In this reel, development executive Gregory Veeser discusses the 1982 film First Blood. Starring Sylvester Stallone in his second career defining roll (the first being, of course, Rocky Balboa,) Brian Denehy and Richard Crenna. The film is based on the 1972 novel of the same name by David Morrell.

Although not a perfect movie by most standards, Veeser likes to point to this film as one that uses the classic story structure elements of the pregnant moment and forcing your characters into a vapor lock, really really well. And if you in the earlier parts of crafting your career in film, you may as well look to this film to emulate, rather than more elevated and complex stories such as The Sixth Sense or a Tarantino film. Veeser puts it this way: it's better to learn to drive stick on a Honda Civic than on a Porsche 911.

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First Blood clips and music courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment.