First Blood

Ted Kotcheff, 1982 
R, 93 minutes

In this second half of our Cowtown Movie Classics double feature, Sylvester Stallone brings David Morrell’s tortured anti-hero to the big screen, solidifying Rambo as an American cultural icon. Before he was single-handedly winning foreign wars with unlimited ammo and glistening abs, John Rambo (Stallone) is a hitchhiking Vietnam veteran who finds himself on the run from a stubborn sheriff (Brian Dennehy) in the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest. A much more sensitive film than the more bombastic sequels would suggest, First Blood examines the themes of police brutality, PTSD, and treatment of veterans through the lens of an impactful and still entertaining thriller.

This screening features a newly recorded video discussion with bestselling author and original First Blood novelist David Morell (The Brotherhood of the Rose, Captain America: The Chosen.)

Tickets for this special screening are $5 (FREE for Modern members), available at the museum’s admission desk and online here.

A North Texas-based film club that celebrates vintage and cult cinema, Cowtown Movie Classics makes classic films available to the community with their proper historical context. Follow Cowtown Movie Classics on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.