Sylvester Stalloneis renowned for his work as an action star, particularly in theRockyfranchise, which includes1980s movies associated with one memorable songeach,as well as theRamboandExpendablesfranchises. They’re often gory and filmed to accentuate the impact of the action sequences, which explains why he’s mostly associated with heavy-hitting action blockbuster movies.
However, another common element in Stallone’s filmography as an action star is the role of politics in his movies. One of his more forgettable films,Judge Dredd, which wasremade into an actually awesome sci-fi movie, is about the problematic aspects of a police state, although it’s heavily focused on the pulpy action, undercutting its political commentary.
WhileSylvester Stallone’sRockyIVandRambo IIare more populartoday than when they were first released, neither of them carries the grounded, emotional, and politically relevant strength of the first movies. That hasn’t negatively impacted Stallone’s illustrious career of over 5 decades, but it’s an interesting realization, considering his uncredited role in a major political satire in 1970.
One Of Stallone’s Earliest Roles Was In MASH
He Is An Extra In The Film
Robert Altman’s 1970 movie,MAS*H, based on Richard Hooker’s 1968 novel,MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, is one of the most biting satires about the Korean War. Led by Donald Sutherland, Tom Skerritt, and Elliot Gould as the leading trio, the cast hilariously parodies the government and the military’s flawed approach to the conflict.
MAS*Hwon the Palme d’Or in 1970, and the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay the next year.
In a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, a young Sylvester Stallone can be noticed shortly after Donald Sutherland’s Hawkeye enters the camp. Stallone is in an uncredited role of a soldier who is sitting at the table with a beret on his head. This marked one of his earliest appearances ever, the same year he debuted inThe Party at Kitty and Stud’s.
While it is an uncredited role,MAS*His one of the greatest movies ever, and it’s an impressive name in Stallone’s filmography. Moreover, while it references the Korean War,the film’s satire is also heavily aimed at the attitudes towards the Vietnam War, which was ongoing at the time of release, a pertinent point for a future Stallone film.
Stallone Delivered His Own Vietnam War Critique Years Later
First Blood Criticizes The Treatment Of Vietnam War Veterans
Not only is it interesting that one of Stallone’s earliest on-screen appearances occurred in a war parody from 1970, but it is also intriguing to realize that heeventually led a film that critiqued the Vietnam War a little over a decade later. It might be the most political movie where Stallone has played a significant role.
This connection makes his uncredited role inMAS*Heven more special.
1982’sFirst Bloodis also about the Vietnam War, and this connection makes his uncredited role inMAS*Heven more special.First Bloodfollows a Vietnam War veteran who is unfairly persecuted by local law enforcement and is forced to escape. He then single-handedly wages a war against the men who are after him.
While it is a visceral action movie meant to thrill audiences with its intensity,First Blood’s accuracy in its depiction of Rambo’ssurvival tactics inevitably makes it a politicalSylvester Stallonefilm. Since its action is so grounded, it doesn’t detract from the fact that the film represents the mistreatment of Vietnam vets by the corrupt police at the time.
MAS*H
Cast
MAS*H is a war comedy-drama film directed by Robert Altman, based on the 1968 novel by Richard Hooker. The film follows a team of US Army surgeons stationed in Korea during the war, led by Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper John, who use their unorthodox methods to cope with the harsh realities of war.
First Blood
First Blood is an action-thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo, a Vietnam War veteran who drifts into Hope, Washington, in search of an old buddy. However, he is mistreated by the local sheriff, leading to a violent confrontation that sets off a chain of events, forcing Rambo to rely on his combat skills to survive.
