FIRST BLOOD

US, 1982, 125 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, David Caruso, Jack Starrett.
Directed by Ted Kotcheff.

First Blood is based on a popular novel by David Morell which created the character John Rambo, who himself was a creation of his captain, Samuel Troutman, for Uncle Sam – with the implication that Uncle Sam created John Rambo.

First Blood may come as a surprise to those who have only heard of Rambo by reputation. This comes more from the second and third films in the series where Rambo is more of a killer on the rampage than in the first film where he is a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran, a Green Beret, with jungle and tactical skills, who is ill-treated by the local sheriff, Brian Dennehy, and begins to take vengeance on his persecutors. In steps Colonel Troutman (Richard Crenna) who manipulates Rambo for military purposes.

Rambo as well as Rocky have become the two characters by which Sylvester Stallone is best remembered. Those who simply call Rambo a rampaging type, need to look at this first film.

The film was directed by Ted Kotcheff, the Canadian-born director who had great success in the 1970s with Wake in Fright, made in Australia, Billy Two Hats, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Fun With Dick and Jane and Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe. In the early 80s he made Split Image, about sects, First Blood and Uncommon Valor. His later career was not so strong and he spent most of the 90s and succeeding years in television.

While serious in intent, the first Rambo film is memorable as a strong film with touches of violence – but was important in the development of the Rambo genre and its contribution to Sylvester Stallone’s career.

1. A popular box office film? The reasons for its popularity: Sylvester Stallone, the plot, the issues, the dramatic presentation? The entertainment impact of the film? Violence and the audience experiencing physical hardship and violence? Background of the Vietnam war? America in the '80s? The parallelling of the Vietnam experience with American experiences?

2. The technical qualities of the film: Panavision, the use of British Columbia town and mountain locations, the peace of the town (and the irony of the town's name)? Hope? The mountains and their beauty, grandeur, capacity for destruction? The colour photography and the editing for giving audiences a physical impression of the action? The seasons, day and night? The insertion of the flashbacks and their impact? The musical score and its heightening of dramatic atmosphere and mood?

3. The song and the lyrics? The impact of the lyrics in the aftermath of the film during the final credits? The title and its explanations? Reference to fighting, stances? The question of who drew first blood and why - the meaning of the experience?

4. The film's use of the tradition of westerns: Americana. the stranger entering into the town, the reaction of the lawman? The effect of the stranger in the town and his passing out at the end? The reversal of roles and the persecution of the stranger by the law? The destruction wrought by the stranger but because of the pigheadedness of the law? How well could the film be interpreted with the plot lines and conventions of the western?

5. The background of violence and the American rednecks? Their suspicions of anyone out of the ordinary? The stronghold on traditions? The presumption of might is right, especially for the law? The build up to the clash where the-redneck policeman declares war on the stranger? The use of the conventions of the war film - as spelt out in the light of the Vietnam Green Beret experience? The film as a battle film?

6. Audience memories of and response to American involvement in the Vietnam war? The picturing of the Hawks and the presumptions about the American presence, the skill of the soldiers, the impact of the war not being won? The Doves and hostility towards the war and suspicion of the veterans? The aftermath of the war in the United States? The complexity of attitudes, memories of commitment and involvement? The repercussions for citizens not involved and their presumptions about the American way of life? The families who suffered deaths - and the emotional response to them? The repercussions on the veterans: physical, mental? The veterans becoming vagrants? Questions of responsibility? The veterans unable to find a place in the new America? American codes, laws - and madness?

7. The film as an image of the complexities of the American presence in Vietnam? The confidence of the invading Americans and yet their not winning because of the expertise of the Vietnamese, especially the Viet Cong? The irony of the town of Hope becoming the equivalent of the Vietnam war scene? The irony of the upholder of the American law parallelling the American troops? The irony of the American Green Beret becoming the equivalent of the Viet Cong and having to fight his own side? The question of who could be right? Individuals, communities, America? First blood - in the film, in Vietnam?

8. The atmosphere of the opening: the wandering stranger. the beauty and peace of the landscapes and the lake, the sympathy for the stranger and his concern about the war buddies? The story about the cancer death and responsibility and the changing of mood? The sadness of the stranger trying to find a place - and the intrusion by Teasle?

9. The introduction to Teasle: the sheriff and expectations of law enforcement, the impressions of his wishing everybody a 'Good day'? His picking up Rambau - the lack of communication. dropping him? Pushing him about. the talk? Rambo's return and the arrest? The introduction to the interrogation, police methods, the brutality? The shower. the fingerprints etc.? The beating - and the insertion of the torture flashbacks? Audience sympathy for Rambo and understanding him? The beating and the build-up to Rambo's breaking out? His skill in escape, taking the bike, leading the police cars in a futile chase?

10. Sylvester Stallone as Rambo? Audience response to Stallone and his image? Expectations of what was to happen when he exploded? His physical presence, strength? The importance of his not speaking much -and the build-up to his jumbled special pleading at the end to explain the film and the issues? His skill in eluding the police? The mount~ ain, the cliff-face and his climbing, throwing the rock at the helicopter and killing Galt, the dropping so many feet onto the tree, the sewing up of his wound, getting the canvas for clothes, his knife and its protection, setting the traps and killing the dogs? The horror of his trapping each of the police and wounding them? His survival - the killing of the hog and finding the cave? Audience surprise at his ability and strength? The information that he was a Green Beret and the explanation of his training? His becoming a war machine, ever alert. the skills in evasion, survival? The subjugation of emotion to survival?

11. The arrival of Trautman? The radio contact? The memories of Vietnam and ways of communication and control? The talk about death, memory? Judgment? The blasting of the cave and the assumption about Rambo's destruction? His escape? The moving through the cave, the fire, the rats and their causing fear. the finding of the shaft and his escape? The irony of his being caught by the young boy? The contrast of the young boy with the old hunter and the dogs, the national guard and their blasting the cave - with their inexperience, boasting. their being reprimanded and made to dig out the cave and do hard work?

12. Teasle and his greater involvement in the chase? His motives, personality, commitment to get Rambo? The chase? The violence and physical exertion of the chase? The character of Galt - and audiences thinking he merited his death? Teasle's options? Especially after the wounding of the men and the dogs? The setting up of the headquarters? The National Guard and the State Troopers? The television personnel arriving?

13. Trautman and his background, style, push, explanation, radio contact but failing to move Rambo? His staying and expecting Rambo to escape? The restaurant sequence and the drinking with Teasle? His presumptions? The contrast in style between Teasle and Trautman?

14. The sketch of the National Guard rowdies? The truck-driver and Rambo taking the truck, the car-chase and the exploding cars? Moving through the road block and his techniques in destroying the garage, destroying the cars, removing the lights in the town, the shop with the explosives and firearms and the explosions. shooting out the lights in the police station, working from the roof? The film showing Rambo in action as Green Beret and making the town of Hope the scene of battle?

15. Teasle and the discovery of Rambo's survival, his pigheadedness and not turning back. staying in the sheriff's office, his being shot by Rambo? His finally going to the hospital?

16. Trautman and his final confrontation with Rambo? Persuading him to come out? The final still with the two of them glancing back - an evocative image? The lyrics of the final song?

17. The importance of Rambo's long speech? The emotion. the memories of Vietnam, the attack on American society. the desperation and madness of Rambo and what the war had done to him? What would happen to Rambo the final still?

18. Themes of America in the '70s and '80s? War and its effect - on individuals, society? American traditions and redneck presumptions? Physical violence. power struggles, pigheadedness? Destruction? Survival?