The Deerhunter

We went to see The Deerhunter on the big screen tonight. It premiered in 1978, and had a big impact on me, then, along with Bertolucci’s 1900. They both seemed to combine with my deep unhappiness studying law to take me to a darker place than I have inhabited either before or since, with all their uncomfortable insights into the human condition.

For film buffs, one interesting fact is that the emblematic Cavatina theme by John Williams is played only a very few times in the three hour film. Each time completely, and the action in the space of its duration is particularly important. The first note and the last note are edited with the visuals to sharply encapsulate a key passage.

More than anything, on the upside, the film illustrated brotherly love and what we should be prepared to do for our very dearest friends.

The film has stood the test of time, 46 years since I last saw it on the big screen, with brilliant acting and scene setting.