Great film to me, and a classic. Outstanding storytelling.

quote:

Originally posted by Kuisis:
It is odd that they filmed a large portion in Pa, WV, and OH, but the hunting scenes seem to have been filmed in Washington State.

yep after making it through that loooooong wedding scene and them just being stupid drunk they go hunting and I'm thinking how in the world did they drive all the way out to Washington state?

This is one of the things I appreciate about sigforum.

I've tried a number of times to watch this "classic" film. It's unbearable and boring. This from someone who enjoys long movies. I'm glad to know others agree.

Up until this year I was like you. Only seen parts of it now and then. I too put it on my DVR and was rather disappointed in this movie. I know it was a statement movie which is fine. But I don't know what makes it a cinema masterpiece.

Given a choice, I'd rather sit through Apocalypse Now.

I wonder how DiNiro got away with a Goatee in the Special Forces?

quote:

Originally posted by George43:
I wonder how DiNiro got away with a Goatee in the Special Forces?

Y'all keep reminding me of these things that bothered me in the movie.... DiNiro having a beard and never taking his uniform off when he came home...

When my father USMC was coming home from Korea after him and his buddies walked out of a reservoir way up north they were required to shave before getting off the ship.. many of them had grown beards... one guy in his company said he was not going to shave his beard and he had a way of getting out of it.... got in a fight with some sailer and then had his whole head bandaged up...

I've not seen a movie, save documentaries, that don't have inconsistencies such as those sited. It happens and we just acknowledge something's not quite right and move on with the story line. IMO The Deer Hunter was a good movie. Not great but it had something to say. It drifted from blue collar PA to the Vietnam which might have been done better and was quite depressing in most parts. Still, it was a movie we still talk about today... see this thread.

I'm native to Western Pennsylvania. The movie I did not care for to the point of dislike. That's my view point as a Marine veteran of Viet-Nam.

I really enjoyed this movie and find it to be excellent story telling.

Never got this movie out of my head...and I'm 63 years old now. A classic tale to me.

I enjoyed the movie, not as a whole but, various scenes I thought were done well; it is lengthy and the plot arc disjointed. The ending scene I would tear-up, a scene like that in today's films would get panned with snarky, cynical, condescending comments.

The period was the 70's, it was a depressing time across the country. Small towns anchored by a big factory or, mill was all that most of these places had. This town was Russian/East European immigrants, it was a group of friends who weren't exactly a bunch of sophisticates. There's a number of inaccuracies but, it doesn't overwhelm the movie.

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
I'm gonna go against the general grain here, I thought it was a great movie. I could identify with the insecurities of the characters, the frustrations, the hopelessness at times. I think that from my standpoint the director just kinda slowed it down to let you wallow in the crappy feelings for a while (yes, perhaps too long).

I like it and watch it when it comes on.

Always one of my top 5 of allll time. It was even better after a couple of bourbon shots after the "Fuck It" scene in the bar while the wedding is going on.

I thought the film was decent, not a masterpiece as it was thought to be at the time, I guess it did win Best Picture. I thought Apocalypse Now was a far superior film and I still think so. Michael Cimino was like a 1970s Orson Welles; became successful at an early stage of his career, then blows it all with Heaven's Gate, destroying his reputation. Clint Eastwood made the guy's career; after co-writing Magnum Force, Cimino is hired by Clint to direct Thunderbolt and Lightfoot and then he follows it with The Deer Hunter.

I do have to say the "F##k it" scene in the bar during the wedding has got to be one of the best 'foreboding scenes' there ever was.... simple and to the point about where they were going....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Blume9mm,

My favorite early De Niro movie is Taxi Driver. That was some messed up stuff going on there, like the end where the guy gets his fingers shot off by him. Whoa.

that shoot out in Taxi Driver was the most violent scene I'd ever seen in a movie and it was a long time before I ever saw anything even close...