Review of The Deer Hunter (1978) by Matty S — 04 Aug 2014

I have one important rule in movie watching: if the film is more than 2hrs, you better make sure it justifies that length of time. I have often been more generous after wasting 90-100 mins sitting through something less than spectacular but felt more disgruntled if I have to do it for 120 mins or more.

The 1979 Oscar Best Picture winner is 183 mins long. And it has a lot going for it, despite its flaws (and not just the fabricated dramatic device that is the Russian Roulette which probably never took place back in Vietnam then): literally the whole cast is full of raw, young talent whose performances are nuanced and just amazing to watch ; the cinematography is sumptuous, stark and sad all at the same time and of course there was that theme, something so simple yet so evocative of the whole feel of the film, if not its era, it was used sparingly in the film to great effect and still gives you goosebumps now.

Yet I feel disappointed. I don't think the first hour setting up the community, the relationships and the context in which the film is set is unnecessary but I do believe the wedding can have the same impact if it is cut by a third.

The next 2 hours could also do with some judicious editing but at least, the plotting is better served by the pacing of the film here. Ultimately I am just annoyed that somewhere there is a better and tighter paced 2hrs or 2h20min film that I would have enjoyed a lot more; one which I believe can be equally poignant, poetic and impactful than the slightly bloated but wholly indulgent director's cut here that not only numbs my ass but also my brain.