The Deer Hunter (18)

Forget We Were Soldiers. Forget Full Metal Jacket. Forget Platoon. It’s Michael Cimino’s epic The Deer Hunter (the first movie to properly explore the Vietnam war) that remains the best. Well, along with Apocalypse Now, of course. By turns moving and intensely harrowing, it’s the story of three steelworkers (Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage) who are shipped off to ‘Nam to be shot at, tortured and forced to play Russian roulette, before returning home traumatised. Going head-to-head with fellow ‘Nam flick Coming Home at the 1978 Oscars, it emerged with five deserved gongs including Best Pic. Criticism of the Russian roulette scenes has eroded its reputation somewhat, but – as a metaphor for the insanity of war – it works. A mindblowing experience.

DVD Extras:

Trailer, picture gallery, DVD-ROM feature.Brilliant film, no real extras. Criminal.

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