First Blood

Movie Details:

Based on	First Blood by David Morrell
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Action, Adventure, Thriller
Release date	October 22, 1982
Running time	1hr 33min
Age rating	R
Starring	Sylvester Stallone Richard Crenna Brian Dennehy
Directed by	Ted Kotcheff
Screenplay by	Michael Kozoll William Sackheim Sylvester Stallone
Produced by	Buzz Feitshans
Cinematography by	Andrew Laszlo
Edited by	Joan Chapman
Music by	Jerry Goldsmith
Production Company	The Wallis Interactive Carolco Pictures Anabasis Investments, N.V.
Distributor	Orion Pictures

Cast & Characters:

• Sylvester Stallone as John J. Rambo
• Richard Crenna as Colonel Samuel R. “Sam” Trautman
• Brian Dennehy as Sheriff William “Will” Teasle
• Bill McKinney as Captain Dave Kern
• Jack Starrett as Deputy Sergeant Arthur “Art” Galt
• Michael Talbott as Deputy Balford
• Chris Mulkey as Deputy Ward
• John McLiam as Orval Kellerman
• Alf Humphreys as Deputy Lester
• David Caruso as Deputy Mitch Rogers
• Don MacKay as Deputy Preston
• David Crowley as Deputy Shingleton
• Patrick Stack as Lieutenant Clinton Morgen

Storyline:

John J. Rambo is a former United States Special Forces soldier who fought in Vietnam and won the Congressional Medal of Honor, but his time in Vietnam still haunts him. As he came to Hope, Washington to visit a friend, he was guided out of town by the Sheriff William Teasel who insults Rambo, but what Teasel does not know that his insult angered Rambo to the point where Rambo became violent and was arrested. As he was at the county jail being cleaned, he escapes and goes on a rampage through the forest to try to escape from the sheriffs who want to kill him. Then, as Rambo’s commanding officer, Colonel Samuel Trautman tries to save both the Sheriff’s department and Rambo before the situation gets out of hand.

About Movie:

First Blood is an American action film directed by Ted Kotcheff and stars Sylvester Stallone as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. Co-starring Richard Crenna as Rambo’s mentor, Colonel Sam Trautman, and Brian Dennehy as Sheriff Will Teasle, it marks the first installment in the Rambo franchise.

The film is based on David Morrell’s 1972 novel First Blood, which several studios and directors had attempted to adapt throughout the 1970s. In 1972, Columbia Pictures bought the rights to the novel for $175,000.

Filming began on November 15, 1981, and wrapped in April 1982, with a budget of $15 million. The production was primarily shot in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, with key locations including Hope, Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park (renamed Chapman Gorge in the film), Capilano Canyon, Golden Ears Provincial Park, and Pitt Lake. During production, Buzz Feitshans took over producing duties from Ed Carlin, who suffered a heart attack.

First Blood was released on October 22, 1982, in the United States. Despite receiving mixed initial reviews, it was a commercial hit, grossing $125.2 million worldwide and ranking as the 13th highest-grossing film in the U.S. and seventh worldwide for the year.

In 1985, it became the first Hollywood blockbuster released in China, holding the record for the most tickets sold for an American film there until 2018. Over time, First Blood has been reappraised, with praise directed toward the performances of Stallone, Dennehy, and Crenna, as well as the film’s significant influence on the action genre.

The film’s success led to a lasting franchise that includes four sequels (all co-written by and starring Stallone), an animated TV series, comic books, novels, and multiple video games.

Budget & Box Office Collection:

Budget	$15 million
Domestic Opening	$6,642,005
Domestic Collection	$47,212,904
International Collection	$78,000,000
Worldwide Collection	$125,212,904