First Blood (novel)

Last updated

First Blood
Firstbloodbook.jpg
First edition cover
Author David Morrell
Original titleFirst Blood
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Action
Thriller
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Publication date
1972
Pages252
ISBN 0-214-66814-2

First Blood is a 1972 American action-thriller novel by David Morrell about a troubled homeless Vietnam War veteran, known only by his last name of Rambo, who wages a brutal one-man war against local and state police in Kentucky. It was adapted into the 1982 film First Blood starring Sylvester Stallone, [1] which ended up spawning an entire media franchise around Rambo.

Contents

Plot

A homeless Vietnam veteran known only by his last name, Rambo, wanders into Madison, a town in Basalt County, Kentucky, and is intercepted by local police chief Wilfred Teasle, who drives him to the town limits and orders him to stay out. When Rambo repeatedly returns, Teasle arrests him on charges of vagrancy and resisting arrest, getting permission to hold him for 35 days in jail. Kept inside a claustrophobia-inducing cell, Rambo experiences a flashback to his days as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and attacks the police as they attempt to forcibly cut his hair and shave him. Rambo escapes, killing an officer in the process, steals a motorcycle, and hides in the nearby mountains.

Teasle, not wanting the state police to capture Rambo before he does, gets a helicopter pilot to search the woods and organizes a posse consisting of himself, his officers, and Orval Kellerman, an experienced hunter with a pack of trained dogs. Meanwhile, Rambo stumbles across an illegal still and persuades the moonshiners operating it to provide him with clothes and food; he also talks them into giving him a lever-action rifle. The posse catches up with Rambo, who is cornered by the helicopter and fires on it in self-defense; the pilot panics and loses control, causing the chopper to crash and explode. When the posse arrives, Rambo shoots two of Kellerman's dogs; the frightened animals leap off a cliff, taking an officer with them, and Kellerman is fatally wounded while going to check on them.

Teasle's officers start firing wildly and waste most of their ammunition trying to kill Rambo; several desert their posts and try to return to town as a cloudburst stirs up. Rambo obtains a hunting knife, canteen, and pistol, ambushing the fleeing officers and killing them one by one until only Teasle remains. The chief loses his gun, but Rambo's caution, and the rain help Teasle escape alive. He is rescued by the state police and, once his condition is stabilized, gets the National Guard to send detachments of troops to assist with the manhunt.

It is revealed to Teasle that Rambo was a member of an elite Green Beret unit in Vietnam; he has extensive experience in guerrilla warfare and survival tactics and received the Medal of Honor. Since his discharge from the Army, he has been unable to hold down a job, thus forcing him to live as a drifter. Teasle, bitter over the deaths of his men but also finding himself sympathetic to Rambo's plight, insists on helping capture him even though his health is beginning to deteriorate from his recent injuries. Rambo also finds himself torn between his instinct to keep fighting and his sense of self-preservation; he refuses to take the opportunity to escape because the rush of battle is too much for him to resist.

Captain Sam Trautman, the director of the Green Beret program, helps reorganize the National Guard units to track Rambo, who is struggling with his wounds and starving. Two civilians hunting him alert the National Guard to his presence before being killed. Rambo seals himself inside an abandoned mine and is bitten and scratched by a bat colony while looking for a way out. Teasle collapses, is taken back to town and wakes up in his office after having a vision that reveals that Rambo is heading to Madison. Having stolen a police car and dynamite, Rambo starts blowing up most of the town, including the police headquarters, and sets fire to two gas stations.

Teasle surprises Rambo and shoots him in the chest, but is himself wounded in the stomach by a return shot. A dying Rambo flees town, and Teasle follows. As Trautman and the National Guard arrive, Rambo reaches a shed and prepares to commit suicide using his last stick of dynamite. Seeing Teasle walking towards him and deciding that it would be better to die fighting, Rambo fires at him to get his attention, but to his disappointment, Teasle is hit and falls over. Rambo feels disappointed that he is now too weak to light the fuse, then he gets shot in the head by Trautman. Rambo dies, satisfied that he has come to a fitting end. Teasle relaxes, experiences a moment of affection for Rambo, and then dies.

Background

Morrell stated he was inspired to write the novel by hearing about the experiences of his students who had fought in Vietnam. [2] Morrell said "When I started First Blood back in 1968, I was deeply influenced by Geoffrey Household's Rogue Male ." [3] The character's name was derived in part from the Rambo apple, a supply of which his wife brought home while he was trying to come up with a suitable name for his character. [4] One of the inspirations for Rambo was World War II hero Audie Murphy, in particular his suffering from untreated post-traumatic stress disorder in his post-war years. [5] Madison, Kentucky was modeled after Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

Reception

John Skow of Time described the book as "carnography", though he remarked that the technical aspects of it are done well. [6]

The book has been translated into 30 languages. [7] [8]

Film adaptation

Cuban-Italian actor Tomas Milian read First Blood soon after its release and wanted to star in an adaptation of it; however, he was unsuccessful in persuading Italian producers to support the project. Still, he used "Rambo" as the name of his character, an ex-cop, in the 1975 film Syndicate Sadists .

In 1972, Morrell sold the film rights to First Blood to Columbia Pictures, who in turn sold them to Warner Bros. The film languished in development hell for ten years, with the story passing through three companies and eighteen screenplays. Finally, Andrew G. Vajna and Mario Kassar, two film distributors looking to become producers, obtained the film rights. Sylvester Stallone was cast in the lead role, due to the star power he had from the films Rocky and Rocky II . Stallone used his clout to force changes to the script to make Rambo a more sympathetic character, including having Rambo not directly kill any police or national guardsmen (in the novel, he kills many), and having him survive at the end instead of dying as he does in the book. The novel also differs from the film in that, instead of Trautman personally training and leading Rambo in Vietnam, Trautman is mentioned as the commander of the school where he trained and Rambo barely remembers him. Also in the book, Rambo expresses anger that Trautman would turn on one of his own after hearing that Trautman is working with the police to capture him.

Veteran actor Kirk Douglas was originally cast to play Trautman and was given top billing for the film. But Douglas quit the movie a few days before filming was set to begin, specifically over the fact that he wanted the movie to end with Rambo dying at Trautman's hands, but the producers were unwilling to change the film's ending. Richard Crenna was quickly cast as the new Colonel, learning his lines on the flight to the film set. Stallone was then given top billing.

Rambo, whose first name is not specified in the novel, was given the first name "John" for the film as a reference to the song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". [9]

The film, First Blood , was a major success, earning $125 million on a $15 million budget, and spawning an entire Rambo franchise.

David Morrell wrote the novelization for Rambo: First Blood Part II and explained that he was bringing the character back because of the success of the movie.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvester Stallone</span> American actor and filmmaker (born 1946)

Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Critics' Choice Award, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and two BAFTA Awards. Stallone is one of only two actors in history to have starred in a box-office No. 1 film across six consecutive decades.

Rambo is an American media franchise centered on a series of action films featuring John J. Rambo. The five films are First Blood (1982), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Rambo III (1988), Rambo (2008), and Rambo: Last Blood (2019). Rambo is a United States Army Special Forces veteran played by Sylvester Stallone, whose Vietnam War experience traumatized him but also gave him superior military skills, which he has used to fight corrupt police officers, enemy troops and drug cartels. First Blood is an adaptation of the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell.

<i>Rambo: First Blood Part II</i> 1985 film by George P. Cosmatos

Rambo: First Blood Part II is a 1985 American action film directed by George P. Cosmatos and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, who also reprises his role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. A sequel to First Blood (1982), it is the second installment in the Rambo franchise, followed by Rambo III. It co-stars Richard Crenna, who reprises his role as Colonel Sam Trautman, along with Charles Napier, Julia Nickson, and Steven Berkoff.

<i>First Blood</i> 1982 film by Ted Kotcheff

First Blood is a 1982 American action film directed by Ted Kotcheff and co-written by and starring Sylvester Stallone as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. It co-stars Richard Crenna as Rambo's mentor Sam Trautman and Brian Dennehy as Sheriff Will Teasle. It is the first installment in the Rambo franchise, followed by Rambo: First Blood Part II.

<i>Rambo III</i> 1988 film by Peter MacDonald

Rambo III is a 1988 American action film directed by Peter MacDonald and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, who also reprises his role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. A sequel to Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), it is the third installment in the Rambo franchise.

The conspiracy thriller is a subgenre of thriller fiction. The protagonists of conspiracy thrillers are often journalists or amateur investigators who find themselves pulling on a small thread which unravels a vast conspiracy that ultimately goes "all the way to the top." The complexities of historical fact are recast as a morality play in which bad people cause bad events, and good people identify and defeat them. Conspiracies are often played out as "man-in-peril" stories, or yield quest narratives similar to those found in whodunits and detective stories.

Rambo: The Force of Freedom is a 1986 American animated series based on the character of John Rambo from David Morrell's book First Blood and the subsequent films First Blood (1982) and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985). This series was adapted for television by story editor/head writer Michael Chain and also spawned a toy line.

Rambo may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Morrell</span> Canadian-American novelist (born 1943)

David Morrell is a Canadian-American author whose debut 1972 novel First Blood, later adapted as the 1982 film of the same name, went on to spawn the successful Rambo franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. He has written 28 novels, and his work has been translated into 30 languages. He also wrote the 2007–2008 Captain America comic book miniseries The Chosen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Army Special Forces in popular culture</span> Media representations of the Green Berets

Members of the U.S. Army Special Forces will emphatically assert that the "Green Beret" is a hat and not the man who wears it. Nevertheless, for a time in the 1960s the Green Berets and the men who wore them became a national fad emerging in a wide variety of popular culture referents. After a decline in popularity during the 1970s — coinciding with the American public's backlash against the Vietnam War — the Green Berets gripped the popular imagination again beginning with the Rambo film franchise in 1982. They continue to appear as both major and minor referents in popular culture — especially in movies and television — often serving as a shorthand signifier for a shady or covert military background for a fictional character. As a dramatic device, this can cut both ways — i.e., lead an audience to either admire or fear a character.

<i>Nothing to Lose</i> (novel) 2008 novel in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child

Nothing to Lose is the twelfth book in the Jack Reacher series written by Lee Child. It was published in the UK by Bantam Press in March 2008 and in the US by Delacorte in June 2008. It is written in the third person.

<i>Son of Rambow</i> 2007 comedy film

Son of Rambow is a 2007 comedy film written and directed by Garth Jennings and inspired by First Blood. The film premiered on 22 January 2007 at the Sundance Film Festival. It was later shown at the Newport Beach Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and Glasgow Film Festival. The film was also shown at the 51st BFI London Film Festival. Son of Rambow was released in the United Kingdom on 4 April 2008 and opened in limited release in the United States on 2 May 2008. Set over a summer during Thatcher's Britain, the film is a coming of age story about two schoolboys and their attempts to make an amateur film inspired by First Blood.

<i>Rogue Male</i> (novel) 1939 novel by Geoffrey Household

Rogue Male, by Geoffrey Household, is a classic thriller novel, published in 1939. The book was reissued in 2007 with an introduction by Victoria Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Rambo</span> Character in Rambo film franchise

John James Rambo is a fictional character in the Rambo franchise. He first appeared in the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, but later became more famous as the protagonist of the film series, in which he was played by Sylvester Stallone. The portrayal of the character earned Stallone widespread acclaim and recognition. The character was nominated for American Film Institute's list 100 Years…100 Heroes and Villains. Following the success of the first movie, the term "Rambo" was occasionally used in media circles to describe a lone wolf who is reckless, disregards orders, uses violence to solve all problems, enters dangerous situations alone, and is exceptionally tough, callous, raw and aggressive.

<i>Rambo</i> (2008 film) Film by Sylvester Stallone

Rambo is a 2008 American action film directed and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, based on the character John Rambo created by author David Morrell for his novel First Blood. A sequel to Rambo III (1988), it is the fourth installment in the Rambo franchise and co-stars Julie Benz, Paul Schulze, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, Rey Gallegos, Tim Kang, Jake La Botz, Maung Maung Khin, and Ken Howard. The film is dedicated to the memory of Richard Crenna, who died in 2003. Crenna had played Colonel Sam Trautman in the previous films. In the film, Rambo leads a group of mercenaries into Burma to rescue Christian missionaries, who have been kidnapped by a local infantry unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Trautman</span> Fictional character in the Rambo franchise

Colonel Samuel Richard "Sam" Trautman is a fictional character in the Rambo novel and film series, and other media in the franchise. His first appearance was in David Morrell's novel First Blood. His character was expanded on in the film series where he was played by Richard Crenna.

First Blood is a 1982 film starring Sylvester Stallone also known as "Rambo 1".

<i>Rambo: The Video Game</i> 2014 video game

Rambo: The Video Game is an arcade-style rail shooter video game developed by Teyon and published by Reef Entertainment. The game is based on the Rambo franchise and puts the player in the role of John Rambo as he journeys through scenes from each of the three films: First Blood (1982), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Rambo III (1988).

<i>Rambo: Last Blood</i> 2019 American film by Adrian Grunberg

Rambo: Last Blood is a 2019 American action film directed by Adrian Grünberg. The screenplay was co-written by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone, from a story by Dan Gordon and Stallone, and is based on the character John Rambo created by author David Morrell for his novel First Blood. A sequel to Rambo (2008), it is the fifth installment in the Rambo franchise and stars Stallone as Rambo, alongside Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim aka Yenah Han, Joaquín Cosío, and Oscar Jaenada. In the film, Rambo travels to Mexico to save his adopted niece, who has been kidnapped by a Mexican cartel and forced into prostitution.

References

  1. David Morrell. "Rambo" . Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  2. Drawing First Blood. First Blood DVD: Artisan. 2002.
  3. Joe Hartlaub (March 23, 2007). "Interview". The Book Reporter. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  4. Morrell's 2000 introduction to the novel, entitled "Rambo and Me", gives insight on the inspirations and development of the novel (pp. vii–xiv).
  5. Morrell, David (2002). "Audio Commentary". First Blood: Special Edition (DVD). Artisan Home Entertainment. Event occurs at 4:20.
  6. Skow, John."Carnography". Time . May 29, 1972.
  7. David Morrell on Rambo. http://davidmorrell.net/rambo-pages/david-morrell-on-rambo/ Archived October 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  8. "David Morrell on Facebook". Facebook .
  9. Morrell, David (1985). "Introduction". Rambo (First Blood Part II) . ISBN   0-515-08399-2.

Further reading