MovieChat Forums > The Deer Hunter (1979) Discussion > One of these movies that remind me...

One of these movies that remind me...

posted 9 months ago by Kendricks (2082)
14 replies | jump to latest

...how subjective movie taste can be.

While everyone and their mother seem to consider this a masterpiece, and I am not saying it isn't from the perspective of movie art, it's just one of these movies that do nothing for me. I am even bored when watching it for the most part and I cannot even say why. It's just... not hitting the spot.

I feel similar about Night of the Living Dead, which I just can't take serious at all due to the terrible acting, and 2001: Space Odyssey, which is basically movie-blasphemy.

As for Vietnam movies, the worst offender for me is Apocalypse Now, no matter the cut. Having to scratch a Vietnam war movie itch I felt the other week, I figured I'd rewatch this "amazing movie" only to... be severely disappointed. Is it a bad movie? Hell no, don't be silly, it earned its praise - but to me it's just... boring. I also struggle with the absurd depiction of combat and the war itself in this movie. While I am completely aware why the movie is how it is, I cannot look past it when watching it. From the overdrawn characters like Kilgore and the surfing nonsense, to the Huckleberry Finn like boat travel adventure, the subplot with the playboy bunnies, and Kurtz being some sort of cult leader, I hate it. Lol.

What are your acclaimed masterpieces of movie history you just cannot get behind?

[–] seagal72 (1831) 9 months ago

I sort of get what you're saying.

I re-watched 'The Deer Hunter' again (Monday evening) after not seeing it for around 8-10 years ago. It's still a 'good' movie (per se) but it did feel a little lacking (and the Vietnam sequence was rather trite and largely unbelievable...a shame given the enormous amount of attention and detail (of everyday life) that came before and after)
The cinematography was however, still amazing. But it did feel a little 'empty' at times (shame, because it's always been one of my favourites)
I only unearthed my Blu-Ray, because I was thinking of upgrading to 4K (as it stands, I don't think I'll bother for the time being)
Perhaps it may 're-improve' in another 8-10 years (if I'm still around to watch it?)

[–] Kowalski (58548) 9 months ago

I HONESTLY BELIEVE A GOOD EDIT WOULD HELP...AN EDIT THAT LEAVES SOME OF THAT 70'S SLOW BURN MEANDERING AT THE DOOR AND TRIMS THE OVER THREE HOUR RUNTIME DOWN TO AROUND TWO HOURS.

[–] seagal72 (1831) 9 months ago

Actually, I wouldn't have minded a four hour version, that at least expanded on the Vietnam sequence) it all felt very rushed (given that it was bookmarked between two slow-burn first and third acts) which I actually prefered.

Anything 'Romeo' based (up until/including Monkey Shines) is (IMO) amazing (with a few 'nuggets interspersed afterwards) Dawn Of The Dead is my #1 movie of all time (just ahead of Jaws and Mad Max 2)

2001 is more a triumph of cinematography and set-design (as opposed to actual enjoyable cinema) so it (as with 95% of Kubrick) gets a pass from me.

'The Godfather' is another stone-cold classic, which (IMO) warrants/begs for a longer cut. The (vastly overrated, yet still enjoyable) 'Godfather 2' could possibly benefit from some 'mild' edits, truth be told.

BTW, Kowalski...this is the most 'civil' that we've ever conversed? :D

[–] Kowalski (58548) 9 months ago

DEER HUNTER IS ONE OF MY FATHER'S FAVORITE FILMS...SO I HAVE SEEN IT MANY TIMES...IT'S GOOD...BUT IT IS ALSO AN HOUR TOO LONG...I HAVE A STRONG BOND WITH ALL THINGS ROMERO...SO I WILL SKIP THAT ONE...2001 BORES ME TO TEARS...I HAVE TRIED WATCHING IT MANY TIMES...SAME THING EVERYTIME...

MY ADDITION IS THE GODFATHER MOVIES...I ENJOY BRANDO...BUT I FIND AL THREE FILMS TO BE BORING AND FRUSTRATING.

[–] Golfaddict666 (471) 9 months ago

The Deer Hunter is movie magic that the 70s cinema captured
If I see anyone bashing Romero’s work I will bash them
Romero is a legend and his trilogy is one of the greatest stories ever written

[–] Kowalski (58548) 9 months ago

THE DEER HUNTER IS TOO LONG AND MEANDERS TOO MUCH...WE AGREE ON ROMERO AND HIS WORK.

[–] SandyR (7362) 9 months ago

KOWALSKI, TAKE SOME THOREZINE THE NEXT TIME YOU WATCH 2001. YOU WILL MAKE IT THROUGH THE ENTIRE MOVIE AND APPRECIATE IT MUCH MORE.

[–] Kowalski (58548) 9 months ago

I HAVE FINISHED IT...AT LEAST TWICE...I FIND IT LONG,BORING AND PRETENTIOUS...THAT IS MY INTERPRETATION...ART IS SUBJECTIVE...CALM YOURSELF.

[–] newts (113) 9 months ago

It's one of the best movies that I'd never watch again.

[–] SandyR (7362) 9 months ago

While I agree Deer Hunter is in no way the masterpiece it's hailed as being (people remember the intense Russian roulette scenes and not the hours of tedium surrounding them), your assessments of NotLD and 2001 are just plain wrong. You may just not have very good taste in movies, ultimately. But Deer Hunter, we definitely agree on that.

[–] Kendricks (2082) 9 months ago

How can I be wrong about Night of the Living Dead and 2001 when I acknowledge both being masterpieces?
Do you always feel threatened when people don't like the same things you like to the level that you feel the need to attack them? Ironically, you agree on Deer Hunter, as if that opinion we coincidentally share is some sort of fact, while you still believe your opinion of the other movies, compared to mine, is also correct.
In short, you seem to think you're "right" by default when it comes to the matter of taste in art, which, frankly, is idiotic and ignorant.

As for my lacking taste, these are movies and shows I rated 10 and 9 stars on Imdb:

The Silence of the Lambs
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Gettysburg
Schindler's List
Léon
Heat
Saving Private Ryan
Fight Club
The Sopranos
Band of Brothers
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Sicario
Die Brücke
The Godfather
The Exorcist
Jaws
Alien
Das Boot
Shogun
Once Upon a Time in America
Dances with Wolves
Pulp Fiction
The Shawshank Redemption
Apollo 13
Braveheart
Se7en
Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
The Fifth Element
From the Earth to the Moon
Louis C.K.: Hilarious
On Death Row
The Others
Blackfish
The Bourne Identity
Black Hawk Down
Better Call Saul
Love Actually
Open Range
Lost in Translation
Der Untergang
Das Leben der Anderen
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Shichinin no samurai
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
A Night to Remember
Titanic
Psycho
Seppuku
For a Handful of Dollars
Cool Hand Luke
The Haunting of Hill House
The Godfather Part II
A Bridge Too Far
Star Wars
Hereditary
Giri/Haji
Shogun
Das Boot
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Blade Runner
First Blood
The Thing
1917
Back to the Future
Epic NPC Man
Aliens
Full Metal Jacket
Die Hard
Generation Kill
Goodfellas
The Hunt for Red October
Misery

Yeah, "terrible taste", I guess.

[–] GolfnGuitars (2394) 9 months ago

Yes, your title and first line is so true. This is one of the first movies I watched on TMC after my dad died almost 7 years ago. I loved it, but can understand why some people wouldn't like it.

I have very specific tastes when it comes to movies (I don't think I could be a film critic and watch a movie that I'd have no interest in). I have never seen the "Lord Of The Rings" movies, even though they're all highly rated and did great at the box office. One movie I do remember trying to watch a couple of times a few years back, but bailed after 5-10 minutes each time was "Amelie." It's highly rated and was critically acclaimed, but that movie was just not for me. And that's fine...it doesn't mean that it's not a great film (as you mentioned in your first post). It's interesting how, with respect to "the arts" (movies, music, art, etc.), some things just resonate with us more than others.

[–] mplo (2305) 9 months ago

I admittedly didn't care for "The Deer Hunter", because it seemed far too supportive of our war in Viet Nam, and made the Viet Cong and the Vietnamese, generally, seem overly cruel, when, in fact the United States was the biggest offender.

[–] Kendricks (2082) 9 months ago

That's debatable, to say the least.

The NVA and especially the VC were infamous for how terribly they treated prisoners of war and the South Vietnamese civilian population, including brutal torture, arbitrary murder and unfair sentencing. After the war they continued these things in "re-education camps" for South Vietnamese that fought on the wrong side.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viet_Cong_and_People%27s_Army_of_Vietnam_use_of_terror_in_the_Vietnam_War