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First Blood, a review by Antares

First Blood





Year: 1982
Film Studio: Carolco Pictures, Anabasis, Lions Gate Home Entertainment
Genre: Action, Suspense/Thriller, Drama
Length: 93 Min.

Director
Ted Kotcheff

Writing
David Morrell...Original Material By
Michael Kozoll...Screenwriter
William Sackheim...Screenwriter
Sylvester Stallone...Screenwriter

Producer
Mario Kassar
Andrew Vajna
Buzz Feitshans

Cinematographer
Andrew Laszlo (1926)

Music
Jerry Goldsmith (1929)...Composer
Jerry Goldsmith (1929)...Song Writer
Hal Shaper...Song Writer

Stars
Sylvester Stallone (1946) as Rambo
Richard Crenna (1926) as Trautman
Brian Dennehy (1938) as Teasle
Bill McKinney (1931) as Kern
Jack Starrett (1936) as Galt
Michael Talbott (1955) as Balford
Chris Mulkey as Ward
John McLiam (1918) as Orval

ReviewFirst BloodThe Deerhunter and Coming HomeFirst Blood will only be remembered as a B-level action movie instead of a classic tale of a disenfranchised cog in the machinery of American military might.


Ratings Criterion

(From First Blood (1982) on December 9th, 2009)

L.A. Confidential, a review by Dragonfire

L.A. Confidential My Thoughts I wasn't interested in this one when I first saw previews for it.  I just didn't think I would like it.  Then I kept seeing the trailer and I started changing my mind and I eventually saw the movie..and I loved it. The plot is rather complicated, so people could get confused or lost if they don't pay attention.  Things do start off slower while characters are introduced and situations are set up.  Some of what is shown doesn't seem that important at first, but it all ends up being tied to what is going and adding to the set up of things.  I think there ends up being a decent amount of mystery and I didn't find the movie to be predictable at all.  I remember being really shocked by one thing that happens - though it does make sense for the story.  I did end up reading the book after I had seen the movie.  I think I'd seen it a few times by that point.  The book is even more complex than the movie with even more characters and events going on.  I think the movie is a really good adaptation since it focuses in on the most important elements of the story.  From what I remember, a lot more time is covered in the book. Even though there aren't any actual sex scenes in the movie, sex does have a big impact on the story.  Sid, the tabloid reporter, is always hoping to catch famous or sort of famous people in some sort of compromising sexual situation.  Sid even sets some of them up, promising one person that no one else will ever know..and then he plasters the pictures all over the cover of Hush-Hush, the tabloid magazine he writes for.  Lynn, the main female character, is a call girl who looks like Veronica Lake.  There are other call girls who look like other actresses, though they are mostly just talked about and only one of them is briefly seen.  Bud and Lynn have a relationship and it is very clear that it involves sex even though not much is shown.  There is a lot of violence in the movie, some of which is rather graphic and extreme.  There are shoot outs and fights with several people getting hurt or killed.  The violence didn't really bother me, though some people may feel differently.  The movie definitely deserves the R rating and it isn't one for children. Several of the characters are just in a few short scenes, but they still manage to be interesting.  This was the first movie I saw Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce in.  I really didn't like Pearce's character Ed at first.  Technically he is the good guy since he is out to end corruption, but his attitude at first makes him unlikeable.  I don't see Bud as really a bad character, though he isn't all good either.  Jack has gotten use to being a bit of a celebrity thanks to the exposure from working with a tv show and the busts that he sets up for Sid to take pictures of.  Jack is a bit corrupted, but no where near the level that some other cops are.  The cast is wonderful in their parts. I really like this movie and think it is has held up very well. At the time, I was ok with Titanic winning more Oscars, including best picture.  Now I'm thinking this one really should have won.  I posted a review on Epinions last night - my 1300th review there.  L.A. Confidential

(From L.A. Confidential on June 16th, 2010)

The Flash Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

Guest Stars:
Richard Belzer as Joe Kline
Vito D'Ambrosio as Bellows
Biff Manard as Murphy
Yvette Nipar as Lisa March
John Santucci as Big Ed
Denise Dillard as Shauna Duke

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this one quite a bit. For some reason it is always fun when a main character, one that is always on the side of good, goes bad.... even if it is just for an episode. While "Evil Tina" was right mean pretty much the whole time.... she was even hotter then she normally is.

My Rating:

(From The Flash Marathon on April 25th, 2010)