MGB Blog 10

The Deer Hunter was a film that had a different tone than others we have watched relating to the Vietnam War. We have watched films that are anti- war but in a way that focuses on the combat itself. Thus movie had different components that left the impression on an anti- war film while focusing on the before and after effects of war. The films first hour is critical to the message of the film as is sets up a comparison of the before and after negative effects.
The first hour of the film sets up an innocent atmosphere of young men, recently recruited to go to war. They seem to not comprehend the full effects of this event, and instead celebrate their last times together. The men have other things on their mind. Like getting married, careers, friendship and family. They do not understand how unattainable or how undesirable these things can become after the war. The men are confused and upset when they run into a Vietnam Vet at the bar who responds harshly to their questions about his experiences overseas. We can now understand why the man would react this way after the other literary works we have analyzed. However, the boys were taken aback, as is was over their head. That conversation was a foreshadowing of the things those boys would experience and the negative impact it would have on them.
In the first part of the film, prior to combat, is a scene where the young me go deer hunting. It is a tradition as well as a symbolic rite of passage into manhood. It is also interesting because the men seem to believe that war is similar to hunting, that shooting a gun is just shooting a gun. However, this is not the way that they will come to realize it is. Michael is the only man of the group who is successful in killing a deer. He says. “a deer has to be taken with one shot”. This statement and even show his skill. They also mark him as the survivor of the group for the rest of the film.
What is shown while the men are at war is not that different than the other things we have already seen on other related literary works. What was different was how this movie showed the after effects of the war. The men were not able to adjust to life back home. They were like Willard in Apocalypse Now, unable to stay at home but unable to go back to war. These men are misplaced people of society. They feel no welcome even when family and friends throw them a coming home party.
Because the before and after effects that war has are the message of this film, it is an ant war film. Seeing the negative impact the horrors of war has on the young men is meant to convince the audience of the hardship of war, physically and emotionally.