Rambo: First Blood (1982)
8 questions
Directed by: Ted Kotcheff
Starring: Bill McKinney, Brian Dennehy, Richard Crenna, Sylvester Stallone
Question: I actually have two questions about this film. Firstly, does Rambo actually kill anyone in this film? Dennehy doesn't die and he didn't kill Galt so was there anyone else? And secondly when Rambo arrives at the cliff face, why didn't he simply run to his right or left? The police were only coming at him from behind (and even if one of them came from the side, Rambo could have used his skills to get past him). So why did he feel that going down the cliff was his only option?
Gavin JacksonQuestion: Behind the desk of Teasle is a distinguished service cross, a silver star and a purple heart. So he is himself a very brave fighter. Why would such a "war hero" be so mad about another war hero, a recipient of the medal of honor, delivered only by the President of the United States? Jealousy? Rage about the death of his friend?
Chosen answer: At the start of the film when Rambo is causing all these problems, the Sheriff has no idea who John Rambo is (Vietnam War hero), so he thinks Rambo is just another America-disrespecting drifter (the American flag on Rambo's jacket). Also, Teasle is a law and order guy who does not want his town disturbed by outsiders. After the fireworks and Teasle finds out who Rambo is and also meets Colonel Troutman, Teasle's mission becomes personal: rage at the death of his best friend, humiliation in front of his deputies, the incompetence of the state National Guard to subdue Rambo, and also a generational factor: Teasle probably served in Korea or WW2, when America was top dog in the world, so he will not allow some hippie ex-soldier from a "lost" war best him.
Scott215Question: I was wondering, at the beginning when the cop is about to shave him, why does he freak out about the knife but can kill people with his own knife?
Metalligod666Chosen answer: Because it's a knife that someone else is holding and can use against him. It's common for people in dangerous professions to regard their weapons as tools. For example, police officers who commit suicide by handgun rarely use their service weapon, but rather a personal firearm.
Captain Defenestrator
Question: Everyone says Rambo only kills one person in First Blood. But I watched it a few months ago, and I'm sure I remember him blowing up some police cars in a chase. What happened there?
raphChosen answer: He is never shown on camera to definitely kill more than one person (the shooter in the helicopter); the police cars flip over and crash, but the people inside are not shown to be dead, so it is possible they survived.
TwotallQuestion: What could possibly have made Teasle think that it was Rambo who killed Gault? Teasle was fully aware that Rambo was injured and unarmed and that Gault was in a helicopter trying desperately to shoot him (against orders). So how the hell did he come to that conclusion?
Gavin JacksonChosen answer: Rambo essentially admitted responsibility, when he tried to make peace with the officers as he stood near the body. As well, we can assume the chopper pilot reported the incident - while he may not have seen Rambo, rocks don't throw themselves at helicopters.
DavidRTurnerQuestion: If Rambo could afford to eat, why couldn't he afford a bus ticket?
Gavin JacksonChosen answer: A meal in the 80s would have cost 4 or 5 dollars. A bus ticket would have been around 50, or more, depending on where he was going.
Captain DefenestratorQuestion: Was First Blood not approved by any law enforcement or military? I noticed many types of military uniform mistakes, the stars on the trucks upside down, the flags on the police uniforms facing backward when the blue field should be forward. Usually, if a film can not get approval, they can not correctly show military or law enforcement items.
Chosen answer: More than likely. After all, the movie portrayed both the local law enforcement and National Guard to be either intolerant jerks or incompetent morons. Hardly something they would approve of.
Grumpy ScotYou may like...
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Chosen answer: No he doesn't kill anyone. He didn't know if he was surrounded or not and if he did encounter one from the side they might have shot him.
Grumpy Scot