The Deer Hunter (1978)

Director:

Michael Cimino

Writers:

Michael Cimino (story) &
Deric Washburn (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 February 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Best Picture 1978

Plot:

An in-depth examination of the way that the Vietnam war affects the lives of people in a small industrial town in the USA.

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Escape | Russian Roulette | Bar | Party

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Michael
John Cazale	...	Stan
John Savage	...	Steven
Christopher Walken	...	Nick
Meryl Streep	...	Linda
George Dzundza	...	John
Chuck Aspegren	...	Axel
Shirley Stoler	...	Steven's Mother
Rutanya Alda	...	Angela
Pierre Segui	...	Julien
Mady Kaplan	...	Axel's Girl
Amy Wright	...	Bridesmaid
Mary Ann Haenel	...	Stan's Girl
Richard Kuss	...	Linda's Father
Joe Grifasi	...	Bandleader
Christopher Colombi Jr.	...	Wedding Man
Victoria Karnafel	...	Sad Looking Girl
Jack Scardino	...	Cold Old Man
Joe Strnad	...	Bingo Caller
Helen Tomko	...	Helen
Paul D'Amato	...	Sergeant
Dennis Watlington	...	Cab Driver
Charlene Darrow	...	Red Head
Jane-Colette Disko	...	Girl Checker
Michael Wollet	...	Stock Boy
Robert Beard	...	World War Veteran
Joe Dzizmba	...	World War Veteran
Father Stephen Kopestonsky	...	Priest
John F. Buchmelter III	...	Bar Patron
Frank Devore	...	Barman
Tom Becker	...	Doctor
Lynn Kongkham	...	Nurse
Nongnuj Timruang	...	Bar Girl
Po Pao Pee	...	Chinese Referee
Dale Burroughs	...	Embassy Guard
Parris Hicks	...	Sergeant
Samui Muang-Intata	...	Chinese Bodyguard
Sapox Colisium	...	Chinese Man
Vitoon Winwitoon	...	NVA Officer
Somsak Sengvilai	...	V.C. Referee
Charan Nusvanon	...	Chinese Boss
Jiam Gongtongsmoot	...	Chinese Man At Door
Chai Peyawan	...	South Vietnamese Prisoner
Mana Hansa	...	South Vietnamese Prisoner
Sombot Jumpanoi	...	South Vietnamese Prisoner
Phip Manee	...	Woman In Village
Ding Santos	...	V.C. Guard
Krieng Chaiyapuk	...	V.C. Guard
Ot Palapoo	...	V.C. Guard
Chok Chai Mahasoke	...	V.C. Guard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Cummings	...	US Embassy Guard (uncredited)
James Kall	...	Altar Boy (uncredited)
Tom Madden	...	Steelworker (uncredited)
Kurtwood Smith	...	POW in river cage (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Directed by
Michael Cimino

Writing credits
Michael Cimino		(story) &
Deric Washburn		(story) and
Louis Garfinkle		(story) &
Quinn K. Redeker		(story)
Deric Washburn		(screenplay)

Produced by
Joann Carelli	....	associate producer
Michael Cimino	....	produced by
Michael Deeley	....	produced by
John Peverall	....	produced by
Marion Rosenberg	....	associate producer
Barry Spikings	....	produced by

Original Music by
Stanley Myers		(music by)

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Zinner

Casting by
Cis Corman		(casting by)

Art Direction by
Ron Hobbs
Kim Swados

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	make-up
Edwin Butterworth	....	make-up (as Ed Butterworth)
Mary Keats	....	hair stylist
Dick Smith	....	special make-up: Thailand
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	special make-up: Thailand (as Daniel Striepeke)

Production Management
David Anderson	....	production supervisor: Thailand
Claude Binyon Jr.	....	production manager: USA
Ira Loonstein	....	unit production manager: Thailand
Bill Lukather	....	unit production manager: USA
Michael Orlando	....	production supervisor: Thailand
Elliot Schick	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Grillo	....	second assistant director (as Mike Grillo)
Charles Okun	....	assistant director
Chase Newhart	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Gus Basso	....	greensman
John Blezard	....	assistant: Ron Hobbs, Thailand
Ron Galloway	....	prop man: Thailand
Richard C. Goddard	....	set decorator: USA (as Dick Goddard)
Alan Hicks	....	set decorator: Thailand
Art Lipschultz	....	prop man: USA
Harold McConnell	....	leadman: Thailand
Bud Peifer Jr.	....	prop man: USA (as Bud Peifer)
George Stokes	....	construction coordinator: USA
James T. Woods	....	painter: Thailand (as Jimmy Woods)
Mickey Woods	....	construction coordinator: Thailand
Robert M. Anderson	....	property master: Thailand (uncredited)
Donald B. Nunley	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Donald L. Bolger	....	boom man (as Don Bolger)
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor
James Fritch	....	sound editor
Stephen Katz	....	consultant: Dolby (as Steve Katz)
James J. Klinger	....	supervising sound effects editor
C. Darin Knight	....	sound mixer (as Darrin Knight)
Bobbe Kurtz	....	looping editor
William L. McCaughey	....	re-recording mixer (as William McCaughey)
Richard Portman	....	re-recording mixer
Frank M. Reale	....	re-recording mixer (as Frank Reale)
Aaron Rochin	....	re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Fred Cramer	....	special effects
Gary Elmendorf	....	assistant special effects
Jay King	....	assistant special effects: Thailand
Bob Myers	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Ian Wingrove	....	pyro supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Max Balchowsky	....	stuntman
Jerry Brutsche	....	stuntman (as Jerry Bruthsche)
Howard Curtis	....	stuntman
Ted Duncan	....	stuntman
Bob Harris	....	stuntman
Carey Loftin	....	stunt coordinator: USA
Troy Melton	....	stuntman
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator: Thailand
Jack Verbois	....	stuntman
Chuck Waters	....	stuntman
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jay King	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Enrique Bravo	....	camera operator (as Ricky Bravo)
Greer Cavagnaro	....	still photographer: USA
Katrina Franken	....	still photographer: Thailand
Michael Gershman	....	assistant cameraman (as Mike Gershman)
Philip Jones Griffiths	....	special still photographer
Wynn Hammer	....	still photographer: USA
Daniel R. Jordan	....	grip (as Danny Jordan)
Keith Kelsay	....	assistant cameraman
Jack Kirk	....	electrician
Dieter Ludwig	....	still photographer: Thailand
Rick Martens	....	gaffer
Danny Marzolo	....	electrician
Nick McLean	....	camera operator
Robert Moore	....	key grip (as Bob Moore)
Fred Muncey	....	best boy electrician
Lou Noto	....	assistant cameraman
Fred Schuler	....	camera operator
Don Whipple	....	best boy grip
Larry Whitehead	....	electrician
Tim Ryan	....	dolly grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michael Denison	....	assistant: Cis Corman, Thailand
Beth Donohue	....	assistant: Cis Corman, Thailand

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sandy Berke Jordan	....	costumer: women (as Sandy Berke)
Laurie Riley	....	costumer: men
Eric Seelig	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Thomas K. Avildsen	....	assistant editor
Penelope Shaw	....	assistant editor
Florence Williamson	....	assistant editor (as Flo Williamson)

Music Department
Paul Craft	....	composer: "Drop-Kick Me"
Jody Emerson	....	composer: "Tattletale Eyes"
William Saracino	....	supervising music editor
John Williams	....	main title theme performed by

Transportation Department
Frank 'Cat' Ballou	....	transportation coordinator: USA
Arthur Dunne	....	transportation coordinator: Thailand (as Arthur Dunn)

Other crew
Barry Butler	....	production assistant: Thailand
Joann Carelli	....	production consultant
Eleanor Dawson	....	advisor: Vietnamese
Richard Dioguardi	....	technical advisor: military
Exa Durham	....	production secretary
Frank Ernst	....	location manager: Thailand
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title design
Michael Flynn	....	production assistant: Thailand (as Mike Flynn)
Patrick Gauvain	....	production assistant: Thailand
Ralph Naradini	....	marine engineer
Patty Nelson	....	secretary: Mr. Cimino
June Samson	....	script supervisor
Nanette Siegert	....	production coordinator
M.R. Boonyalak Sukawasdi	....	location manager: Thailand
Robert Werden	....	unit publicist (as Bob Werden)
David Hakim	....	publicity writer (uncredited)
Charles Hubbard	....	location manager: Thailand (uncredited)
Dominic Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)
Ruth Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)

Thanks
Hilary Brown	....	we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter', The ABC Evening News (as Hillary Brown)
Sherman Grinberg	....	we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter', The ABC Evening News
Father Stephen Kopestonsky	....	we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter', St. Theodosius Cathedral (as Reverend T. Stephen Kopestonsky)
Ken Kovach	....	we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter', Choir Director, St. Theodosius Cathedral
Michelle Kuhar	....	we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter', The Ohio Film Bureau
Tim Potts	....	we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter', The Office of Film Promotion, Pennsylvania Department of Commerce
Jay Rockefeller	....	we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter' (as Governor John D. Rockefeller III)
Mr. Thompson	....	we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter', liaison and technical advisor, Thailand

Production Companies

• EMI Films (presents) (as EMI)
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1979) (UK) (theatrical)
• Kinosto (1979) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Les Artistes Associés S.A.B. (1979) (France) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Cannon Screen Entertainment (198?) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Ekaterinburg Art Home Video (EAHV) (Russia) (VHS)
• Future Film (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Thailand) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lumiere Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1984) (Finland) (TV) (MTV1)
• Nelonen (1997) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1989) (Finland) (VHS)
• TV3 (1990) (Finland) (TV)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia
• Universal Films Española (Spain)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (2 disc edition)
• Warner Home Video
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2008) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Other Companies

• Choir and Congregation of St. Theodosius Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio, The  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'
• Citizens of Bangkok, The  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'
• Government of Thailand, The  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios  post-production sound (as MGM Studios)
• Pennsylvania Department of Commerce, The Office of Film Promotion  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'
• People of Mingo Junction, Ohio, The  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'
• People of the State of West Virginia, The  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'
• Royal Thai Police, The - Aviation Division  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'
• The Ohio Film Bureau  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'
• The United States Department of Interior, National Park Service  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter' (as North Cascades National Park, United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service)
• United States Steel  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter' (as United States Steel Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio)
• Veterans Administration Hospital, Cleveland, OH, The  we gratefully acknowledge: in the production of 'The Deer Hunter'

Also Known As:

The Man Who Came to Play (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

182 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Russian | Vietnamese | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:16+ (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Finland:K-15 (2001) | Finland:K-16 (1989) | Finland:K-18 (1979) | Brazil:18 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | Peru:18 | Argentina:18 (original rating) | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 (video rating) | New Zealand:R18 (DVD rating) | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R (PCA #25008) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

993 N. 7th Street, Steubenville, Ohio, USA

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

George Dzundza completely blows the toast line when the group arrives in the mountains the first time. His reaction is legitimate, and a few of the other actors can be seen laughing in response.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Linda goes to Mike and Nick’s trailer for the first time, the trailers hitch as well as the tail lights can be seen. The wires from the tail lights are seen running into the windows above the hitch. The tail lights should be on the rear while the hitch is on the front.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Michael: Hey, watch out, Axel. We'll be calling him old fireballs after tonight.
Axel: Fuckin' A.
Michael: Not bad.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies: 10th Anniversary Edition (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

MEMORY ETERNAL (VECHNAYA PAMYAT)

An unforgettable movie.

This is a movie with a touching story about friendship and most of all in shows the horror of the Vietnam war. This movie has some of the best acting performances I have seen,and I am of course talking about Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken. They really goes into their roles and creates a great atmosphere. This movie also contains one of the most famous scenes in movie history,the russian roulett scene.This scene is so intense and creepy to watch. One of the few great Vietnam movies ever.