The Deer Hunter Review | Film Club

[@Boogenhagen100]

fun fact- deniro basically got meryl streep her role. she was dating john cazale at the time who had already contracted cancer and was dying and took the role to be closer to cazale in his time of need.

[@3zy165]

The deer Hunter is my favourite movie of all time. One of the most heartbreaking movies I’ve ever seen. Perfectly documents the horror and shit soldiers go through. Also, Christopher Walken’s performance always makes me cry. His performance was outstanding in my opinion and loved every second of it

[@AndyAndIFilmClub]

It really is one of his best! - Andy H

[@damienbeatty5327]

This movie is amazing! The cinematography is so on point with how "foggy" and grungy Pittsburgh looks it is a steel town. The interiors of the bar and the wedding hall pitch perfect. The acting is absolute class. I love Deniro, and Streep so much, but Cazale who was Streep's Husband or boyfriend at the time is always great, and all the supporting characters were very good, but the stand out was Walken. Heart breaking performance. The music is subtle but really works. I love this movie but I can only watch it every few years or so the story is so affecting. I cannot wait for next weeks episode, you guys take care.

[@AndyAndIFilmClub]

The fact that we forgot to talk about Vilmos Zsigmond and the cinematography will haunt me forever! - Andy H

[@HILAL19564]

This movie is gut wrenching. One of the few movies I get that lump in the throat feeling. Definitely one of my all time favorites...glad you guys understand this and appreciate it. Cause the movie deserves it. Nice review. 👍

[@luismaldonado4989]

The way the Vietnamese are portrayed, I always just thought it was to let the audience see and feel what the characters are seeing and feeling. I never saw it to be a big deal imo.

[@bigfluffyhusky1624]

Plus, if you actually look at the horrific acts that everyone took part in: russian roulette doesn't even come close to as atrocious as the real life events

[@BrantMarcksson]

The atmosphere is what stands out to me the most about this film. It's like living in a painting of a grungy American steel town. It luxuriates in the atmosphere it has created. The story just kinda loiters around in it like a slow moving fog.

[@LorraineMcFly]

This might just be the greatest film I have ever seen.

[@arminoleg1624]

70’s was the best decade for films in my opinion.

[@Gubalicious]

The older I get the more I am starting to think that.

[@arminoleg1624]

@@Gubalicious Right? I mean you go up and down the list it’s just one classic after another.

[@ca77721]

The Deer Hunter is a masterpiece

[@mulder006]

I just re-watched this film tonight after having seen it ages ago on VHS in the 80's. I've been reading reviews that say the director had no vision and that the opening hr (Wedding was too long) but maybe it's because I'm older now that I appreciate the whole film more. Without that first hr or if it have cut down, I'm not sure how hard the rest of the movie would have hit me. Walken steals every scene he's in. But, obviously, the acting is top-notch everywhere. I'm left with the images of Nick, pre-war dancing and dancing full of joy, to the final Russian roulette scene where his eyes are dead from drugs and just the Psychological toll he has gone through. Incredible.

[@SunnymunnyHunnybunny]

The wedding scene really is way too long. That’s my only criticism of an otherwise fantastic film.

[@TeslaNick2]

The opening is a genius set up for what comes next, it's sort of detached and floaty then BANG it grips you like no other film can.

[@TheSands83]

I watched deer hunter for first time last weekend... fucking brilliant! I loved it! And that’s coming from someone who hates 95 percent of movies I watch especially now more like 99.9.... it definitely wasn’t hard for me to watch I absolutely positively loved loved loved this movie

[@tylermarshall5350]

Honestly I think the 1st Russian Roulette is the most intense scene or 20 minutes in all of cinema. Out of all the movies I've seen, the Russian Roulette had the biggest impact on me, I was breathing hard, heart racing, couldn't sit still. Just an amazing scene that is so perfectly well done. Great review btw!

[@TeslaNick2]

100% agree, I consider it to be the greatest scene ever captured on film. The intensity is mind blowing.

[@dominicpardo4783]

Great movie. One and done for me. So emotionally wrenching. My oldest brother's life was lost in Vietnam.

[@howardrussell3919]

I saw this movie as a youngster. The thing I'll never forget Meryl Streep's performance. I had no idea who she was. It had to be one of the 1st movies she made. I could not take my eyes off of her. I'm like, this is a great actress. Sure enough, she was nominated for an academy award for best supporting actress. I think she won a Oscar shortly thereafter. I knew from this movie that she was a great actress.

[@JOBENWING]

She was absolutely gorgeous in her youth

[@rossthomas7886]

It is truly a great film but man, it leaves me numb, just staring into space for a few hours after watching it.

[@monstergonads11]

Yeah dude this movie impacts you like no other. I love this movie but it really does gloom in your mind a day or two after watching because of how emotionally gripping it is. Shit almost kind of leaves you depressed lol. That’s why it is one of the best movies ever, the best one i’ve ever seen.

[@cdallapiccola]

This is such a beautiful film - my absolute favorite. My dad took me to see it when it came out and I was only 12 years old. It had a profound effect on me. Let's imagine what Michael Cimino might have gifted to the world of cinema if only the critical response to Heaven's Gate had not been so derisive, effectively truncating his aspirations. (Heaven's Gate is, in fact, a fascinating masterpiece)

[@fcojavi2705]

The acting in this is pretty powerful. The Russian roulette scene they have in the jungle as prisoners is very visceral. The emotions they express while playing the game feel very real. It felt like I was there for a moment. Great movie

[@georgehaslam6780]

It's C. Walken's first major film and he won an academy award. christ almighty....

[@acdragonrider]

I usually like war movies that show men in the middle of battle throughout movies like We Were Soldiers. For that reason, Apocalypse Now still doesn't really feel my style. But I really really enjoyed this one.

[@TheSands83]

I don’t like apocalypse now.. but I love deer hunter

[@EmanAugust]

Kind of feel the opposite tbh

[@missionrd100]

The movie had its origin in a script about some guys who go to Vegas and one of them plays Russian Roulette. The director was entranced by the idea but thought the script was too short and the script was totally rewritten into the movie it became today. The Vietnamese never played Russian Roulette in real life.

[@happyteddy5773]

were did u have this info ? But thanks :)

[@missionrd100]

@@happyteddy5773 I can't remember where exactly I got it from and I might have some of the details wrong but like most things these days, the information came from the internet.

[@zd91]

I don't have a problem with the Russian roulette scenes being historically inaccurate. Think about the game itself - it revolves around the senseless of war and the randomness of those drafted into it.

[@romansoto9644]

I love how Robert DeNiro's role was clearly supposed to be fatherly and he was great as that and definitely deserved the Oscar for best lead actor. Although I will say, the Russian Roulette scene never blew my away. It isn't a bad scene by any means, when I think of scenes either with great acting or tension it is not a scene that sticks in my head.

[@TeslaNick2]

Really ? For me it's the greatest scene ever put to film.

[@marshallclark1127]

I always thought the guys sunglasses were blacked out bc he had lost an eye playing Russian roulette.

[@Taylormademan900]

What made me question is Nick originally found Mike in that Russian Roulette gambling place. What was Mike doing there?

[@thesilverbackozzy8323]

Yeh I didn't care much for it when I was younger, but now I'm an old fart with a life time of experiences I understand more elements of it now and really appreciate it.

[@taxationistheft2.0]

Just finished watching. Wow

[@TeslaNick2]

What did you think of the first Russian roulette scene ?

[@taxationistheft2.0]

@@TeslaNick2 it was disturbing. Walken's character was TRAUMATICALLY disturbed after that.

[@kyle47922]

One of my favorite movies.

[@georgehaslam6780]

John Savage is or was a GREAT FUCKING ACTOR!!

[@dominicdoyle2895]

Subscribed because of this. Nice discussion Fabulous film

[@stevenhochlander1630]

I've seen the deer hunter 26 times. I've seen apocalypse once

[@btran213]

so many great scenes that bar scene w the piano playing chopin. damn gets me teary eyed each time

[@JOBENWING]

That was an amazing scene. It’s like they went from being shit faced to completely sober in less than a minute. Didn’t know that was a Chopin piece.

[@jerseyforhawks]

Watched TDH prob 40 plus times as a teen, we really gobbled it up. That said, a criticism could be the contrived story line in Vietnam. It's a magnificent film. Check out 1978s 'The Boys in Company C' that covers similar ground, lots to absorb and enjoy.

[@muhannadalnabulsi4266]

Amazing

[@CH-sl5eq]

I've watched Deer Hunter probably 50+ times, and last night is the first time I realized Angela is pregnant by Nicky.

[@Charlesbaker3017]

Interesting please expound.

[@CH-sl5eq]

@@Charlesbaker3017 I haven't read the source material so this is only based on observations of the movie. First we have to establish that Angela is pregnant. I think that's pretty obvious early on when she is looking at herself in the mirror with her wedding dress. She is showing and you can also tell by the way she holds her belly. (You can also see it will when she is on the guys shoulders in the wedding reception.) In the next scene Steven's mother also indicates she knows Angela is pregnant; "She's not such a thing girl.", but it's not clear if she thinks it's not Steve's baby. It could just be that they're not married yet and she's is pregnant while he's going to Vietnam that has her upset. Most people seem to think it's implied that the baby is Michael's of which there is an argument to be made for that and I used to believe that too until recently. There's a lot of subtly in this film and people's eyes tell much of the story. Note the wedding ceremony when Angela is taking her vows, Linda rolls her eyes and mumbles something. I can't make it what it is, but I believe it implies Linda knows she cheated, just not necessarily with who. I don't think Michael ever really looks at Angela at all or pays her any mind whatsoever. The only woman he looks at is Linda. He doesn't even see the girl at the wedding eyeing him. Wow this is turning into a long post. Nick gives Angela a kiss outside. A harmless peck by itself, contrast with Michael's behavior towards her. Stan knows the baby isn't Steve's. I think he may know who's it is, but never overtly says. He is telling Michael outside Lemko Hall he "knows for a fact". It is unclear whether he is confronting Michael about it being his or telling him it's Nicky's. Steve tells Nicky he hasn't slept with Angela. Nick's response can also be interpreted either way. Nick gives Angela another peck. On hunting trip when Stan and Michael are arguing I think Stan would have said something about Angela if he thought Michael did it, not that he was gay and never made it with anyone. The three main things that make me think it is Nick's not Michael's is when Mike sees the kid he actually looks like Nick. Mike and Angela have dark hair. That boy has Nick's hair. Nick sends the money to Steve, which could be simply because of Steve's injuries, or could be because he feels guilty and wants to take care of his kid. Finally, Angela's general level of being distraught, and how long she lingers at the gravesite. Everyone already walked away and Stan, who is suspiciously hanging around her basically had to push her along to leave. The baby could be Mike's or Nick's, but I'm leaning towards Nick.

[@JOBENWING]

BINGO. I watched it last night for only the 2nd time and I too suspected that to be true. Then when Nicky visits her on his return home his “probable” son was aiming a toy revolver at his head. Brilliant

[@masokotanga7356]

Reminds me of Apache. Beautiful, sadistic torturer in the Vietnam War. VC I think. She was something else.

[@maxrobles340]

Its pronounced chimino. In italian, the c and ch sounds are swapped. C = ch, ch = k

[@iamapacman]

Great video lads

[@AndyAndIFilmClub]

Thank you, thank you! Great comment! - Andy H

[@raysville7256]

The only problem with this film is it's biggest problem. These men were much too old. The only guys their age in that war were 'Lifers'.

[@3.75istheway7]

That was how it was during the war

[@alancantu2557]

I remember reading about the glasses too, specifically about how it was a stylistic choice - and just that. Also, on a random side note, the group of Asian men running the Russian roulette ring with the Frenchman are Chinese, not Vietnamese.

[@JOBENWING]

That’s interesting. I watched this film last night with the subtitles on and in this scene it said they were murmuring in Vietnamese. My wife is Vietnamese and I know the language pretty well and I was thinking to myself that in that scene, I heard zero Vietnamese being spoken and didn’t understand a single word. I found that peculiar

[@MargevonMarge]

Yes indeed, that's not disputed in the original cast credits as Hoa people were a significant minority in Saigon and Vietnam as a whole. Asia is a whole big continent, and to some, they all "look the same" so you can only tell by the words they might use, but it's probably especially difficult if the actors playing the parts are.. not Vietnamese but Thai and one isn't familiar with different languages that coexist in a country. Chinese influence on Vietnamese politics in the post-colonial era was partly what led to the entire disastrous war in the first place and the roles were labelled "Chinese boss" "Chinese bodyguard" "Chinese referee" etc but played by Thai actors, I believe. At least one of them has starred in another Thai language film according to IMDB and the other two do not internet exist outside of the Deer Hunter cast list. Cimino and crew obviously were happy to just hire Thai actors and extras to portray both ethnic Vietnamese and Han Chinese characters, but then again Walkern, De Niro et all aren't from Eastern European backgrounds either!

[@melvinatkins998]

Beautifully dark!…. Sad that any modern movie can portray this movie!….

[@vaheohanian8418]

This review was hugely lacking. It was more about immigrants who served for the United States being forgotten for their contributions and their ultimate sacrifices; in the end the immigrant soldiers and family were singing "God Bless America." That was the sad part and how the Veterans Administration treated our Vietnam Veterans. Case in point, when Nick who was suffering from PTSD was asked by the doctor if his last name was Russian to wit Nick responded that his last name was American (Russia and not China assisted the North Vietnamese).

[@wanwan3994]

Absolutely love this movie my 2nd favorite Vietnam set movie. My number one has to be hamburger hill

[@AndyAndIFilmClub]

Still haven't gotten to Hamburger Hill, I'll have to check it out soon - Andy H

[@n_n_n_n_n_n]

I'm going to be the odd one out, I know, but I didn't like The Deer Hunter. I never got to a point where I cared about the characters, which made everything drag horribly for me, the wedding sequence might as well had been begging me to turn the movie off. By the time the roulette scene at the end came around, I'm pretty sure I was talking to myself "Pull the trigger already. Come on... get it over with! Credits!" It's one of those movies that I should love, on paper, but just doesn't work for me. Of course I still enjoyed the episode, always look forward to your back and forth, regardless if I share the same opinions or not.

[@AndyAndIFilmClub]

It's definitely not a film for everyone. We all have those classics that we don't connect with. Andy and I should actually make a video about some of ours! - Andy H

[@romansoto9644]

I think it's a great film, where the worst aspect of the film is Cimino's ego. The editor wanted to cut down unnecessary scenes, including parts of the wedding, before being fired. He was the same editor that cut the first two Godfather films, while Cimino went on to direct Heaven's Gate, which singlehandedly destroyed United Artists. Cimino is probably the worst director to make a great film.

[@leighbarder2091]

How can you not care about these characters or at least some of them?

[@TNOFanZacharie]

I mean, I thought Apocalypse Now is boring, by the end of the movie, I was screaming "CALL IN THE AIRSTRIKE! DO IT! JUST KILL THEM!" and when they've killed Chef, I just lost it. People say Kurtz is such a deep character and he's the good guy actually, I don't think he is, I would literally repeat "Kill him, go, kill him, just kill him already, he's a monster, kill him". Kilgore at least wanted the best for this man, this guy was just... what insanity and terror would look like if it was a person.

[@littlesilver2205]

If you didnt live in that Era and didnt know what was going on at the time, i can see how someone could look at it that way, my grandfather was a coal miner got black lung. Work was null back then there were still some steel mills running but as our Country got Greedier they started to by outside of the US and shut most mills down.Same thing happened in 2020, Trump brought the steel mill Industry back to PA and more and more jobs and Companys reopened to the steel mill Industry in PA that has not been seen since the 70,s- 35 years ago, we started making our own steel and did not need to go out of Country for any products we were now self making what we needed jobs and the Economy were off the wall. All that came to a end again as the worst criminal president in History admits to a crime on National TV of Bribing foreign Presidents and prosecutors from his sons business dealings in China real charges real crimes not made up ones from the left to remove Trump and nothing is done to this man the corruption in this country is so overwhelming i dont see it getting better anytime soon ,thats whats so sad what Biden has done to this great Country.

[@cuthbertshepherd1403]

10/10 Best war film even though hardly any of its war

[@666cowie]

I know your just a youtuber, but!! Just a bit of turmoil! I’m watching the film just now, soo deep.

[@djuk6573]

Do possum next

[@85ddrummer]

It was great movie but the first 3rd was way too long. A lot of scenes just dragged on for needless lengths. Like the wedding and the drive to go hunting

[@johnbrowne2170]

You had to know and care about the people first.

[@katana1960]

I liked the movie very much, but to give a critical review; -The roulette scene was a bit hard to believe. There were between 4 to 6 VC with AKs pointing right at the Americans. DeNiro gets three bullets in a revolver, shoots the guy WIHOUT a gun first, then the two of them overpower and outgun the 4 to 6 guys with AKs pointing right at them. Not very believable for me. -Walken is supposed to be playing Russian roulette for years, sending money to Savage. There is a 17% chance of dying ever time you play the game, and he plays for years. I think you could make it through about 10 rounds if you were EXTREMELY lucky, after that, you're toast. -The movie was set in about 1968. Savage's fiancé was pregnant. Saigon fell in 1975, so the Walken funeral should have been then. Savage's kid should have been 6 or 7, he looked about 3 or 4. -Other details about negotiating with thousands of US dollars in Viet Nam in the 1970s. That was a fortune back then in Viet Nam. I'm sure it may have happened, but maybe in a luxury high rise setting, not in a back ally shithole. I know I'm being nit picking, but great movies (and I believe this one is) should be more believable. I give shitty movies a pass on these types of details. Go ahead and trash me now for pointing out these details.

[@Vikrant928]

I think the director wants us to believe that if Michael can survive that Russian roulette with 3 bullets in revolver , killing VC after that kind of luck is easy job.

[@dcrowley64]

Cha-mino

[@chrishorner7679]

Very well made and acted but the film has a lie in the middle of it - it has the vc doing the very thing in fact the US and its South Vietnam allies did - the Russian roulette scene. Another film that focuses on the invader ( the USA) and leaves the inhabitants ( the vietnamese) a subordinate role in their own country. So, we'll made or not, I'll never admire it.

[@chrisclearwater3521]

Come on man , not one word about how unnecessarily long that wedding scene was if you cut that out is probably a good movie

[@20yearsofblueskies]

Agree with you there….definitely would have benefited from shortening that part of the movie

[@chrisclearwater3521]

@@20yearsofblueskies yeah I was just kidding around, but man that scene is really long , I like the part where they meet the soldier at the bar and he says fuck it, and they don't get it

[@andrewbaroch2141]

So is the piano scene. Just false. Maudlin.

[@eidolontrance]

This movie is absolutely terrible. The scenes drag on painfully long, accomplishing nothing and making no points. The characters, though acted extremely well, are boring and basic. There is no real lasting message or meaning to this film. Some friends screw around, go off to war, experience some shit, and then do really stupid things in their personal lives. Don’t waste 3 full hours of your life on this stinker.

[@benfisher1376]

I found this film a real slog. I think if you took out the Russian roulette scene, there would be not much left. Very slow and tedious

[@watersbey25]

North and South Vet Nam didn't even play Russian roulette there. Not part of the Vietnamese culture. Anyways the US navy had control of all rivers there. No viet Cong prison hut would have survived on that river. It would have been blown up quickly.

[@johnbrowne2170]

I'm guessing you think Fast And Furious are classic films.

[@benfisher1376]

@johnbrowne2170 No, but I think Chinatown, The Exorcist, Network and The French Connection are

[@johnbrowne2170]

@@benfisher1376 I agree.

[@shammaboy]

Bad movie. Overly long, relying on shock value. A lot of unnecessary scenes, sub plots. Way overrated.

[@andrewbaroch2141]

And NO historic evidence of the roulette game in Vietnam.

[@SandfordSmythe]

This not a documentary

[@thanhvcl1238]

The suck movie

[@andrewbaroch2141]

Deerhunter founded on faulty assumption, that characters are sensitive, patriotic, when the average person in western Pennsylvania has little feeling, is inarticulate and illiterate. And the Russian Roulette scene is nonsense.

[@jackass9951]

I'm pretty sure that the one-eyed blacked out is similar to the idea of an eye patch where he is in a very dark room, but having one eye blacked out allows his other eye to be strengthened in the low light