The Deer Hunter (1978) ****
The Deer Hunter (1978), which I've seen numerous times, has always been a frustrating watch for me. On one hand it's a masterpiece and rightfully beloved; on the other it's overlong and drags on more than one occasion. Michael Cimino's directing, Vilmos Zsigmond's cinematography, and all of the performances are outstanding. The way the film unfolds is much like the first two Godfather films, even sharing two of the same actors. I just don't find the film as engaging as Coppola's epic gangster films.
I'm not disputing the intensity and emotional devastation on display, thanks to the impressive cast. And I don't mind the wedding sequence being as long as it is. I do appreciate that you get a real feel for the film's working class characters before they go to war. But I've always found that The Deer Hunter loses a lot of steam after the initial Russian roulette sequence. There are still some really powerful scenes that follow. But I think TDH would be just as powerful at two and a half hours as it is at three.
Despite controversies surrounding the film in regard to the accuracy of events that transpired in the Vietnam War and portrayals of Vietnamese people, I do think TDH is excellent. It’s a somber, challenging, and harrowing film—one that ultimately rewards in its exploration of male bonding, the burden of American manhood, violence, and PTSD.
I'm not disputing the intensity and emotional devastation on display, thanks to the impressive cast. And I don't mind the wedding sequence being as long as it is. I do appreciate that you get a real feel for the film's working class characters before they go to war. But I've always found that The Deer Hunter loses a lot of steam after the initial Russian roulette sequence. There are still some really powerful scenes that follow. But I think TDH would be just as powerful at two and a half hours as it is at three.
Despite controversies surrounding the film in regard to the accuracy of events that transpired in the Vietnam War and portrayals of Vietnamese people, I do think TDH is excellent. It’s a somber, challenging, and harrowing film—one that ultimately rewards in its exploration of male bonding, the burden of American manhood, violence, and PTSD.
Comments
Post a Comment