The Deer Hunter (1978)

Director:

Michael Cimino

Writers:

Michael Cimino (story) &
Deric Washburn (story) ...

Release Date:

23 February 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Winner of 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture 1978

Plot:

An in-depth examination of the way that the Vietnam war affects the lives of people in a small industrial town in the USA.

Plot Keywords:

Animal In Title | War Crime | Controversial | Green Beret | Disturbing

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Michael
John Cazale	...	Stan
John Savage	...	Steven
Christopher Walken	...	Nick
Meryl Streep	...	Linda
George Dzundza	...	John
Chuck Aspegren	...	Axel
Shirley Stoler	...	Steven's Mother
Rutanya Alda	...	Angela
Pierre Segui	...	Julien
Mady Kaplan	...	Axel's Girl
Amy Wright	...	Bridesmaid
Mary Ann Haenel	...	Stan's Girl
Richard Kuss	...	Linda's Father
Joe Grifasi	...	Bandleader

Also Known As:

The Man Who Came to Play (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

182 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Russian | Vietnamese | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 (2001) | Brazil:18 | Finland:K-16 (1989) | Finland:K-18 (1979) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Portugal:M/18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 (video rating) | New Zealand:R18 (DVD rating) | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

993 N. 7th Street, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

When the film was first shown at the Berlin festival in 1979, one of the biggest incidents of its history resulted when the Soviet delegation walked out in protest against the way the film portrayed the people of Vietnam. The ensuing domino effect led to the walk-outs of the Cubans, East Germans, Bulgarians, Poles and Czechoslovakians, and two members of the jury resigned in sympathy.

Goofs:

While hunting in Pennsylvania, glaciated mountain peaks which do not exist in Pennsylvania are visible.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Michael: Hey, watch out, Axel. We'll be calling him old fireballs after tonight.
Axel: Fuckin' A.
Michael: Not bad.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Splendor (1989)

Soundtrack:

TATTLETALE EYES

The BEST Vietnam movie!!!

I notice some people are calling this a bad, or boring, or flawed film. I think the reason behind it is because today we have audiences used to watching MTV. And because of that, they like their movies to feel like it was made by a music video director. Most people don't understand films which spend time to build up characters and rather show you the little details of their lives before they throw you into a battle. The Deer Hunter is great because unlike most war films, it builds up the characters. It makes us understand their daily life. And who they are. So when we see them die and suffer - WE UNDERSTAND THE TRAGEDY! you don't get that with films like PLATOON which throw us into the war without any kind of personal history of these people. This film is great because it has the guts to take nearly 40 minutes to get to the war. Most people don't have the paitence. Thats because most people are used to drive-thrus and music videos and American Idol. They want everything fast. They don't have time to sit and learn and study. They simply want to get to the "exciting parts." The problem is that once you do this, you can't take the subject serious. It then becomes a joke. It then becomes an action film devoid of feeling. The Deer Hunter is a masterpiece because it never holds back.

I give this film a 10 out of 10. I wish I could give it an 11. They simply don't make films like this anymore. I wish Cimino returns to his roots and makes another Deer Hunter.