Category: First Blood

Curtis Emde’s “Bridge to Hope”

Craig / / 2012, First Blood, Sly Fan

Several years ago SZoner, Curtis Emde sent me a short video that he made about his trip to Hope, British Columbia.  Curtis is a huge Rambo/Stallone fan and the video was a thank you for posting the information about a 25th Anniversary Celebration of First Blood that was being held in Hope. 

Recently Curtis returned to Hope, along with Rambo/Stallone fans from around the world, to celebrate the last days of the “Rambo Bridge.”  Curtis brought along his video camera and has pulled together a very well made fan film called The Bridge to Hope and you can see it here for free.  Well done, Curtis!


David Morrell and Rambo

Craig / / 2012, Celebs, First Blood, Rambo, Rambo 2, Rambo 3

One of the best things about creating and running the StalloneZone is the people I “meet” because of it.  This week I received an e-mail from one of my all-time favorite authors, David Morrell.  Mr. Morrell is probably best known to fans here for creating Rambo in his novel First Blood.  [Mr. Morrell has written over 30 books in a wide range of genres and all are excellent.] 

Mr. Morrell wants Stallone fans to know that his newly designed website has a Rambo page and that he recently finished up revisions of his novelizations of Rambo, First Blood Part II and Rambo III [both of which will contain lengthy introductions]. 

Check out Mr. Morrell’s site and if your interested in some of his other novels, pick any of them because you can not go wrong!


Top 10 Macho Movies of the 80’s

Craig / / 2012, First Blood, Honors, Rocky 4

Krystal Clark over at Screen Cave posted her choices for The Top 10 Macho Movies that Ruled the 80’s.  Both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sly scored two movies in the top ten, but guess who came in at #1.  Yep, Sly for First Blood.  Here’s the list with the rationale for Sly’s films.

10.   Road House
09.   American Ninja
08.   Rocky IV:  “I must break you.” It’s been 26 years since Rocky IV’s release and those words still send chills down our spine. The movie isn’t a masterpiece but what it lacks in sensible dialogue it makes up for in spirit. It was Rocky Balboa versus Ivan Drago. It was the U.S. versus The Soviet Union. It was blonds versus brunettes. You get the picture. 
07.  Missing in Action
06.  Predator
05.  Escape from New York
04.  Die Hard
03.  Blood Sport
02.  Commando
01.  First Blood: John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is the ultimate ‘80s action hero. He’s a loner. He’s quiet. And he happens to be an expert in guerrilla warfare. After being tormented by a corrupt sheriff, Rambo taps into his survival training to fight back. As one man, he takes on 200 police officers and still manages to come out on top. How? Because he oozes machismo! If you send in 200 men against Rambo, don’t forget one thing – “a good supply of body bags.”

Top Five Stallone Eighties Movies

Craig / / 2011, Cobra, First Blood, Rambo 2, Rocky 3, Rocky 4

AMC recently posted their choices for the Top Five Stallone Eighties Movies.  Here’s a taste of the piece:

1. Rocky III (1982)
The third movie in the saga changes the pace, and Sly deftly walks a fine line between the Oscar-worthy drama of the movie’s predecessors and straight-up action… Rocky III is bigger, better, and more exciting than any sports movie that came before (or after)…

2. Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
… one of the greatest action flicks of all time.

3. First Blood (1982)
…First Blood has a realism that is lacking from many eighties action movies…

4. Cobra (1986)
… Cobra is like Dirty Harry after five shots, three Red Bulls, and a trip to a military arsenal.

5. Rocky IV (1985)
The Rocky formula is taken to a whole new level with better training scenes and musical montages, bigger opponents (the truly monstrous Russian, Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren), and Cold War themes…

You can read the whole article here.

Rare “First Blood” Footage

Craig / / 2011, First Blood

Earlier this week I received the following e-mail:

  • Hi Craig,

    Reegs, Scott and I,( aka the First Blood Team :), have been working on this new First Blood video that shows very rare footage that was edited for a Canadian TV version back in 1983 and never made to DVD.  It was important to preserve these footage.

    The video also includes at the end a rare photos slide show that I’m sure First Blood fans might enjoy.

    If you think this video deserves his little entry in your SZ weekly updates, Feel free to add it!

    Thanks

    Herve, Reegs and Scott.

Obviously I felt the video deserved to be posted.  It’s great footage that needs to be preserved.  Thanks to SZoners, Herve, Reegs [our own Raven] and Scott! – Craig