First Blood (1982)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writers:

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

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:

Wed. Nov. 11	8:00 PM	AMC
Thur. Nov. 12	12:00 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)
Patrick Stack	...	National Guard Lt. Clinton Morgan
Stephen E. Miller	...	Guardsman #1
Raimund Stamm	...	Guardsman #2
Robert Metcalfe	...	Guardsman #3
Stephen Dimopoulos	...	Guardsman #4
Bruce Greenwood	...	Guardsman #5
Earl Klein	...	Guardsman #6
Danny Wozna	...	Boy
Peter Lonstrup	...	Attendant
Mike Winlaw	...	TV reporter
Donald Adams	...	Don (National Guard commanding officer)
David Menzies	...	Miner
Frank Richter	...	Man on street #1
Graham L. Galativik	...	Man on street #2
Ian Hutchinson	...	Man on street #3
Amy Alexander	...	Woman on street
Gary Hetherington	...	Hunter
Alex Kliner	...	Hunter
R.G. Miller	...	Hunter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephen Chang	...	VC Commander (uncredited)
John Rigg	...	Bobby (base camp radio operator) (uncredited)

Directed by
Ted Kotcheff

Writing credits
David Morrell		(novel)
Michael Kozoll		(screenplay) &
William Sackheim		(screenplay) and
Sylvester Stallone		(screenplay)

Produced by
Buzz Feitshans	....	producer
Mario Kassar	....	executive producer
Herb Nanas	....	co-executive producer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	executive producer (as Andrew Vajna)

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Andrew Laszlo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Joan E. Chapman		(as Joan Chapman)

Production Design by
Wolf Kroeger

Set Decoration by
Kimberley Richardson

Costume Design by
Tom Bronson

Makeup Department
Salli Bailey	....	hair stylist
Ilona Herman	....	makeup artist
Phyllis Herman	....	makeup artist
Michael Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Paul L. Tucker	....	production manager (as Paul Tucker)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Otta Hanus	....	second assistant director
Jacques Hubert	....	third assistant director
Craig Huston	....	first assistant director (as Craig Wright Huston)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director

Art Department
Gary Brolly	....	stand-by carpenter (as Garry Brolly)
Wayne McLaughlin	....	assistant property master
Stéphane Reichel	....	art department coordinator
William Stout	....	storyboard artist
Grant Swain	....	property assistant
Bill Thumm	....	property master (as Bill Thumm)
David Willson	....	construction coordinator
Gary J. Williams	....	greensman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bub Asman	....	sound editor
Fred J. Brown	....	supervising sound editor
Juno J. Ellis	....	assistant sound editor
Erick Feitshans	....	assistant to sound department
Keith Henderson	....	boom operator
Steven Kilfoy	....	assistant to sound department
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist (as Margie Denecke)
Edward L. Sandlin	....	sound editor
Alan Snelling	....	sound recording engineer
Fred Stafford	....	sound editor
Leonard Wolf Jr.	....	apprentice sound editor
Rob Young	....	sound mixer
Judy Clapp	....	assistant sound engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
George Erschbamer	....	special effects assistant
Thomas L. Fisher	....	special effects coordinator (as Thomas Fisher)
John Thomas	....	special effects best boy

Visual Effects by
Thom Noble	....	visual consultant

Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts (as Bruce Barbour)
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts (as Bennie Dobbins)
Diamond Farnsworth	....	stunts (as Richard 'Diamond' Farnsworth)
Will Harper	....	stunts
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts (as Buddy Jo Hooker)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts
Bobby Sargent	....	stunts (as Bobby Sargeant)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	stunts
Jack Gill	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Green	....	stunts (uncredited)
Don McGovern	....	stunt double: Sylvester Stallone (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John S. Bartley	....	lighting consultant (as John Bartley)
Arthur Collier	....	key grip: second unit (as Art Collier)
Shelley Degen	....	best boy
Theo Eglseder	....	first assistant camera
Russell Engels	....	chief gaffer (as Russ Engels)
Dave Gordon	....	dolly grip
Chris Harris	....	second assistant camera
Tim Hogan	....	key grip
John Holbrook	....	director of photography: second unit
Stephen Jackson	....	best boy
Joseph Lederer	....	still photographer (as Joe Lederer)
Tom Neuwirth	....	helicopter camera operator (as Thomas Neuwirth)
Rod Parkhurst	....	director of photography: second unit
Curtis Petersen	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Curtis Peterson)
Brent Spencer	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Jimmy Turrell	....	camera operator (as Jim Turrel)
John W. Scott	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lynne Carrow	....	additional casting
Lisa Freiberger	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christopher Ryan	....	wardrobe supervisor
Monica Araiz	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Michael Smith	....	assistant editor (as Mike Smith)
Pamela Jule Yuen	....	assistant editor (as Pamela Yuen)

Music Department
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator
David Paich	....	music arranger: "It's a Long Road"
Marty Paich	....	music arranger: "It's a Long Road"

Transportation Department
Bob Bowe	....	driver captain
Scott Irvine	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Lorraine Baird	....	assistant auditor
Lesley Beale	....	craft service
Lesley Beale	....	first aid
Jean Bereziuk	....	script: second unit
Fitch Cady	....	unit location: second unit
Jan Campbell	....	production assistant
Charlie Davidson	....	production accountant
Beth Hickman	....	assistant: Mr. Feitshans
Cindy James	....	dog handler
Jeanne Joe	....	assistant to executive producer
Mario Kassar	....	presenter
Gordon Mark	....	unit location manager
Diane Minshall	....	rat wrangler
Bridget Murphy	....	production office coordinator
Hugh Oaks	....	boar handler
Brigitte Roch	....	accounting clerk
Joanne Ryan	....	first aid
Syd Stembridge	....	weapons specialist
Karen Stewart	....	production secretary
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot
Andrew G. Vajna	....	presenter (as Andrew Vajna)
Ceci Vajna	....	assistant to executive producer

Production Companies

• Anabasis N.V.
• Elcajo Productions

Distributors

• Adams Filmi (1983) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1982) (UK) (theatrical)
• Orion Pictures Corporation (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• S.N. Prodis (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• Scotia International Filmverleih (1983) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Stockholm Film (1983) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Toho-Towa (1983) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Artisan Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Artisan Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Canal+ Droits Audiovisuels
• Guild Home Video (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• International Video Entertainment (IVE) (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Live Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Momentum Pictures (2007) (UK) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1985) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Roadshow Home Video
• Sandrews (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Thorn EMI Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Transvídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (HD DVD)

Other Companies

• Goldwyn Sound Facility  sound re-recorded at
• Intrada  score album released by
• Lynn Stalmaster, Toni Howard & Associates  casting (as Lynn Stalmaster Toni Howard and Associates)
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by (remastered version)

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:

An element of the book which is underplayed in the movie is that Teasle was a Korean War veteran. Rambo is a veteran of Vietnam; the subtext of the book was a battle of different war tactics.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Rambo falls through the trees after jumping off the cliff, he becomes caught (impaled) on his left arm. He hangs for a few seconds by his left arm before the branch breaks and he falls the rest of the way to the ground. When he rolls over, he is clutching his right arm, which is covered in blood.

Quotes:

Deputy Sergeant Arthur Gault: If you don't fly this thing right, I swear to god I'm going to kill you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Friends: The One with the Cake (#10.4)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

IT'S A LONG ROAD

Rambo is an icon.

The adaptation of this novel to the big screen is a great accomplishment. The film is not only the beginning of one of the greatest action trilogies of all-time, but it charts the developments of its characters, something rarely done by an action movie. "First Blood" is a moving story about the realities of post-Vietnam America and is very underrated as a film.