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Actors: Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, Meryl Streep, John Cazale
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Deer Hunter |
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This story follows five steel workers in a small town. Three of them ship out to Vietnam to join the war. In the war one loses a leg (Steve), one returns (Mike), and one stays in Vientam (Nick) because he has lost part of his mind and is now making money playing Russian roulette. After Mike returns to decides to return to Vietnam to get Nick back, but finds that harder then he could ever imagine.
--Jack Bauer, Resident Scholar
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Michael, Nick, and Steven are three close buddies from the small steel town of Clairtown, Pennsylvania. Michael (De Niro) is the "one shot" control freak, Nick's (Walken) a gambler, and Steven (Savage) is the sensitive one. They work in the foundry, hang out at a favorite bar, and hunt in the mountains. Michael and Nick both love Linda (Streep), who toys with the two friends. In 1968, shortly before they ship out to Vietnam, Steven marries his pregnant girlfriend, Angela. Overseas, they are captured and tortured by the Viet Cong, who force them to play Russian roulette. Nick stays in Vietnam, Steven is handicapped after losing a leg, and Michael returns home to Linda, only to find himself utterly changed and forced to go back to 'Nam to find Nick. In only his second film (released in 1978), co-writer and director Michael Cimino created a rich, opera-like story in three acts that is almost too ambitious for its strengths. It struggles to balance realism and metaphor, but the visuals and the performances by fairly young actors before their more famous primes are unforgettable.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of The Deer Hunter |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1960's-1970's
Inner struggle or disability
Yes
Struggle with
- conduct in war
War impact on civilians/veterans
Yes
Kind of conflict:
- war, Vietnam
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- blue collar
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) muscular
Events of movie makes character more...
- sad
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
- blonde
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
- (man) short/standard wavey
Body type
- (man) average build
How much in movie?
- 60%
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- general circumstances
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
- 90%-100%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Other Asian
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Asia/Pacific/Middle East
Yes
Asian country:
- Southeast Asia
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Misc setting
- bar
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
- explicit references to deaths
Movie makes you feel...
- all mixed up
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
- seeing nude male butt
- seeing full frontal--men
Any profanity?
- Some foul language
- A lot of foul language
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Orchestra/classical
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Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Jack Bauer
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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