First Blood (1982)

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writers:

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

Release Date:

22 October 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

One war against one man.

Plot:

A Vietnam Veteran uses his combat skills against the lawman of a small town when he arrests and abuses him.

Plot Keywords:

Rambo | Sheriff | Deputy | Escape | Colonel

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Sylvester Stallone	...	Rambo
Richard Crenna	...	Trautman
Brian Dennehy	...	Teasle
Bill McKinney	...	Kern
Jack Starrett	...	Galt
Michael Talbott	...	Balford
Chris Mulkey	...	Ward
John McLiam	...	Orval
Alf Humphreys	...	Lester
David Caruso	...	Mitch
David L. Crowley	...	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	...	Lt. Morgen
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	...	Guard C.O.
David Menzies	...	Miner
Frank Richter	...	Man on Street #1
Grahman L. Galativk	...	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 Newman	....	makeup artist
Michael Westmore	....	makeup creator

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	....	standby carpenter (as Garry Brolly)
Wayne McLaughlin	....	prop assistant
Stéphane Reichel	....	art department coordinator (as Stephane Reichel)
Alex Scutti Jr.	....	set plasterer (as Alex Scutti)
William Stout	....	storyboard artist
Grant Swain	....	prop assistant
Bill Thumm	....	prop master
David Willson	....	construction coordinator (as David Wilson)
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
Fred Stafford	....	sound editor
Leonard Wolf Jr.	....	apprentice sound editor
Rob Young	....	sound mixer
Judy Clapp	....	assistant sound engineer (uncredited)
Alan Snelling	....	sound recording 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
Bobby Sargent	....	stunts (as Bobby Sargeant)
Jack Gill	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Green	....	stunts (uncredited)
Don McGovern	....	stunt double: Sylvester Stallone (uncredited)
Robert Milicevic	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John S. Bartley	....	lighting consultant (as John Bartley)
Art Collier	....	key grip: second unit
Shelley Degen	....	best boy (as Shelley Degan)
Theo Eglseder	....	first assistant camera (as Theo Eglsder)
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 (as Steve Jackson)
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)
Brenton Spencer	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Brent Spencer)
Jimmy Turrell	....	camera operator (as Jim Turrel)
Curtis Petersen	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Curtis Petersen	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
John W. Scott	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lynne Carrow	....	additional casting (as Lynn Carrow)
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

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 (as Jean Berezuik)
Fitch Cady	....	unit location: second unit
Jan Campbell	....	production assistant
Charlie Davidson	....	production accountant
Burton Elias	....	unit publicist (as Burt Elias)
Beth Hickman	....	assistant: Mr. Feitshans
Cindy James	....	dog handler
Jeanne Joe	....	assistant to executive producers
Mario Kassar	....	presenter
Jimmy Lile	....	knife designer: Arkansas Knifesmith
Gordon Mark	....	unit location manager
Diane Minshall	....	rat wrangler
Bridget Murphy	....	production office coordinator
Hugh Oaks	....	boar handler
Pattie Robertson	....	script
Brigitte Roch	....	accounts clerk
Joanne Ryan	....	first aid
Syd Stembridge	....	weapons specialist
Karen Stewart	....	production secretary
Andrew G. Vajna	....	presenter (as Andrew Vajna)
Ceci Vajna	....	assistant to executive producers
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Anabasis N.V.
• Elcajo Productions

Distributors

• Adams Filmi (1983) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Ambassador Film Distributors (1982) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Canal+ Droits Audiovisuels (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1982) (UK) (theatrical)
• Karagiannis-Karatzopoulos (1982) (Greece) (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)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2002) (Greece) (DVD)
• Gativideo (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (DVD) (special edition)
• Guild Home Video (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• International Video Entertainment (IVE) (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Leader Music (2010) (Argentina) (DVD) (as Leader Vision)
• Live Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• MTC Video (1983) (Greece) (VHS)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (UK) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1985) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Roadshow Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• 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)
• PPI Camera Corporation  camera equipment provided by
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Reeltime Creative  trailer music
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by (remastered version)

Also Known As:

"Rambo" - USA (TV title)
"Rambo" - Japan (English title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

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 | 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 | Portugal:M/16 | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Golden Ears Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Anabasis N.V.

Trivia:

The name of the sporting goods shop that Rambo blows up is "The Outpost".

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Rambo got the flashback where he was tortured by the Vietnamese interrogator, the interrogator spoke a sentence in Cantonese, not Vietnamese.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Rambo:Can you tell me if Delmar Berry lives here?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Micmacs (2009)

Soundtrack:

IT'S A LONG ROAD

In war, a hero, in peace, forsaken.

This is a truly unique movie that quickly became obscured due to the later sequels. It tells the story of a man who survived one hell, only to return home despised and forsaken because of it. There was a time when America didn't quite know what to think of the lost war, and so it was forgotten - and the men who came out of it as well. Rambo finds he cannot survive this war, because it is still going on within him.

Finally, pushed too far by a small town sheriff, Rambo returns to the only thing he can relate to. War. Yet it is a war he almost mercifully wages on the macho egotistical deputies and week end warriors that pursue. To potentially misquote Rambo :

"I coulda killed them all, I could have killed you. In town you're the law, out here it's me. Let it go..."