'Welcome to Rambo-town': Hope, B.C., celebrates 40th anniversary of iconic Sylvester Stallone film

HOPE, B.C. -

The community of Hope, B.C., is embracing its Rambo roots for a weekend-long event celebrating the 40th anniversary of First Blood.

The iconic 1982 film, which led to four sequels and an animated TV series, was shot at a number of locations in and around Hope. The district municipality's connection to the franchise has drawn countless fans over the decades – and many are back this weekend. 

“It’s like literally Rambo-mania here in the town where it all began, in the original Hollywood North,” said Brian McKinney, an event organizer who remembers watching the filming at just 13 years old.

McKinney says fans of the Sylvester Stallone-starring film franchise are coming into town from as far away as Germany and Japan. Festivities include walking tours, film screenings and meeting some of the actors.

There’s also a special unveiling on Saturday of a new Rambo-related wood carving. On Sunday, Wallace Street. will also be closed for much of the day as a tank is scheduled to drive over parked cars up and down the road.

Vernon’s Jacob Kalashmikoff showed up Friday dressed up as title character John Rambo.

“It’s a great film,” said Kalashmikoff. “I drive through Hope all the time and instantly what I think about is Rambo.”

A representative from Hope Tourism says this weekend could be the busiest of the year.

“At our visitor centre location, we probably get in excess of 15-20,000 inquiries a year with anything to do with the movie,” said McKinney.

The anniversary celebration also includes a tribute to the late Brian Dennehy, who starred at Sgt. Will Teasle. Organizers said the tribute is a surprise and will be announced Saturday.

“We felt that was just too good an opportunity to pass up,” said William Lancaster, the grandson of Dennehy who flew in with his family from Los Angeles. “There was something so moving, endearing and sincere and also whacky and crazy about it that we were like, let’s go.”

Lancaster brought a small film crew to document the weekend.

Hope Mayor Peter Robb also unveiled a new street, aptly named Rambo Lane. The area is in the same location where the film’s climax scene was shot, in which Rambo is firing his gun across the street at the Mountain State Savings Bank, now Treehouse Health Foods.