The ‘Deer Hunter’ is an important film for many reasons: it is one of the most acclaimed attempts to tell the story of the Vietnam war and its impact on American lives (nominated for 9, received 5 Academy awards), but in its attempt it is also highly controversial and reflects many preoccupations and prejudices of the late 70s America.
The film is structured in five sections contrasting home and war, playing a small working-class town in Pennsylvania against the wildlife and war-zone in Vietnam with its terrifying depiction of the Vietcongs. If Americans seem like the good guys, this is surely due to Cimino’s extremely sympathetic directing and the superb performances by Robert de Niro, Merlyn Streep and Christopher Walken.
With its 3 hours this is a relatively long film, but definitely worth it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgRUgWubgzw