THE DEER HUNTER (1979) - ♦♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Michael Cimino

Written by - Michael Cimino, Deric Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, Quinn K. Redeker

Starring - Robert De Niro, John Cazale, John Savage, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken

"The tale of love and friendship before, during and after a group of friends are sent to fight in the Vietnam war. Not many films are as brutally honest as Cimino’s film, which was the first to openly deal with the infamous Vietnam conflict, and was not afraid to do so even by depicting a shocking famous Russian roulette sequence and the devatating after effects of a man’s return from that brutal experience. The photography is simply stunning and the succession of events is unsettling and hard hitting in an original way. The performances by its cast are wonderful cast are amazing and unforgettable, and add to the effect of this most notorious of anti war cinematic manifestos."

War, UK/USA