Classical Visions #4 - First Blood

First Blood is a 1982 action thriller film directed by Ted Kotcheff. The film stars Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo, a troubled and misunderstood Vietnam War veteran, with Sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy) as his nemesis and Colonel Samuel Trautman (Richard Crenna) as his former commander and only ally. It was released on October 22, 1982. Based on David Morrell's 1972 novel of the same name, it was the first of the Rambo series.

Unlike the sequels, which were war adventure films set in foreign countries, First Blood was a post-Vietnam War psychological thriller set in the United States. First Blood lacks the gore and violence that would become a trademark of the series.

Since its release, First Blood has been a critical and commercial success and has had a lasting influence on the genre. It has also spurred many parodies. The film is notable for its psychological portrayal of the after-effects of the Vietnam War, particularly the challenges faced by American veterans attempting to re-integrate into society, something not deeply examined in subsequent Rambo movies.

In 2008, the film was chosen by Empire magazine as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time.

One of the all time greats this movie, I grew up on this movie. I used to watch the old VHS tape all the time in the mid 90's, the music and the character is just so good, always stays in your mind and relate to it frequently. The sequels in this series just wasn't as good as the first one in my opinion, with each sequel just getting worse and worse. I don't think Stallone ever topped this performance in this movie. 
Even today the movie still goes very well, it doesn't feel dated at all.