Gauging the shifting moods of the 1970s, this tale of life and love disrupted by war is as arresting as a bullet to the brain.
The Deer Hunter (1978)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:44
Fresh:40
Rotten:4
Average Rating:8.3/10
Consensus: Its greatness is blunted by its length and one-sided point of view, but the film's weaknesses are overpowered by Michael Cimino's sympathetic direction and a series of heartbreaking performances from Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken.
Runtime: 3 hrs 4 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: An epic three-hour tale of lives forever changed by the Vietnam War, THE DEER HUNTER follows the transformation of a tight group of friends from a working-class town, taking its place alongside... An epic three-hour tale of lives forever changed by the Vietnam War, THE DEER HUNTER follows the transformation of a tight group of friends from a working-class town, taking its place alongside such classics as ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT in telling a story of war and disillusionment. On the eve of going to war, Michael (Robert De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken), and Steven (John Savage) gather for Steven's wedding. Leaving Steven to his wedding night, Mike, Nick, and pals Axel (Chuck Aspergren), Stan (John Cazale), and John (George Dzundza) depart for the mountains and one last hunting trip. The hunting trip is a funny, poignant scene that firmly establishes the characters as they set off for Vietnam immediately after the trip. The scenes in Vietnam, especially the Russian roulette game, are among the most brutal war scenes on film. The characters' eventual return to the States is emotional and gut-wrenching. Michael Cimino's award-winning film is a powerful look at friendship and love in the midst of war. [More]
Starring: Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, John Savage
Starring: Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cazale, George Dzundza, Chuck Aspegren, Shirley Stoler, Rutanya Alda
Director: Michael Cimino
Director: Michael Cimino
Screenwriter: Deric Washburn
Producer: Barry Spikings, Michael Deeley, Michael Cimino, John Peverall
Composer: Stanley Myers
Reviews for The Deer Hunter
A simultaneuosly touching and harrowing experience that puts the audience directly in the shoes of one man's experience of Vietnam.
The friendship between the three central characters, as well as their shared association with the men from their small hometown, is truthful and realistic in a way that most guys will find impossible to resist.
This excruciatingly violent, three-hour Viet Nam saga demolishes the moral and ideological cliches of an era: it shoves the audience into hell and leaves it stranded without a map.
The first half and second half of the film couldn't be more different but that is the genius behind the film.
The film is ambitious and it succeeds on a number of levels and it proves that Cimino is an important director who deserves to be watched carefully.
Like an honorable soldier, Cazale gave everything he had for a cause in which he believed.
A disgusting account of what the evil Vietnamese did to poor, innocent Americans stands at the center of this Oscar-laden weepie about macho buddies from a small industrial town.
A visceral film that says volumes about the horrors of war and its impact on the lives of typically well adjusted people.
It is a heartbreakingly effective fictional machine that evokes the agony of the Vietnam time.
Latest News for The Deer Hunter
June 22, 2007:
AFI Announces Top 100 Movies of All Time ... Again
Ten years ago the AFI gave us a list of the Top 100 American Films Ever Made -- and when that was done they churned out 15 other lists every few years. And then last night they... More...
October 10, 2005:
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June 16, 2005:
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