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The Deer Hunter (1978)
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This multi-Oscar-winner from Michael Cimino remains one of the finest and most controversial movies about the Vietnam War, notably for the harrowing sequence in which American PoWs are forced by their Vietcong captors to play Russian roulette, a compelling if historically dubious metaphor for the war. Running for three hours, it begins, Godfather-style, with a long wedding party at which a group of Russian emigrant steelworkers get drunk and then hunt deer before boarding their plane for the heart of darkness. Starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage and John Cazale, this is a modern version of the Second World War drama The Best Years of Our Lives, showing how men and America itself cope with the horrors of war and its aftermath. It is a story of reconciliation and national renewal, by turns shocking and moving, which won the best picture Oscar as well as statuettes for Walken and director Cimino. There were also nominations for De Niro and Meryl Streep, in her first major role. With its mournful guitar theme, this intense drama lingers long in the memory and elevated Cimino to the front rank of American directors. But his next film was the notorious flop Heaven's Gate, and he has only worked occasionally since. AT
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| Contains violence, swearing. |
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Tell us what you think
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Running time
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176min
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Country of origin
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US
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Genre
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War Drama
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Original language
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English
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Screenplay
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Deric Washburn, from a story by Michael Cimino, Deric Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, Quinn K Redeker
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Theatrical distributor
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Columbia-Emi-Warner Dists Ltd
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UK cinema certificate
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X
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| awards information |
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Award |
Category |
Name |
Nominee/Winner |
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| Academy 1978 |
Actor in a Leading Role |
Robert De Niro |
Nominee |
| Academy 1978 |
Actor in a Supporting Role |
Christopher Walken |
Winner |
| Academy 1978 |
Actress in a Supporting Role |
Meryl Streep |
Nominee |
| Academy 1978 |
Best Picture |
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Winner |
| Academy 1978 |
Directing |
Michael Cimino |
Winner |
| Academy 1978 |
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) |
Louis Garfinkle |
Nominee |
| Academy 1978 |
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) |
Michael Cimino |
Nominee |
| Academy 1978 |
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) |
Deric Washburn |
Nominee |
| Academy 1978 |
Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) |
Quinn Redeker |
Nominee |
| BAFTA 1979 |
Best Actor |
Robert De Niro |
Nominee |
| BAFTA 1979 |
Best Actress |
Meryl Streep |
Nominee |
| BAFTA 1979 |
Best Director |
Michael Cimino |
Nominee |
| BAFTA 1979 |
Best Film |
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Nominee |
| BAFTA 1979 |
Best Screenplay |
Deric Washburn |
Nominee |
| BAFTA 1979 |
Best Supporting Actor |
Christopher Walken |
Nominee |
| Golden Globe 1978 |
Best Director Motion Picture |
Michael Cimino |
Winner |
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Film certification logos reproduced by kind permission of BBFC |
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