|
First Blood is the Sylvester Stallone film that unleashed "Rambo" onto an unsuspecting world. Wandering into a small, hostile town, ex-Green Beret John Rambo ( Stallone ) is targeted for persecution and abuse by potbellied Sheriff Will Teasle ( Brian Dennehy ). When he can stand no more, Rambo goes bonkers, killing a deputy and heading into the surrounding hills, armed to the teeth. Only after Rambo has picked off practically every law enforcement officer within a radius of 50 miles do the local authorities bring in his former commanding officer Trautman ( Richard Crenna ) for advise. Trautman's response, that the locals had better get a lot of body bags ready, is hardly encouraging. First Blood proved to be one of Stallone 's biggest non- Rocky hits. Kirk Douglas had originally been cast as Trautman, but he ankled the project when the producers refused to cave in to Douglas ' demand that Trautman kill Rambo in the finale. — Hal Erickson
|