Spielberg’s Encounter with First Blood
We all know Steven Spielberg for his memorable war movies. But when he watched Sylvester Stallone’s First Blood, Steven’s feelings were a mix of excitement and worry. He was eager to watch the film but also scared about what message it might put out.
Spielberg’s Taste for Surprise
Steven Spielberg loves surprises in movies. So when First Blood came out in 1982, he made sure to steer clear of all the chatter about it. He wanted to experience the film for the first time with fresh eyes. Once he did, he found it thrilling but also warned that it could be a ‘risky’ experience for some.
Spielberg’s Fears about Changing History
Spielberg thought First Blood was a well-made movie. But the film’s unusual take on history troubled him. It felt like the film was saying ‘this-is-what-should-have-happened.’ Spielberg was scared about its power to rewrite the past but admitted it was quite entertaining. Even though it annoyed him, he found the film hard to resist.
Stallone’s Invention- Rambo
After his success with the Rocky movies, Sylvester Stallone took a star turn in First Blood. He played a Vietnam war veteran fighting against a system that had turned its back on him. Tackling sensitive topics related to the Vietnam War, the film made a splash at the box office. It brought in over $125.2 million.
The Discontent of Original Author David Morrell
David Morrell, who wrote the original First Blood, wasn’t exactly delighted about how Hollywood portrayed his character, Rambo. Even though the movie franchise was a big hit, Morrell felt Stallone’s version of Rambo was nothing like his. Morrell’s Rambo was against war. But in Hollywood, he became a poster-boy for army recruitment.
The Evolution of Rambo
In the later movies, Stallone tried to take Rambo back to his roots. But Hollywood disagreed. By the fifth part, The Last Blood, the author claimed that the producers completely stopped talking to him. You can now check out the Rambo series from start to finish on Paramount+.
To wrap it up, Spielberg’s take on Stallone’s First Blood is just like the film itself – both exciting and worrisome. The impact of the film is still felt, years after it was first released. First Blood shows us a different side of war movies, regardless of the original intentions of the movie makers.
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