JohnDoe
Bryn
Brenton
First Blood (1982) - Trailer Included
The mechanisms of a killer.
Original lobby Poster
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Denehey, David Caruso, Bill McKinney, Michael Talbott, Chris Mulkey
“You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In Vietnam his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well Rambo was the best.” – Sam Trautman
David Morrell’s intense, cat and mouse first person novel became one of the most successful action films ever made and inspired countless imitators. This is another case of an intelligent and inventive original being maligned because of mindless sequels and public perception. Notorious for its violent content, despite the fact that the body count of the film totals only four.
Mindfully attentive to the art of death and survival tactics this is the birthplace of iconic John J Rambo. Returning to a disgruntled society, the last survivor of a Green Beret covert operations unit that served in Vietnam.
He has endured horrific torture and witnessed unspeakable atrocities. Unceasing physiologically damages inflicted during his classified tour of duty have rendered him incapable of reassimilate into civilisation.
“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!” - Rambo
Coping by living a nomadic life John J has wanders into the outskirts of a small town called Hope located at the foot of snow capped mountains. Hitchhiking and hungry for a meal he is picked up by the stubborn sheriff Will Teasle who soon arrests him for vagrancy.
“There wouldn't be no trouble except for that king shit cop! All I wanted was something to eat. But the man kept pushing Sir.” – Rambo
Once in the confines of the town prison he is physically abused by the local deputy triggering Rambo’s mentally instabilities to frenzy. Fast, efficient and deadly he escapes in a hurricane of violence fleeing on motorbike into the dense familiar terrain of the forest.
A manhunt is immediately launched and despite outnumbering their foe the police soon discover it is John J who is most at home in combat. Now he has declared a one man war against Teasle and anyone that gets in the way is going to meet extreme pain.
“I could have killed 'em all, I could kill you. In town you're the law, out here it's me. Don't push it. Don't push it or I'll give you a war you won't believe. Let it go. Let it go.” - Rambo
You ain't so bad. Where is the guy with the mohawk?
John Doe says:
The 80’s action genre can be split into two sections, the inspiration and the imitation. Films like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon broke new ground with excessive body counts, witty one liners and razor sharp editing that propelled each scene into the next.
First Blood also inspired the genre, taking itself deadly serious, feverishly researched to successfully deliver authentic scenes of brutal primal instinct. Taking a classic blueprint and amputating unnecessary fat, modernising it with larger enemy numbers and more visceral damage of flesh and sinew.
The exciting physical directions are specific and intregral to the convincing of fictional plausibility. Constructed so the suspense is never far removed from the lethal atmosphere, a well placed lens sits back to provide constant orientation and perspective on the abrupt action.
Unbroken editing swiftly heightens the power of blood pumping stunt work. A massive fall from a daunting cliff face still leaves JD breathless.
There is a silent voice of integrity in the script that really is the strength of the overall work. The well structured Michael Kozoll (Hill St Blues) dialogue is taut and economic. The protagonist’s lines are minimal making him enigmatic until the outburst of rage and frustration in the finale. The three main characters are given sincere motives and each has their own ambiguous peccadillo that adds to the already frame turning scenarios.
Sylvester Stallone (Copland, Nighthawks, Victory) was already recognized as Rocky when he took on the lead in this hot property that had once been a Steve McQueen project and also Clint Eastwood and Dustin Hoffman had circled. His mumbling, incoherent delivery full of slobbering emotion and unspoken volatile threats is appropriate here and the musclebound body language is necessary.
Brian Dennehy (FX, Cocoon, Best Seller, Silverado) brings his trademark staunch sense of menacing authority that seems to underscore all his roles since. He convinces as the arrogant Korean vet turned lawman with something to prove.
Richard Crenna (Wait Until Dark, Sand Pebbles, Body Heat, Flamingo Kid) dominates onscreen as Trautman the man who trained and programmed the instrument of terror.
Keep an eye out for a less than intimidating David Caruso in an early role.
For a 13 year old John Doe there were moments in this that truly stunned, the mangled torso’s and astonishing needle and thread surgery were eye opening.
Watching it again recently with his young nephew Johnny realised that action cinema often fails to capture the same sense of intimate energy that comes from death wish stunt work within a solidly crafted framework. This isn’t meant to be masterpiece theatre but instead crackling entertainment to engage the adrenal glands and testosterone rich imaginations
A retrograde trailer for First Blood
Here is Rambo busting out of the police jail and heading for the hills.
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Film & TV on DVD
The later films are definitely cause for giggles, ridiculous, overblown flag waving propaganda that they are. This one however has some substance that often gets buried under the franchise hype.
Caruso is always a source of amusement for sure. (So is Stallone most all the time too). The more serious he tries to be, the more ridiculous he looks.
Glad I gave you some Christmas cheer!
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Horrorphile
Brian Dennehy rocks.
Smokin' review too dude.
Merry Xmas!
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
Just dropping in to wish you a very Merry Christmas, JD!!
D. Armenta
Great Hair Style Tips
I Dream of Hollywood
Fashion Peach
Horrorphile
Film & TV on DVD
Don't get your hopes up for the sequels, they are the mnindless actioners that dragged down this superior original...though i do tend to agree with Bryn the latest one wasn't to bad, but lacked substance.
Great Hair Style Tips
I Dream of Hollywood
Fashion Peach