First Blood

Wikipedia:

First Blood (also known as Rambo or Rambo: First Blood) is a 1982 action thriller film directed by Ted Kotcheff. The film stars Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo, a troubled and misunderstood Vietnam War 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's 1972 novel of the same name, it was the first of the 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 as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time.

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.

Legacy

In 2008, First Blood was named the 253rd greatest film ever by 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 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains. The film itself was also a candidate for AFI's 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, 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 envisions himself as a drifter holding a green 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.

The 1989 film UHF features a scene parodying the Rambo films, especially Rambo: First Blood Part II. The main character fantasizes that he is Rambo, rescues his friend from the antagonist, and then defeats the antagonist in a helicopter battle.

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. 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. Lionsgate also released First Blood as a double feature on February 13, 2007, along with the 2004's 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.