The former green beret started out in the pages of David Morrell's 1972 novel "First Blood," where he was portrayed as a tortured Vietnam War vet haunted by his experiences abroad. William Sackheim and Michael Kozoll wrote the original script which was then heavily edited by Sly, who took out all the killing as a way of making the protagonist more likable. While the body count ballooned with subsequent films in the franchise, Rambo didn't kill anyone intentionally in "First Blood," despite the fact he's almost overwhelmed by the Washington State Troopers, the local police force of Hope, Washington, and the National Guard.
Author: staff@slashfilm.com (Joe Roberts)
Published at: 2026-01-11 23:00:00
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