First Blood (novel)

nvm I was wrong

The novel was set in Appalachia (eastern Kentucky) and included a plot line where moonshiners up in the hills who were also at odds with the sheriff helped Rambo. Some of the other wilderness chase elements are different too.

The moral divide between the three main characters was a lot more blurry in the novel. In the novel Rambo is a broken toy who snaps and goes on a psychotic rampage whereas the sheriff is an older combat veteran who is flawed but more sympathetic than what is portrayed in the movie. It was more about a generational divide and people being forced into a system.

The novel was originally written in the early 70s and the film rights were a hot property, especially after the success of movies like Dirty Harry, Death Wish, etc. The movie rights were bought and sold by several different studios with lots of big name directors, writers and actors attached at some point during the long period of production hell.

Stallone finally jumped in and got the movie made. He re-wrote the script to make Rambo much more sympathetic and the people pursuing him a lot more villainous.

In both the novel and the original shooting script, Rambo dies at the end. They filmed two different versions of the ending but test audiences hated the version where Rambo died. The death ending is on Youtube.

Kirk Douglas was originally cast as Trautman but left during filming. Douglas maintained that he quit over creative differences because he was fighting for the movie to be more faithful to the source novel. Other people involved in filming claim he was fired for acting like a tyrant on the set and demanding that the entire movie be re-shaped into a Kirk Douglas vehicle when he didn't realize he was past his prime and Stallone was the star.

quote:

---

Has anyone read the novel?

---

I read at least part of it.

Rambo was decidedly more psychotic and was intentionally defying the sheriff rather than being fricked with while acting innocently.

quote:

---

trautman

---

Seemed to remember him being way more badass in the book than Richard Crenna was in the movie

I was a teen and didn't understand it like an adult back then, but the whole issue of returning Vietnam vets seemed a lot grittier and darker in the 70s with this book, Rolling Thunder, the aftermath of My Lai, etc.

The first movie softened it. Then Rambo sort of became a "superhero" in the sequels with very little connection to the original feel of the book.

Worst part, the moonshiners gave him a Winchester (I think), and he used it to shoot the hound dogs the posse was using to track him.

Great book.

quote:

---

Watch the real Rambo instead, Dirk Benedict!

---

Ruckus

Was on HBO and I watched it repeatedly. Linda Blair filled out nicely.

quote:

---

The moral divide between the three main characters was a lot more blurry in the novel.

---

Never really understood that divide but I think I read somewhere the writer tried to instill to the reader that the Korean war combat vet Sherriff had a thing against Rambo, who obviously was a Vietnam war combat vet, solely over that. I never read the book so didn't know if that was indeed the case but would find that odd considering how horrible most Vietnam vets got treated coming home. If anything you would think the Sherriff and the arsehole Deputy would be compassionate.

quote:

---

That's what sets off the big manhunt in the book. In the movie he just breaks a guy's nose or something - an escalating event but probably not something you would call out the helicopters and National Guard for.

---

Rambo did cause the deputy to fall out of the helicopter. I think that is what triggered the National Guard to show up.