F***in' A!

Rating: 10/10 (16 July 2005)

DEER HUNTER (1978) A 3-hour epic about a group of buddies from Industrial Town, USA, and the Vietnam War, The Deer Hunter manages to capture camaraderie in every sense of the war. Following our central protagonist, Mike (Robert DeNiro), effectively the leader of the group, and his journey to, and journey through, the Vietnam War. The Deer Hunter manages to immediately connect to the audience, Mike and his friends (Nick, Stan, Axel, John, and Stevie) are you're buddies across the street... the ties you've had since you guys have been together in grade school, these guys are you're friends, the average Joe's, a group, the good-guys. These are closely knit-people who'd help each other through any mess... "blood brothers". The journey begins a day or so before Mike, Nick, and Stevie have to go to war, we can see that Mike and Nick (Christopher Walken) are best-buddies within the group. We see that Stevie (John Savage) commits to marriage very hastily, and so on this day before War, we see the major exposition: the wedding.
The wedding is the center-point of the Russian Community in this small neighborhood, it is a "hello" to the union of two, and at the same time, a "farewell" to those heading off to war. It's a way for everyone to gather and celebrate, and it manages to show the relationships of characters. Stan (John Cazale) is the sleezy guy who gets a woman every night, Axel (Chuck Aspegren) is a big-friendly bear type, John (George Dzundza) is a man of celebration, Nick is the best friend of everyone, and Mike seems and feels out of place. He doesn't want or like large crowds, he doesn't want to be part of something bigger, he'd rather sit back and think, he's the lone-wolf. He places his eyes on Nick's Girl, Linda (Meryl Streep) but knows he cannot have her.
The next day is the Deer Hunt, a moment where the group can be alone, have one last personal goodbye, as oppose to the community one with the wedding. The Deer Hunt seems to be a weekend ritual for the group, it's a pass-time they collectively enjoy, without distractions from others. They are truly together, camaraderie.
Vietnam is another test of camaraderie but that venturing into dangerous territory. (Spoilerville) Cinematography was stellar especially in the Deer Hunt scenes, and at Welch's Bar, where the atmosphere was friendly, (Think Cheers), and the treacherous Vietnam, a place filled with warfare and sin.
Sound was excellent, and especially invoked feeling in the viewer, watching the cast sing together (camaraderie) and watching the wedding singer sing to the crowd. Listening to the classical guitar during the intimate moments.
Overall The Deer Hunter is an amazing film of the 70's, a dramatic movie that connects to it's audience through the friendship of characters, through love, through loss, through life. You will laugh and you will cry, you will experience all the up's and down's of these characters' lives.
10/10 - WATCH IT!