The Deer Hunter

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The academy loved it, cinemagoers didn't. Why is this movie so debated over? Many people absoultely love it, others despise it.

Well, they have reason not to like it. This tale of 3 American steelworkers whose lives are traumatically changed after being tortured mentally in Vietnam is at times, tedious. Some scenes are far too long, whilst others are VERY short (the Vietnam scenes are very choppy). Made in 1978, this is also quite anti-Vietnamese, witht he original script having lots of throwing babies around and catching them on bayonets etc.

Apart from this however, this movie is a true classic. The acting is flawless, and the emotion conveyed in some scenes, especcially by the main three men Mike (Robert Deniro) Nick (Christopher Walken) and Steve (Jon Savage). The men are forced to play Russian Roulette in Vietnam by their captors, and the scenes are so tense and terrifying you never knoiw what could happen. The story is sad and depressing and whilst somewhat unrealistic and propaganda like at times, this is one awesome film that everyone should see,

9.1/10
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Hey Rankles, I didn't know you were a member. Anyway, short but to the point review. Liked it.
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i_like_films's Avatar
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True i diddnt know rankles was a member and by the way im cliff_em_all on ug. Nice review. i liked it.



I absolutely loved the Deer Hunter except for one scene, the wedding thing. My GOD that scene was dull. But the roulette scene, holy mother of pearl, gooood scene.
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Hey kids! 4 other UG members here, lol. Small......virtual world, eh?

Nice review, great movie. The wedding scene is waaaaaaay too long, though.



i_like_films's Avatar
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Heyyyy daveo, lol, 4 members?? i think there's more.



Loved this movie

Where do all you people come from
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Lol, UG!!!



Originally Posted by i_like_films
Lol, UG!!!
Is "UG" a place or is that a response? ....Ugh
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another UG member! anyway I haven't seen it but I might next time I go to Blockbuster.



This movie is praised by critics and such because it does a lot of technical stuff. Cuts, scene setups, compositions, movement. But at the same time, it's got a lot of boring stuff. It kind of seems that if a director is going to try and make a lot really technical things, it slows the movie down, but at the same time it gives the next generation of directors a whole shiz load of things to work with. I'll say it again, like Deer Hunter, Space Odyssey: 2001, is boring beyond belief. But it also covered a lot of new ground as far as directing goes.

I'm an idiot.



‘The Deer Hunter’ is an epic tale about a group of steelworkers thrown into the midst of war. Award winning director Michael Cimino delivers this masterpiece with authenticity and a reluctance to hold back on the horrors of Vietnam and the repercussions thrust upon the men who took part.


Michael (Robert De Niro) and Nick (Christopher Walken) attend their good friend Steven's ‘shotgun’ wedding, in his bid to make an honest woman of his pregnant bride Angela, on the eve of their departure to Vietnam. Whilst Steven (John Savage) indulges on the fruits of his first night as husband, his pals, along with Stan (John Cazale), John (George Dzundza) and Axel (Chuck Aspegren), go off into the Pennsylvanian mountains for their last hunting trip before the war. The thrill of taking out deer through the sites on their rifles boosts the thrill of combat for this close knit group of friends.


Cut to Vietnam and possibly the most violent and brutal scenes ever to be shot on film. Michael and Nick now captured and in the hands of Vietnamese soldiers are forced to play a game of Russian roulette. These scenes are both hostile and emotional and are without doubt the focal point of De Niro’s Oscar nomination and Walken’s Best Supporting Actor award. Michael’s inner strength now comes to the fore as his reluctance to suffer the mental torture of his friends surfaces.


On their return to America, and a now alien-like community, the life they once led and the unity between each other have all but diminished prompting Michael to pursue Linda (Meryl Streep) once Nick’s girlfriend. Cimino’s ability to deliver both poignant and believable characters forces you to sub-consciously absorb them creating moments of gut wrenching emotion as the picture reaches its conclusion.


Accompanied by an outstanding score, including the beautiful piece ‘Cavatina’, and its mesmerising screenplay nominated for both Academy Award and Writer’s Guild Screen Award, ‘The Deer Hunter’ manages to show what war can do not only to its participants but also to the people they leave behind.


Stuart



All good people are asleep and dreaming.
Originally Posted by Rankles
The academy loved it, cinemagoers didn't.
Looks like cinemagoers loved it too.

Business Data for The Deer Hunter

Budget
$15,000,000 (estimated)

Gross
$49,000,000 (USA)
SEK 8,770,932 (Sweden)
SEK 10,994,967 (Sweden)

Admissions
2,211,025 (Spain)
342,032 (Sweden)
414,499 (Sweden)

Rentals
$27,436,000 (USA)

My source was The Internet Movie Database.


Originally Posted by led_zeppelin
I absolutely loved the Deer Hunter except for one scene, the wedding thing. My GOD that scene was dull. But the roulette scene, holy mother of pearl, gooood scene.
Exactly.



Originally Posted by conflictscripts
, ‘The Deer Hunter’ manages to show what war can do not only to its participants but also to the people they leave behind.


Stuart
Great first post



The Deer Hunter was an amazing film, I saw it last night for the first time. It's a near flawless epic war film, and the only knock I can give it is that it was unnecessarily long. It easily could have been cut down to 2.5 hours, if not 2 hours. Having said that, it wasn't that big a deal and didn't significantly detract from the experience.
I swear I walked out of that movie feeling like I just developed PTSD!



It could have been structured better but most of what's there is brilliant.
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I saw this movie thanks to someone on this site and I must say I loved it. I actually bought the soundtrack to it this week -- it's only 20 MINUTES LONG!! Thankfully, that CD was only $1. Nice music, though.