The Deer Hunter; Discuss

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BLUEYESTU

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Just sat tonight watching this film for what must be the 10th time.
Beautifully filmed and brilliantly acted throughout but I always feel let down by the ending. There’s no other possible end to it really but yet it still seems disappointing.
Despite all that it’s great to see John Cazale in any role, he was such a wonderful actor. The fact he was terminally ill while it was filmed and DeNiro covered his health insurance just so he could appear in it speak volumes for how great he was and how much his friends loved him.
How does it stand up all these years later compared to other classics?
 
First few times I saw it, years back, I thought it was up there as one of the greatest films ever. When I’ve watched it again recently, less so, though I can’t quite put my finger on the reasons why.
 
Pretentious, self indulgent, ill informed, stereotypical bag of wank.


One if the worst films made on the subjects it tackles.
 
John Cazale can be credited for helping getting Meryl Streep her break; they were dating at the time of casting and assisted her in getting her role.
The rest is history.

He also holds the honour of having every film he appeared in be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Granted that's only 5 films due to his untimely death but all 5 films are fantastic (Godfather, Godfather 2, The Conversation Dog Day Afternoon, Deer Hunter)

As for the film, I've not watched it in full for a long time. From memory the first hour drags a little, but appreciate they are having to set the scene.
Things soon pick up when it moves to the war stuff, but I really need to watch it again sometime to see how it's holding up.

I think Coming Home is the better of the 2 films though, well worth a watch if not seen.
Very much an anti-war picture, and they accused The Deer Hunter of being pro-war.

Apocalypse Now will always be the daddy.
 
urban genie said:
Pretentious, self indulgent, ill informed, stereotypical bag of wank.


One if the worst films made on the subjects it tackles.
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Friendship, relationships, decline of industrial towns, parochialism Vs hometown loyalty, futile hatred of communism and the creation of a common enemy, PTSD, profiteering, loyalty? Or just one of those subjects?

Its an incredible film.
 
The wedding at the start put me off on the first time of viewing.
The second time i fast forwarded the video tape and really enjoyed it.
Like the poster earlier I tried to watch it again a few years back and switched off.Found it average at best.
 
bennyboy said:
The wedding at the start put me off on the first time of viewing.
The second time i fast forwarded the video tape and really enjoyed it.
Like the poster earlier I tried to watch it again a few years back and switched off.Found it average at best.
Click to expand...
Small industrial town in decline due to reliance on the main employer. Factory work, failing. Community and friends who have only ever known it so every relationship is built around it. Parallel, the Vietnam war and the futility of it and the draft. Silly patriotic thanks for your service and salute the uniform bullshit provides a distraction to it. Binds the town together in a falsely proud concept. Truth is the PTSD and horror going on while those are left behind. Come home and pretend all Ok, funeral at the end like the wedding at the start to frame the futility.
Is it me? Why would you not understand that and miss the point and think it's shit? Its genius. Some people deserve the Fast and The Furious
 
WestGorton said:
It's fictional so it is loosely based. That was my point.
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Fictional relationships have historical inaccuracies because they don't exist. Neither industrial decline in 1970 Pennsylvania or the Vietnam War are factual inaccuracies though. A story about people living that cannot be factually incorrect, Shirley. Have you actually watched it?
 
Uncle Wally One Ball said:
Small industrial town in decline due to reliance on the main employer. Factory work, failing. Community and friends who have only ever known it so every relationship is built around it. Parallel, the Vietnam war and the futility of it and the draft. Silly patriotic thanks for your service and salute the uniform bullshit provides a distraction to it. Binds the town together in a falsely proud concept. Truth is the PTSD and horror going on while those are left behind. Come home and pretend all Ok, funeral at the end like the wedding at the start to frame the futility.
Is it me? Why would you not understand that and miss the point and think it's shit? Its genius. Some people deserve the Fast and The Furious
Click to expand...
50 mins the wedding lasted in the movie.No need for it to be 50 minutes no matter what your take on it is.
 
Uncle Wally One Ball said:
Small industrial town in decline due to reliance on the main employer. Factory work, failing. Community and friends who have only ever known it so every relationship is built around it. Parallel, the Vietnam war and the futility of it and the draft. Silly patriotic thanks for your service and salute the uniform bullshit provides a distraction to it. Binds the town together in a falsely proud concept. Truth is the PTSD and horror going on while those are left behind. Come home and pretend all Ok, funeral at the end like the wedding at the start to frame the futility.
Is it me? Why would you not understand that and miss the point and think it's shit? Its genius. Some people deserve the Fast and The Furious
Click to expand...
It’s a brilliant film with career defining performances.
 
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