The Deer Hunter (1978)

Rating: 95%
The third to last best picture winner and the second to last one from the 70's, here's The Deer Hunter.

Plot: Mike, Nicky and Steven are Russian American steel mill workers who are drafted to fight in Vietnam. Shortly before this, Steven gets married to his pregnant girlfriend Angela, and the three friends along with their other friends Stanley, Axel and John go on one last deer hunt. What happens after that...I'll keep my mouth shut on.

I was told that this movie was good, but that didn't stop me from being surprised at how specifically good it was. The story was very well told, the acting was great, the choice of cast was rather remarkable in a way. I mean we have Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, John Cazale, even Christopher Walken was in this film giving a pretty good and likable performance, and I don't say that often when it comes to that guy to be frank. I should also note that this is sadly the last film John Cazale performed in before he died. He had terminal cancer and the studio had to be convinced by the director, Michael Cimino and Meryl Streep whom he was dating at the time (yeah I know right? who would've thought?) to be allowed to perform in the project and he sadly didn't live to see the film. But anyway, one of the main complaint people will have about this film is how in Vietnam, the Vietnamese are using Russian roulette with their POW's when it's been reported that there wasn't even a shred of that in the actual war. But other people like Roger Ebert argued - to which I agree with - it worked better that this film had that because it gave a really good symbolism that gives an ideal about war in general, not just Vietnam. And as the film progresses, it went much more into what war does in both symbolic and literal ways. However it there is one down I would find it that the film is a little bit too long. Not so much that a huge chunk should've been let out, but it still could've been a slight bit shorter.

And that's my review for The Deer Hunter. it's not recommended if you're after a historically accurate view of Vietnam, but it still tells a great story with excellent acting, very good symbolism, and is just a great film altogether with little wonder that it won best picture.