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From Amazon.co.uk
Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, The Deer Hunter is simultaneously an audacious directorial conceit and one of the greatest films ever made about friendship and the personal impact of war. Like Apocalypse Now, it's hardly a conventional battle film--the soldier's experience was handled with greater authenticity in Platoon--but its depiction of war on an intimate scale packs a devastatingly dramatic punch. Director Michael Cimino may be manipulating our emotions with masterful skill, but he does it in a way that stirs the soul and pinches our collective nerves with graphic, high-intensity scenes of men under life-threatening duress. Although Russian-roulette gambling games were not a common occurrence during the Vietnam war, they're used here as a metaphor for the futility of the war itself. To the viewer, they become unforgettably intense rites of passage for the best friends--Pennsylvania steelworkers played by Robert De Niro, John Savage and Oscar winner Christopher Walken--who may survive or perish during their tour through a tropical landscape of hell. Back home, their loved ones must cope with the war's domestic impact, and in doing so they allow The Deer Hunter to achieve a rare combination of epic storytelling and intimate, heart-rending drama.--Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Product Description
Three friends from a Pennsylvanian steelworks, Michael (Robert De Niro), Steven (John Savage) and Nick (Christopher Walken), volunteer for service in Vietnam. Over the course of the war the trio are captured by the Vietcong and forced to play Russian Roulette for their captors' entertainment. Michael and Steven manage to escape, and the latter is shipped home, disabled and bitter. When Michael also returns, to a hero's welcome, he discovers that Nick has remained in Vietnam, sending money to Steven without any explanation. With Saigon about to fall at any moment, Michael decides to return to Vietnam to bring his friend back. Michael Cimino's epic drama won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By G. P. Green
Format:DVD
I have just bought this dvd on the strength of the description on Amazon which is normally very reliable. I was replacing my stereo vhs which I could have transferred to dvd but wanted the improvement of 5.1 audio, hence I bought this particular edition. The Audio is actually STEREO AND NOT 5.1 so unless the 1st reviewer got his versions mixed up the description is wrong.
NOTE TO AMAZON A HUGELY BENIFICIAL IMPROVEMENT TO YOUR SITE WOULD BE TO DISPLAY THE REVERSE OF THE DVD AS WELL AS THE FRONT SO THE DVD SPECIFICATION WOULD BE UNAMBIGOUS.
NOTE TO AMAZON A HUGELY BENIFICIAL IMPROVEMENT TO YOUR SITE WOULD BE TO DISPLAY THE REVERSE OF THE DVD AS WELL AS THE FRONT SO THE DVD SPECIFICATION WOULD BE UNAMBIGOUS.
34 of 38 people found the following review helpful
By Steven Moses
Format:DVD
This film runs 'The Godfather' close for arguably the finest cast of any movie. The acting is second-to-none and boasts the combined talents of De Niro, Streep, Walken and Cazale. The early part of the movie is devoted to the relationships between the main characters and a marvellously joyous Russian Orthodox wedding scene that sets up the tragedy that befalls the three friends after their capture at the hands of the Viet-Cong. The changes both physical and mental as the men return from war and the effects on their loved ones is brilliantly portrayed. Russian roulette although arguably not historically correct is used as a metaphor for Walken's disregard for his own life and the hunting trip on De Niro's return only serves to highlight his own high regard for life.
It's one of those films that stays with you long after viewing and causes you to think deeply on the terrible effect war has on people and communities. Outstanding.
It's one of those films that stays with you long after viewing and causes you to think deeply on the terrible effect war has on people and communities. Outstanding.
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
One of the first american movies to deal with the vietnam war, The Deerhunter focuses on the effect of the war back home rather than dwell on the frontlines.Robert De Niro, John Savage and Christopher walken are three friends all set to go to war.the film begins by showing us a wedding where the characters are introduced and the relationships defined.this covers the first hour of the movie and Cimino's build up is deliberately slow and detailed to let us become familiar with and care for these characters.the movie then follows the men on a hunting trip in the mountains before the leave(the hunting seems almost like a stay of execution)before we are taken to the savagery of the battlefield.the most memorable and shocking scenes occur when the friends are captured and forced to play each other in russian roulette.these scenes have a raw power rarely seen in many movies with all the leads excelling.Walken in particular(an oscar-winning performance)is outstanding,his uniquely twitchy,nervous persona has never been so astutely utilised.
the aftermath of the war shows De Niro finding it impossible to adjust to life back home alienating his friends Meryl Streep(excellent, as ever)and John Cazale.Savage is without his legs in a veteran's hospital and Walken roams the vietnam streets playing russian roulette for money,a ghost searching for his deliverance. When that final curtain comes it is an incredibly powerful blow that will leave the viewer reeling.Gripping and powerful, The deerhunter is a perfect companion piece to Apocalypse Now and Platoon.It may be heartbreaking and gruelling but it is ultimately rewarding.
the aftermath of the war shows De Niro finding it impossible to adjust to life back home alienating his friends Meryl Streep(excellent, as ever)and John Cazale.Savage is without his legs in a veteran's hospital and Walken roams the vietnam streets playing russian roulette for money,a ghost searching for his deliverance. When that final curtain comes it is an incredibly powerful blow that will leave the viewer reeling.Gripping and powerful, The deerhunter is a perfect companion piece to Apocalypse Now and Platoon.It may be heartbreaking and gruelling but it is ultimately rewarding.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
sound information
Could not find a way of asking for the full audio soundtracks on the Blu Ray. We buy Blu Ray because of the better picture reproduction and also the best possible audio. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. Raymond Midgley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray quality
The Deer Hunter never looked so good before. The transfer is wonderful looking with beautiful sharpness, therefore worth the purchase. Read more
Published 1 month ago by rojo
1.0 out of 5 stars
Super movie, super pathetic extras
The film itself deserves 5 stars. The extras DVD supplied here is beyond pathetic, hence the 1 star. What a waste of a blank DVD. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Monte Cristo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is an excellent war-time movie.
Deer Hunter Is an excellent war-time movie. which is superbly acted and directed except for the fact that the wedding scene
seems to be running to long. Read more
seems to be running to long. Read more
Published 1 month ago by josef
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adult viewing
Great film for mature viewers as need to enjoy good acting and good music plus great story line and to be able consentrate for what is a long film. Read more
Published 2 months ago by lyn
2.0 out of 5 stars
Wrong DVD sent
I ordered the HD version shown here but was sent an old original copy. The quality was absolutely dreadful in terms of both colour and sound quality. Read more
Published 3 months ago by P Higginbotham
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can this film get any better
what a fantastic film - the Blu-ray edition makes a remarkable film even more remarkable. and great packaging as well
Published 4 months ago by rory pavelin
4.0 out of 5 stars
Revisiting old films
Although a great movie in its day, It was nice to see it again in excellent DVD quality to jog old memories.
Published 4 months ago by Nailit _ Wilts
5.0 out of 5 stars
Revisited....
My VHS copy had lost its clarity. OK, the story is the same but the DVD brings back the sound! A classic film that I can enjoy again....
Published 4 months ago by Pjshaw
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic film
I cannot believe The Deer Hunter was made well over 30 years ago, not long after the end of the Vietnam War. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Paul H
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