Facts about the movie "Rambo: First Blood" that you probably didn't know

36 years ago, on May 22, 1985, the Hollywood action film "Rambo: First Blood" — a film by Ted Kotcheff about the unkillable soldier John Rambo-was released on the screens of the United States. We offer you a little nostalgia and recall the most interesting facts about this cult film, which once seemed the coolest.

After the success of the film, "Rambo" became a common ironic name for people who are obsessed with"military". For example, in the Soviet film "Passport", the main character Merab Papashvili says to the Jewish uncle of his half-brother's wife, who considers him a Soviet spy, and therefore points a gun at him: "Take off the safety, Rambo."

The film is based on the book "First Blood"by David Morrell. This novel-the debut of the American writer was first published in 1972. Became a bestseller. In Russia, it was also published under the name "Rambo".

When David Morrell came up with a name for his main character, his wife bought Rambo apples, which were brought to America by a Swiss immigrant. So the Vietnam War veteran got a name.

Rambo could be played by Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Clint Eastwood and John Travolta.

Here are the reasons for their rejection of the role:

The originally planned budget of $ 11 million was significantly exceeded. The total cost of the film was almost $ 15 million due to the fact that the shooting process lasted 1 month longer.

The main actor Sylvester Stallone was very dissatisfied with the film. At first, he even tried to buy the tape so that no one else would see it. However, he soon cooled down and asked the producers to cut his face out of the film if possible. As a result, the final version of the picture became twice as small in timekeeping.

David Morrell (pictured) in the book "killed" his hero. However, the success of the film forced him to take up the pen again and write the second part, in which Rambo miraculously turns out to be alive and well.

There is also a director's version of the film with an alternative ending: Colonel Trautman still becomes the killer of Rambo (according to the original plot of the book). Test screenings were conducted, and it turned out that the audience did not like this final: the first of these screenings was held in Las Vegas. During the film, the audience liked what they saw on the screen, but at the end, when Rambo dies, the theater became incredibly quiet. And suddenly someone said the following phrase: "If there is a director in the audience, then I will punch him in the face!»

"First Blood" is considered a bloody and violent film. But if you look at it, it turns out that there are only four victims: a deputy who fell out of a helicopter through his own fault, and three police officers who exploded in the car while chasing Rambo. At the same time, in the original plot of the book, the veteran becomes the killer of at least ten people.

10. Sylvester Stallone asked for the role of 3.5 million dollars, but the producers of the film persuaded him to agree to 2 million. Another 1.5 million he received from the rental of the film on TV.

Unlike" Rocky", "First Blood" did not claim awards, and critics reacted to it in different ways: some with delight, and some with disgust. However, it turned out to be a much more influential film. "First Blood" has set a new production bar for a realistic action movie.