5 Star

Class Never Loses its Lustre.

For those that have never heard of this film, they are in for an epic tour de force as it is set in the thick of the Vietnam War and the traumatic aftermath and how it affected those that were there. Those that do remember this Michael Cimino (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Year of the Dragon) classic war film will cherish the chance to own this new 4K restoration and with the plethora of special features this is a must own for the war film enthusiast.

It is 1967 in Clairton, Pennsylvania, and the USA are in the middle of the Vietnam war. Clairton is reliant on the steel foundry where friends Mike Vronsky (Robert De Niro, Dirty Grandpa, Heist, Silver Linings Playbook), Steven Pushkov (John Savage, Salvador, The Godfather: Part III) and Nick Chevotarevich (Christopher Walken, Eddie the Eagle, Pulp Fiction, Batman Returns) work, but they have all made the decision to join up and fight for their country. Mike is the natural leader of the gang of friends that also includes Stan (John Cazale, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II) and Peter “Axel” Axelrod (Chuck Aspegren).

Nick and Mike are always arguing over their favourite pastime of deer hunting and Mike always thinks that it should always be

“A one shot kill.”

But first they all meet at Welch’s (George Dzundza, Crimson Tide, Dangerous Minds) bar to celebrate Steve getting married later that day, and being a Russian Orthodox wedding things have to be right and Steve’s mother makes sure he doesn’t mess up his bride Angela’s (Rutanya Alda, Mommie Dearest, Amityville II: The Possession) special day.

Nicks girlfriend Linda (Meryl Streep, Out of Africa, August: Osage County, The Devil Wears Prada) is one of the bridesmaids and we see that Mike has a thing for her too.

 

After the wedding the group of friends go hunting one more time and Nick and Mike have come to an arrangement that Mike will not leave him “over there” if anything happens to him. Mike treats the hunt like a sacred ritual and when when Stan mucks about he leaves them and hunts down a deer and dispatches it with one clean shot (no deer were hurt).

Then Boom (literally) and we are in Vietnam and Mike lies unconscious as an enemy soldier goes around a bombed village killing women and children. The noise wakes him and he takes out the NVA soldier with his flame-thrower as a helicopter  comes in and drops off soldiers that turn out to be Steve and Nick. now the gang is back together.

What could possibly go wrong?

This was a controversial film when it came out and 40 years later it still has an impact on the senses now.

This 40th Anniversary package is a must have for the collector of classic films.

A BRAND NEW RESTORATION AND THE FIRST TIME ON 4K!
Delve into the history of the ground-breaking epic THE DEER HUNTER with this essential Collector’s Edition. 40 years on from its Oscar-winning debut, watch the film in stunning 4K, with a host of bonus material, the original soundtrack, a 64 page booklet, script and artcards.
Bonus material includes:

New Interview with David Thomson – film critic

A brand new and exclusive interview with author and film critic David Thomson 

1979 ITV South Ban Show interview with Michael Cimino

A rarely seen ITV South Bank Show Interview from 1979 with director Michael Cimino provides an in-depth analysis of his inspirations and motivations for the making of the film 

Realising The Deer Hunter
– Interview with director Michael Cimino
Shooting The Deer Hunter
– Interview with director of photography Vilmos Zsigmond
Playing The Deer Hunter
– Interview with star John Savage 

Audio Commentary with Michael Cimino
Audio Commentary with Vilmos Zsigmond and journalist Bob Fisher
 

Deleted and Extended scenes

Deleted and extended scenes from the original production including extra footage of the infamous Russian Roulette sequence. 

The Collectors’ Edition includes:

DISC 1: 4K UHD
DISC 2 BLU-RAY
DISC 3 BONUS MATERIAL
DISC 4 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Plus:

64 page booklet including material written by Jay Glennie and adapted from his forthcoming numbered limited edition large format book ‘One Shot: The Making of The Deer Hunter’, new essay from David Jenkins, Editor of Little White Lies and pages from the original 1978 press book
Copy of early incarnation of the script entitled The Man Who Came to Play by Louis Garfinkle and Quinn K. Redeker
X 5 Artcards

The Deer Hunter the 40th Anniversary 4K Restoration is available on Blu-ray