|
Robert De Niro Double Feature (Casino / The Deer Hunter)Rating:
Release Date: 31 October, 2000 Retail Price: $44.98 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Complete Cast (17 total) |
Robert De Niro Double Feature (Casino / The Deer Hunter) Reviews
Pure human emotion on display
Human emotion is brought to the fore in this intelligent drama involving three best friends and the women in their lives. Michael (De Niro), Nick (Walken) & Steven (Savage) are three hunting buddies living in Clairton, Penn. When the three of them get enlisted in the air-force and ushered off to Vietnam their lives are changed forever. After they are captured and tortured at the hands of the enemy they are forced to reevaluate their lives, look at who they are and what they've become.
After escaping all three make different decisions, Nick staying in Vietnam, Steven being sent home injured and Michael returning home to comfort Nick's girlfriend Linda (Streep) who begins to take a liking to Michael. The real heart or soul of this film is the effect each action has on the one's involved, watching the war and their capture rip each of these men, and Linda as well, apart at the seems. The brilliance is in the acting, each emotion captured perfectly never once appearing as forced or faux, every feeling melting off of these men and women without any effort...especially in regards to De Niro and Streep who, in my opinion, should have walked away with Oscars.
As we watch relationships build and break between friends and lovers we are drawn into these people's lives and giving a reason to watch, a reason to listen and a reason to care. Brilliantly crafted and wonderfully executed, `The Deer Hunter' is worth every bit of the praise and acclaim it has received and is yet to receive.
Some part of the film might seem like fillers but it gives great intensity.
A good number of viewers believe that "The Deer Hunter" is overlong and a bit overrated, probably due to a handful of scenes, but beside that its an important film that was the first commentary on the topic of Vietnam. It wouldn't have worked nearly as powerfully if the first hour been trimmed down a bit. It wasn't the director's attention because he meant to focus on "character development," base on the lives of three all-American friends, Niko (Christopher Walken), Michael (Robert DeNiro) and Steven (John Savage) through the affects of the war.
We have to sense the careless and frat-boy-like immaturity of these young men. That's why the scenes all revolve around frivolity and seemingly senseless boyish behavior; it creates such a stark contrast to the devastated characters of the three who went to war (and the relatively unaffected personalities of those who stayed behind, like Stanley). Although both De Niro and Walken have made a lot of great films after this movie, I have to say that this is one of their best movies in their career. They both give powerful performances and are the ones who were the best things about this movie. Both actors are at the top of their careers and were wonderful together.
Director-write Michael Cimino doesn't try to turn this into one of the goriest movies ever made. It's quite the opposite. Although there were a few bloody scenes throughout the movie (which I didn't mind), all of those scenes were done in a realistic portrayal of the war (or any of the other bloody scenes, such as the Russian Roulette scene at the end of the movie). Because of this, the movie doesn't become a disturbing war film, yet respectable.
"The Deer Hunter" is important film that wasn't done for nothing because it carries a strong message about life, death and love. It is a movie that should be experienced by everyone at least once, and if you like movies dealing with the Vietnam war several of them, like "Full Metal Jacket", "Platoon", and "Apocalypse Now," should also interest you.
More Customer Reviews (78 total)
You like Robert De Niro Double Feature (Casino / The Deer Hunter)?
|
© 2004, 2005, 2006 DVD Booty | Don't Plunder Our Cache of Booty, Matey!
Hosting made possible by donations from Emerald City Mortgage, fast cash loans, and debt counseling
