Posted on 10/15/2022 6:45:47 AM PDT by algore
It was Rambo-mania in the town of Hope, British Columbia, as stars from the film, their family members and fans gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of the most iconic action movies of all time last weekend.
The district of Hope, a town with a population of less than 7,000 situated amid the Cascade Mountains around two hours east of Vancouver, doubled as the fictional town of Hope in Washington State for the 1982 movie.
Filming of the Sylvester Stallone classic began all the way back in November 1981 and lasted until the following April.
The movie spawned four sequels, the most recent of which, Rambo: Last Blood, was released in 2019, to mediocre reviews.
One of the organizers of the event, Brian McKinney, told DailyMail.com: 'The First Blood concept really has evolved into this cult like thing. Apparently, there are close to a billion fans of the 'Rambo' franchise.'
The festival ran from October 7th until 10th. Among those who visited were Patrick Stack, who played Lt. Clinton Morgan, Stephen Chang who played the Viet Cong commander who causes much of Rambo's trauma, as well as the family of Brian Dennehy, who played the notorious Sheriff Will Teasle.
During the celebrations, a statue of Dennehy in character as Sheriff Teasle was unveiled
In total, around 3,000 people showed up for the anniversary celebrations.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The author of First Blood, David Morrell, has written several really good books. May I recommend “The Brotherhood of the Rose”.
Post 11: Good rant!
Post 11: Good rant!
I liked the movie but it was part of the widespread media painting of vets as psychos, in TV dramas, movies, and cop shows, the sniper/killer/Psycho was almost always a Vietnam vet.
Serving America in the military made men mentally ill was the theme. I do think though that as nuts and disturbed as Rambo was, Stallone did such a great job in making an action movie that Rambo ended up coming off to the public as a Vietnam vet hero.
Rambo actually helped the Vietnam vet image as bizarre as it can seem, and it started the public thinking of them as skilled combat guys, heroes (well, it was a slow start toward that). In the end it fit the 1980s very well.
Yeah, I seem to recall that the movie folks thought of a few different endings, including the one where Rambo was killed before deciding upon the one that made the cut and the final release. I think they did a focus group testing to determine the ending that would be most agreeable to potential paid movie goers. Thus, we see the ending we all know.
When I watched it growing up, I didn’t think he was crazy and I was on his side.
The cops were scumbags.
Spoiler alert!!! Sheesh-jk
Most people didn't serve in combat in Vietnam - and have to put up with employers not wanting to hire you or girlfriends hesitant to deal with you and your "PTSD".
It was the final insult to all of us who had the guts and patriotism to fight for our country to come home to drivel on TV and the movies, written by Leftist enemy-sympathizing noncombat scum and enjoyed by adolescents and draft-avoiders.
“Brian Dennehy was there.”
I hear he drove out the out of town folks to the edge of the city.
Well said............And very true........
LOL, I heard that too. :)
The cops in the movie had it coming.
Added to the miserable homecoming, it was final center finger to all of us who made it back.
Died April 15, 2020.
“When I watched it growing up, I didn’t think he was crazy and I was on his side.
The cops were scumbags.”
Your reaction was correct and how the vast majority of the audience saw it.
I know the mixed feelings some have about it (Rambo was one mixed-up homeless guy, especially for a high IQ Vietnam era Green Beret), but in the end it came to be seen as a hero movie, a pro-vet movie, so you are right.
So he is dead. I must have read an old article?...
P.S. I hope he didn’t pay his taxes.
My fault, it says the family of Brian Dennehy.
“Brian Dennehy was there.”
He was there like he was in Nam.
I read the article’s headline to fast.
He is dead and his family was there.
I’m pretty sure there was a thread on FR when he died...
I know, but I was a shot at Dennehy for his history of stolen valor.
Gotcha. I had no clue, as I was born in 1975...
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