John James Rambo: The Story Of A Hero:

John James Rambo: The Making of the Novel and Films:

In 1972, David Morrell published a novel called First Blood. This book, using the example of one Vietnam War hero John Rambo, talked about the problems of veterans. In particular, about the difficulty of their adaptation to civilian life after the horrors of war, murders or captivity. In addition, in his work, the author showed that if a person is purposefully made into a “killing machine” for a long time, then it will be very difficult for him to change and adapt to a peaceful existence.

Unlike the Terminator, humans do not have a toggle switch capable of switching them from one mode to another. The idea to write a novel on this topic came from Morrell while studying in the United States. Being a Canadian himself, he knew little about the Vietnam War, but during his training he began to personally encounter young guys suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Realizing that this topic is quite relevant and burning, the writer decided to devote a whole book to it.

Why Rambo 4 Had The Best Version Of Stallone’s Expendables:

The Real Prototyape of John Rambo:

Despite the fact that the author of the novel “First Blood” knew many veterans trying to adapt to normal life, John James Rambo is not a composite image, he had a real prototype. He was, however, a veteran not of the Vietnam War, but of the Second World War named Audie Murphy. After returning home, this man could not get used to a normal life for many years. All this time he continued to keep a weapon under his pillow. Sometimes, out of fright, he could start firing at the shadows if it seemed to him that someone was getting close to him. In the case of Murphy, his disorder did not lead to such tragic consequences. Morrell, in his novel, described a hypothetical situation that could occur in this veteran, and his most likely reaction to it.

Where did the name John James Rambo come from?

In the book First Blood, the main character had no name at all. Only the last name is Rambo. However, when ten years after the publication of the novel they were going to film it, the hero urgently needed a name. Then he was named John James (John James) in honor of the popular song of the American Civil War – “When Johnny is about to march home.” The hero received his surname in honor of the French writer Arthur Rimbaud, who has a poem “One Summer in Hell”. Morrell thought it was a perfect metaphor for John’s time in Vietnamese captivity. Sometimes the writer told a different version of the origin of the name Rambo. While writing the book, his wife brought him a dish of fragrant apples, which Morrell liked. He asked his beloved what kind of variety it was. Turned out to be Rambo. So the writer came up with a name for his hero – John James Rambo.

Rambo Family:

Information about John’s relatives in books and films slightly contradicts each other. So, in the picture it is mentioned that the guy’s father was an Indian. However, the book says that Rambo’s mother was from the Navajo tribe, and his father is Italian. As a child, the boy often spent time with his mother’s relatives, hence his ability to perfectly shoot a bow, navigate and hunt in the jungle. John’s father often drank and, in a state of intoxication, beat his mother. Later, she died of cancer, and the young Rambo ran away from home and began working in the garage, completely abandoning his studies at school. Entry into the army was for the guy just a ray of light in a dark kingdom.

«Rambo First Blood»

In preparation for the film adaptation of the novel, the book image of Rambo was changed. In addition to the fact that the character gained a name, he became more withdrawn into himself. So, in the novel John James Rambo (a fictional character) communicates more with the police, even makes jokes. In the film adaptation, he is sullen and silent. Also in the film, the main character is much less bloodthirsty than in the book. As a real soldier, John James Rambo in the book kills about fifteen people who are chasing him. Against the background of the book prototype, the cinematic hero is almost a pacifist: only one of his opponents perishes at his hands in the movie – the sheriff who made a mess.

In general, the plot is more or less identical: John travels and, passing through another city, attracts the attention of the sheriff. He is trying to force the hero to leave the aisles of his settlement as soon as possible in order to avoid various incidents. The hero of the war is offended by this attitude and he returns to the city in spite of the sheriff, for which he is arrested and taken to a cell and beaten. John Rambo has a breakdown, fights off his tormentors and escapes the precinct. The hunt begins for him with the involvement of all means, including the National Guard. However, Rambo, being an experienced military man, not only survives well in the forest, but also manages to keep the defense. He eventually kills the bully sheriff and turns himself in to the authorities. The book has a slightly different ending – there John James Rambo dies.

How The Movie Rambo 4 Was Made. Full Shooting Rambo 4.

Rambo Knife:

It is worth noting that the book completely lacks such a detail as a folding survival knife, which so often serves the hero. The idea to use such a tool belongs to the lead actor in the film – Sylvester Stallone. Being an avid collector of edged weapons, he begged one of the best designers in the United States – Jimmy Lyle – to design one copy specifically for the film. The cleaver-machete was taken as the basis, however, a whole set of hiking tools was mounted in the handle, which helped Rambo to escape. For the second and third films, models of camping knives were also developed individually, which, according to the plot, were supposed to help the hero survive in the jungle.

«Rambo First Blood Part 2»

According to the plot of the second picture, John is serving his just punishment for misdeeds in the first film. But then, unexpectedly, his former boss Trautman comes to him, whom the hero respects and appreciates very much. He offers Rambo to get his freedom in a different way than years of work in a stone quarry. All that is required of him is to complete one dangerous mission. The fact is that John James Rambo was once in Vietnamese captivity and was able to escape from there. Officially, the camp where he was kept is empty. But the Americans fear that captured soldiers are still being held and tortured there. Rambo’s task is to get into the camp, find out the state of affairs, report and leave unnoticed.

However, John’s landing does not go as planned, and the hero is left with almost no equipment. Rambo has to use only his trusty knife, bow and arrow, as well as survival skills received from the Indians. Thanks to contact Ko Bao, John infiltrates the camp and finds a mass of captured soldiers from the United States there. Rambo tries to save them, but due to the betrayal of one of the leaders of the operation, he himself is captured. After being tortured with the help of Ko Bao, the hero manages to escape and save his compatriots, but the girl dies. At the end of the film, John refuses a well-deserved medal and leaves the army.

Rambo 3:

With the third film in the Rambo cycle, the situation is similar: a book was written based on it. In the story, John has been living in Thailand for a long time. The hero earns a living by participating in paid street fights. Here he is found by his former commander Trautman, who became the second father for the hero. He asks John to participate in one military operation, but he no longer trusts the US Army and refuses. John James Rambo soon learns that Trautman was captured during the assignment and agrees to try and rescue him. Having penetrated through the Afghan-Pakistani border into Afghanistan, the hero gets acquainted with the local resistance. With the help of a guide, he gets to the base where his friend is kept. After a series of shootouts, Rambo manages to rescue both Trautman and the other prisoners.

Rambo 4 Almost Set Up A Spinoff: Here’s Why It Didn’t Happen

Rambo 4:

The last of the films in this series tells about the life of Rambo twelve years after the events of the third film. Now John is almost sixty, he calmed down, but he never returned to his homeland. Its habitat is a suburb of Bangkok. Here he lives on the banks of the river and repairs boats and boats. One day, a small group of missionaries comes to him and asks him to accompany them to the habitat of an eastern people who are suffering from hostilities in the country. The missionaries want to help them with food and medicine. Reluctantly, John James Rambo agrees and helps the missionaries. A few days later, he learns that the people he helped to get to the occupied village were taken hostage by the military. Teaming up with the Soldiers of Fortune, John saves the missionaries. One girl from their group, with whom John became friends, advises him to finally return to his homeland, which the hero does.

The Influence of the image of John Rambo on Politics and Culture:

Creating the image of John Rambo, David Morrell tried to raise issues that the society of that time often simply turned a blind eye to. However, his character from a troubled veteran soon turned into a lost war hero, ready to come to the rescue in difficult times. He became a symbol of the steadfastness and honor of a real military man who does not betray and does not abandon his own. This is how the hero John Rambo changed the action genre. Stories about a lone hero who saves someone have become fashionable (“Die Hard”, “Commando”). For example, John McClain from Die Hard compares himself to Rambo. With the light hand of the creators of the film cycle, after its release, universal camping knives, archery and other “gadgets” of the protagonist came into fashion.

American President Ronald Reagan often quoted Rambo films during his reign. Also, a term that appeared in jurisprudence is associated with the hero. It is called Rambo lawyer and denotes the unprofessional behavior of lawyers. The story of one hero greatly influenced the audience, especially the young ones. John Rambo became the ideal of masculinity and courage for boys who wanted to be like him in everything. After the release of the film, many children began to play Rambo and imitate his habits. But the most important thing that all viewers and readers of this cycle have learned is that you can find a way out of any situation, even if you are in the jungle without water and food, surrounded by enemies, and you only have a knife in your hands. No matter what, you must always remain a worthy person.