First Blood - "Reverse" MITH?

Bkos · Cat Joined: 07 Jan 2009 Posts: 21 Location: Atlanta

I just watched the first installment of the Rambo movies again, and I have to say it appears to be a "Reverse" MITH. The reason I say reverse is because the "hero" is the "monster":

Monster- Rambo

Sin- Our treatment of Vietnam Veterans

Half-Man- Rambo's Colonel shows up 3/4 of the way in, talks about the "legend" of Rambo and tells the sheriff he "can't win"

John J. Austrian · Saber Tooth Tiger Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 418

Hmmm. Never thought about that.

But I don't think you really have to say it's a "reverse" mith, since we can say protagonist is the sheriff, but we follow the story through the monster's (Rambo's) eyes.

One of the reasons I think people feel "Bride of Frankenstein" is better than first is because the monster is sympathetic and just wants a friend...

Very cool. Will have to go back and watch "First Blood" again.

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auntieant · Tiger Joined: 11 Oct 2008 Posts: 189

I haven't watched it for ages, but would have said DWAP. Trautman being the eye of the storm.

crazrick · Liger Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 655

could also be called Superantihero, with Rambo as the anti-hero with special training, Sheriff as the Nemesis out to destroy the hero, and the curse of being a man who trained to live and die for his country, basically become a man without a country after the war he was trained to live and die fighting had ended

in a way, that curse also makes First Blood an Institutionalized story, about peace-keepers, from soldiers to local law men, and the choices that pit a soldier against a local lawman, leading to the conflict and ultimately to the sacrifices made to resolve that conflict. Either the soldier complies with local laws, (re)joins society as a viable asset, or local law will fight the soldier and the soldier will fight back, until one side or the other is destroyed, to retain the peace...

there you go, Institutionalized...

you're welcome!
Cool

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gc_bevan · Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 12:09 pm Post subject:

I think this movie is a People's Superhero:

Special Power - Rambo is the ultimate warrior.
Nemesis - Sheriff Teasle, who hates people who don't fit in.
Curse - Rambo can never fit in. His war scars run too deep.

Rambo begins the movie as a wanderer. He needs food and craves acceptance, but Teasle rejects him and drives Rambo out of town. Hungry and offended, Rambo starts walking back to town. Let the fight begin!

Trautman's character is hard to peg. Is he a MITH-style half man, a B story character or just Rambo's sane sidekick? Not sure...

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crazrick · Liger Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 655

if it's Superhero, Trautman is Mentor

if it's Institutionalized based on peace-keepers institution, Trautman is 'good peace keeper' even tho the peace he trained his troops to keep was peace brought on thru war, while the Sheriff was just a small-town peace-keeper fighting local battles to keep the peace...

Rambo being 'worldly' in his warrior-peace-keeper role has that much more insight/scarring of his character, making him Anti-Hero, while Sheriff is 'the Hero' of his own little 'country'... in the book, Rambo dies, so I think the book points to Institutionalized better than the movies, where Rambo ends up as a more mythical being, similar to what Stallone did with Rocky... and basically every other Stallone vehicle...

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