It's Not Supposed to be Taken Literally

Rating: Null/10 (25 March 2001)

I just finished buying a VHS copy of the Deer Hunter at, of all places, a gas station. I hadn't seen it since it was first released, but remembered it as a movie I liked.
I agree that it's a lot longer than it needs to be, but I think that fits in with the whole notion of "epic spectacle". This is, in some ways, an operatic movie. Or maybe more like classical Greek tragedy. Not to be taken literally, much of the 'action' is symbolic. Several scenes are jarring and annoying if you don't keep this in mind. The Green Beret at the wedding is a good example. Who is this guy, why is he here, why doesn't he show a little more warmth? And so on . . . Well, if you think of other uses of this set up, such as the Rime of the Ancient Mariner it all comes a little more into focus. The same thing is true of the hunting scene, the russian roulette scene. It's all ALLEGORY written in caps, bolded and underlined. This is a major message movie about minor characters.
Take it for what it is, and it's a pretty enjoyable journey. Ask it for more than it has to offer and you'll be disappointed.