers:

David Morrell (novel)
Michael Kozoll (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 October 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

One war against one man.

Plot:

A mentally unstable Vietnam war vet, when abused with a small town's police force, begins a one man war with it.

Plot Keywords:

Rambo | Sheriff | Colonel | Escape | Small Town

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 16	12:00 AM	AMC
Mon. Nov. 16	11:30 AM	AMC

Cast

Sylvester Stallone	...	John J. Rambo
Richard Crenna	...	Col. Samuel Trautman
Brian Dennehy	...	Hope Sheriff Will Teasle
Bill McKinney	...	State Police Capt. Dave Kern
Jack Starrett	...	Deputy Sgt. Arthur Galt
Michael Talbott	...	Deputy Balford
Chris Mulkey	...	Deputy Ward
John McLiam	...	Orval the Dog Man
Alf Humphreys	...	Deputy Lester
David Caruso	...	Deputy Mitch
David L. Crowley	...	Deputy Shingleton (as David Crowley)
Don MacKay	...	Preston (as Don Mackay)
Charles A. Tamburro	...	Pilot (as Chuck Tamburro)
David Petersen	...	Trooper
Craig Huston	...	Radio operator (as Craig Wright Huston)

Also Known As:

Rambo (USA) (TV title)
Rambo: First Blood

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-16 (video release) (1998) | Finland:K-18 (original rating) (1983) | Malaysia:18SG | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (re-rating) | USA:R (certificate #26816) | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | France:-12 | New Zealand:M (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R16 (VHS rating) | Norway:18 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Golden Ears Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Anabasis N.V.

Trivia:

Director Bruce Beresford was offered the script to direct but refused as he felt, at the time, that he wasn't suited to directing an action film.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the end scene, with Rambo and the Colonel in the police station, Rambo is talking about how he came home from the war and was met by protesters at the airport and he makes the comment "So I come back from the war and I see all those maggots at the airport, protesting me, spitting, calling me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap". However, when the audio says "crap" at the end, his mouth can clearly be seen forming the word "shit".

Quotes:

Trautman: You did everything to make this private war happen. You've done enough damage. This mission is over, Rambo. Do you understand me? This mission is over! Look at them out there! Look at them! If you won't end this now, they will kill you. Is that what you want? It's over Johnny. It's over!
Rambo: Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don't turn it off! It wasn't my war! You asked me, I didn't ask you! And I did what I had to do to win! But somebody wouldn't let us win! And I come back to the world and I see all those maggots at the airport, protesting me, spitting. Calling me baby killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me? Who are they? Unless they've been me and been there and know what the hell they're yelling about!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Party Camp (1987)

Soundtrack:

IT'S A LONG ROAD

Don't forget a steady supply of body bags...

Dramatic action classic features Sylvester Stallone as one of his two iconic film characters (the other being Rocky Balboa, of course): John Rambo is a sullen and traumatized Vietnam veteran who starts his own private war in the Northwestern United States when ignorant, bullying small-town sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy) pushes him too far. Rambo's long-ago superior, Col. Trautman (Richard Crenna) comes in to try to talk some sense into him.

I'm not really interested in the political views involved in such a movie; all I know is that this movie has kept me entertained for years. It's slick as all get out, violent, energetic, amusing, and well acted (especially by Dennehy); heck, some of those forest scenes are even suspenseful. David Caruso has one of his earliest film roles as the young deputy Mitch. Jerry Goldsmith's music score is memorable and the closing song ("It's A Long Road") sung by Dan Hill (better known for his sappy love ballads) is pretty good too. The script is the only drawback because it suffers from some holes and implausibilities that some people may not be prepared to put up with.

Filmed in the town of Hope in British Columbia, Canada, and followed by two sequels that are very much typical macho action movies.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I really enjoy "First Blood".

8/10