Sylvester Stallone Rescued First Blood by Cutting It from 3½ Hours to 93 Minutes

Sylvester Stallone nearly destroyed the negative of First Blood after seeing its initial 3½-hour cut, but instead performed a radical recut that trimmed the film to 93 minutes and removed most of Rambo's dialogue. Directed by Ted Kotcheff and based on David Morrell's novel, the 1982 film launched the Rambo series. The recut preserved a critical ambivalence, allowing audiences to sympathize not only with Rambo but also with his pursuers. Notably, in this first installment, Rambo never kills anyone. The video essay by CinemaStix creator Danny Boyd explores how the editing saved the film.