The Deer Hunter

Rating: 4/5

An undoubtedly impressive and incredibly well made movie with phenomenal performances, but one I’ll likely never watch again.

I definitely had some trepidation before starting The Deer Hunter. I had heard time and time again how difficult a watch this movie was, and boy oh boy, were those sentiments accurate. It takes awhile in the movie's lengthy duration to get those moments so infamously spoken of, but once they occur in the plot, they'll make an indelible mark on your memory. It has been months since I watched The Deer Hunter, and I've yet to shake the scenes out of my memory. It's one of those movies where you don't exactly regret watching it, but you don't relish the idea of seeing it a second time around.

Meryl Streep being who we all know her as today, it's hard to imagine there ever being a time where she was a somewhat unknown actress, but such was the case for The Deer Hunter. She did have some credits to her name prior to this, but to my knowledge and understanding, this is the film that catapulted her into the career we all know and recognize her for. One viewing of any of her scenes in The Deer Hunter and it's incredibly easy to see why. Though she may not be the main character of the film, she absolutely captures your attention in any scene she's in. Though praise for her work is a broken record at this point, it's still highly deserved.

At this point in time, I don't believe I will see The Deer Hunter again, but who knows, that may change in the future. As difficult as it is to watch, it is a staple in cinema history for a reason, and should be viewed at least once.

1979 Best Picture Winner - The Deer Hunter

1979 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Winner - Christopher Walken

1979 Best Director Winner - Michael Cimino

1979 Best Sound Winners - Richard Portman, William L. McCaughey, Aaron Rochin, & C. Darin Knight

1979 Best Film Editing Winner - Peter Zinner