Disc Details
Technical Specs
- Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
- BD-50 Dual-Layer Disc
Video Resolution/Codec
- 1080p/VC-1
Aspect Ratio(s)
- 2.35:1
Audio Formats
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround
- English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
- Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Subtitles/Captions
- English SDH
- French Subtitles
- Spanish Subtitles
Supplements
- Audio Commentary
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- Featurette
- Theatrical Trailer
Exclusive HD Content
- pocket BLU
- BD-Live
- My Scenes
Best Sellers and Deals
The Deer Hunter (Blu-ray)
Universal Studios / 1978 / 183 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: March 06, 2012
- Offer Details
- List Price: $19.98
- Amazon Price: $9.99 (50%)
- 3rd Party Price: $8.40
- Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Bottom Line | Highly Recommended |
Reviewed by Peter M. Bracke (technical review by David Krauss)
Sunday, March 04, 2012
The Movie Itself: Our Reviewer's Take
I grew up in an insular neighborhood on the west side of Chicago. It was a neighborhood that, despite being adjacent to the urban sprawl, was not unlike the unnamed industrial town in 'The Deer Hunter,' a community that would be decimated by the Vietnam war.
Though I was born at the very end of the conflict, I vividly remember the stories I was told as a child by elder family and friends who had lost loved ones in Vietnam. I don't know how many of the details I was spared because of my age, but those stories and the sadness of those who told them still haunt me. Perhaps as a result of these memories, I'm often struck by how movies tend to focus much more on the most vicious carnage meted out by those on the frontlines, rather those back home who have to bury the dead. Vietnam obviously transformed the soldiers who fought it, but it also had an profound effect on those they left behind back home.
'The Deer Hunter' is the rare war film to focus more on that emotional devastation instead of the visceral gruel. Complex, extraordinarily acted and almost entirely without sentiment, it was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won five, including Best Director (for Michael Cimino), Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken) and Best Picture. But unlike many other epics smothered by awards but ultimately rendered irrelevant as the years pass on, 'The Deer Hunter' remains as potent and profound as it was when it blind-sided audiences and critics alike back in 1978. It is also a film you only have to see once, because you won't forget it once you do.
Cimino structures his 183-minute film in three strict acts. Each works as a self-contained movement, but together they create an incredibly powerful, cohesive piece of music. The first act seems to meander, but the lulls are deceptive. We meet six friends on the eve of a wedding. Michael (Robert De Niro) is the leader; Nick (Christopher Walken) his faithful best friend; and Steven (John Savage), who is about to marry his high school sweetheart Angela (Rutanya Alda). All three have enlisted, and will be leaving for Vietnam only a day after the honeymoon. Declining to serve are the volatile Stanley (the late John Cazale), and carefree party boys John (George Dzundza) and Axel (Chuck Aspegren), whose cheerful revelry seems to mask a growing sense of guilt over staying behind. And had it been a normal year, Michael and Nick would probably have been fighting over Linda (Meryl Streep), who wants to marry Nick but, as it soon becomes quite clear, really loves Michael.
All of these details are never explained with bad exposition, nor dramatized as soap opera. They simply unfold over the course of the men's last two days together, as they dance the night away, engage in drunken frat-boy shenanigans, and go on one last of their deer hunts in the mountains. With these scenes alone, which are so seemingly innocuous, Cimino earned his Oscar. He so perfectly modulates the characters and develops their inter-relationships that the reality created is no longer a two-dimensional image on the screen, but an experience happening to us. So much so that one simple, unpretentious final cut to Vietnam feels like a detonation.
The second act begins appropriately enough with an explosion. The film's combat scenes are famous, largely for Cimino's use of Russian Roulette as a metaphor for the many horrors inflicted in Vietnam. These scenes are simply harrowing, and it is not with a hip smirk that I say I really never want to see them again. Yet it is not violence, or gore, that unsettles -- in fact, the film is rather subtle in this regard (at least compared to such graphic horror shows as 'Saving Private Ryan'). Instead, it is the intensity that disturbs. We are so under the skin with these characters we want to turn away from the screen both to spare them their fates, and us the torture of watching them unfold. The less said about what happens next, the better. Simply put, things won't necessarily turn out as you may expect them to - 'The Deer Hunter' is never a predictable war film.
The film's final act is, in some ways, the most painful. Michael will return home and attempt to reconstruct the pieces of his life. But the nervous hugs and well-meaning smiles of family and friends are only more isolating. Returning to normalcy becomes impossible. Even the embrace of Linda cannot cure the ills inside. Lost and soulless, Michael will eventually be drawn back to Vietnam, in an attempt to rescue Nick. But sometimes, the depth of damage done leaves no hope for salvation.
The concluding scenes of 'The Deer Hunter' caused great controversy at the time of the film's release, and remain highly debated today. To what purpose was the film's metaphor of Russian Roulette? For me, the scenes are not about the fate of Nick, but America. "One shot is what it's all about," is the film's most famous line. "A deer has to be taken down with one shot." Michael's eventual journey to bring Nick home and restore things to the way they used to be, will, however noble, ultimately prove futile. And how Cimino, in the film's concluding scenes, finally shatters this wish-fulfillment fantasy remains truly unforgettable. For this alone, 'The Deer Hunter' secures its place as a landmark achievement in modern Hollywood cinema.
The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats
'The Deer Hunter' at last arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case inside an attractive sleeve with a fold-out cover that features additional photos and some brief trivial facts about the film and Universal Studios in 1978. Both a 50GB Blu-ray disc and standard-def DVD are included in the package. Video codec is 1080p/VC-1 and default audio is an upgraded DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround audio track. There is no main menu; the movie begins as soon as the disc is inserted in the player. Press the menu button on your remote to access scenes, audio options, subtitles, and supplements.
It's taken a long time for Universal to get around to releasing 'The Deer Hunter' on Blu-ray, but this superior 1080p/VC-1 transfer makes the wait worthwhile. I can't compare the picture quality to the HD DVD, but I can tell you it's a big step up from the 2005 Legacy Series DVD. Thanks to top-notch contrast and clarity, the image sports a newfound vibrancy that leaps off the screen. Interior scenes that previously suffered from a murky and dull malaise now exhibit welcome pop, and exteriors burst with razor-sharp details and stunning depth. The mountain hunting sequences are flat-out gorgeous, exuding a lushness and scope I don't recall seeing in previous versions, while brightly saturated hues add pizzazz to many shots. The colorful dresses at the wedding reception, De Niro's orange hunting jacket, the jungle foliage, the neon lights of Saigon, and the red, white, and blue of the American flag all stand out yet never appear over-pushed.
Black levels are rich and inky, though some instances of crush do creep in, and shadow delineation is hit or miss. Fleshtones, however, look stable and true, and close-ups beautifully highlight fine facial features. Background elements, from the KFC boxes on the counter to the dirt and grime on the siding of the dumpy homes, are always easy to discern, lending that extra layer of authenticity to the film. And while the DVD transfer suffered from instances of speckling and print wear, the source material here is absolutely spotless, making for a smooth, elegant viewing experience.
Some viewers may think 'The Deer Hunter' looks too clean, too polished, and lacks that blue-collar grit and war-is-hell grime that distinguish other films of the period, but I'm thrilled with this effort. Yes, grain is not consistent - it's completely absent in some scenes, while others flaunt more texture (only the bits of stock and news footage look truly rough) - but I never felt like I was watching a hyper-processed movie. The image still looks like film, and the clarity heightens the force of the story's visceral power. A slight bit of noise reduction may have been applied, but that's the only hint of digital tinkering I noticed, and it doesn't harm the pristine picture in the slightest.
This is hands-down the best 'The Deer Hunter' has ever looked on home video, and those who, like me, have pined for a Blu-ray treatment of this classic title, should be thrilled with the results.
'The Deer Hunter' has always been plagued by problematic audio, and though the addition of a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track improves the situation somewhat, it's unfortunately not a magic-bullet cure-all. Most of the sound emanates from the front panel of speakers, with solid stereo separation providing a distinct directional feel that enhances atmospherics and lends dialogue a more realistic flavor. The surrounds augment the scoring and some of the big war effects, such as helicopters and explosions, but fail to spit out any isolated material. Still, the boost in overall quality, clarity, and fidelity is palpable, and trumps previous home video versions of this film.
The track's main negative remains the muffled dialogue that has always been 'The Deer Hunter's Achilles heel. Overlapping conversations or those that try and compete with street, party, or battle sounds are almost impossible to comprehend, as are hushed exchanges. When Michael and Nick plot to ambush their captors in the river cage, I could barely make out a word, and the talk at the wedding and in the bar, though not essential, was often obscured. Boosting the volume, unfortunately, doesn't help.
Dynamic range is also limited, with better expanses on the low end of the scale than on the upper registers. The brief steel mill scenes early in the film, the whirring blades of the choppers, and the gunshots during the Russian roulette sequences all possess good presence and weight, but bits of distortion (and a couple of pops) occasionally creep in at odd moments. The acoustic guitar solos come across well, and the orchestral scoring enjoys fine presence without overwhelming the action.
Lossless audio is a nice bonus, but it doesn't loft 'The Deer Hunter' to a higher plane. The sound remains serviceable, but far from stellar.
Universal ports over all the extras from the HD DVD and Legacy Series DVD to this Blu-ray edition (and adds a promotional 100th anniversary featurette), which really isn't saying all that much. The extras on 'The Deer Hunter' are the most disappointing aspect of this release. But then, so were the supplements on the two-disc "Legacy Series," which were so sparse one wonders why Universal needed the extra platter. For an Oscar-winning modern classic of this magnitude, one would have thought at least a sizable retrospective documentary would have been in order, let alone a director's audio commentary. Alas, we get neither.
- Audio Commentary – To be fair, Michael Cimino did record a full-length track, as well as a 23-minute video interview, for the Region 2 DVD release of 'The Deer Hunter.' But for some reason, Universal was not able to retain those extras for the domestic version (I have to imagine they tried -- there would have been no reason not to). Instead, only the Region 2's second audio commentary was retained, with director of photography Vilmos Zsigmond and cinema journalist Bob Farmer. No offense to Zsigmond and Farmer, but it is just no replacement for the original Cimino track. At nearly three hours, there is just so much discussion one can take about lighting and photography, and though Farmer does wring some interesting production anecdotes out of Zsigmond, I eventually started to doze off. The most interesting nugget for tech geeks is that Zsigmond and Cimino originally wanted 'The Deer Hunter' to have an even more distressed, roughed-up look, and Zsigmond in particular feels the new transfer looks "too good." So for anyone complaining about the video quality of this release, know that if the filmmakers had had their way, it would have looked worse.
- Deleted and Extended Scenes (SD, 17 minutes) – Unfortunately, this is just more footage of the Russian Roulette sequence and Christopher Walken subsequently breaking down in the hospital, and adds absolutely nothing new to the film. The quality is also weak, presented in scratchy windowboxed 2.35:1 and 480i video.
- Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3 minutes) – This is billed as the film's "Original Theatrical Trailer," though I suspect it is actually a re-release spot, as it includes a copious number of critic's quotes written after the film came out. (I could be wrong, as platform releases were the norm at the time.) The quality here is also quite poor, and provides a glimpse of how bad the film might have looked without a proper restoration.
- Featurette: "100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics" (HD, 9 minutes) – This promotional, yet reverential, piece examines the importance of film preservation and the painstaking process of restoration. It provides a cursory look at how technicians manage film grain, reduce flicker, enhance faded color, repair damage and tears, and clean up audio. Clips from such classics as 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' 'Dracula,' 'The Bride of Frankenstein,' 'Jaws,' 'The Sting,' 'Pillow Talk,' and 'All Quiet on the Western Front' demonstrate the challenges restorers face and the miracles they often pull off.
- Featurette: "100 Years of Universal: Academy Award Winners" (HD, 10 minutes) – A self-congratulatory salute to a host of Academy Award winners produced by Universal Studios, this celebratory featurette includes clips from 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' 'Erin Brockovich,' 'Ray,' 'The Deer Hunter,' 'Born on the Fourth of July,' 'Schindler's List,' 'The Sting,' 'Out of Africa,' 'A Beautiful Mind,' and many others, as it showcases the quality films Universal has produced over the past eight decades.
A couple of Blu-ray exclusives dress up this release, but they are only gadget add-ons.
- pocket BLU – Download the pocket BLU app to your smartphone or tablet and use the remote feature to navigate through the disc, download a digital copy, or watch special features on the go.
- BD-Live – Internet-enabled players can access Universal's online portal to watch trailers, interact with others, and view exclusive content. At press time, however, no content for 'The Deer Hunter' had been posted.
- My Scenes – This bookmarking feature allows viewers to save favorite sequences for convenient replay later.
No easter eggs reported for 'The Deer Hunter ' yet. Found an egg? Please use our tips form to let us know, and we'll credit you with the find.
'The Deer Hunter' is not just a classic war film that chronicles with unflinching realism the horrors of battle and the mental and physical toll combat exacts on both the soldiers who fight and the loved ones they leave behind; it's also a passionate portrait of male friendship and an incisive snapshot of a turbulent time in American history. Once seen, Michael Cimino's epic never will be forgotten. Universal honors this Best Picture winner with a dazzling video transfer that makes this 34-year-old film look brand new, and upgraded lossless audio that's an improvement over previous tracks, even if it doesn't iron out all the film's sonic kinks. Supplements remain far too thin for a movie of this magnitude, but that shouldn't keep anyone from picking up this brilliantly acted, powerfully directed, and emotionally shattering motion picture. Highly recommended.
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