Guide Note

The Deer Hunter is a powerful drama that depicts how an horrific tour of duty in the Vietnam War affected three blue-collar Russian American friends played by Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and John Savage. The three men are taken prisoner by the Viet Cong army, whose members force them to play a deadly game which tests their mental strength, loyalty and friendship.

The film was nominated for nine and received five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken). The screenplay was inspired by the 1937 novel Three Comrades by German author and World War I veteran Erich Maria Remarque, who also penned All Quiet on the Western Front.

Fast Facts

1. Director: Michael Cimino
2. Release Date: February 23, 1979
3. Running time: 182 minutes
4. The cast and crew studied war footage to ensure accuracy
5. All scenes were shot on location
6. The original director's cut was four hours long
7. Ranked #53 on the American Film Institute's Greatest Movies of all Time