Apocalypse Now vs. The Deer Hunter

rautry2

Senior
Jan 3, 2017
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Two Vietnam cinema masterpieces I just recently watched again, and wanted to see which one you guys prefer. The Deer Hunter just feels so much more personal, and IMO better acting. Apocalypse Now is an epic spectacle with some of the best war scenes ever made. Love them both, but I'd go with 'one shot'. It's also my favorite De Niro film.
 

Ineverplayedthegame

All-Conference
Aug 12, 2005
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I have no personal experience to know which movie offers a more realistic interpretation.
For me, along with listening to the Doors really loudly, Apocalypse Now offers one the more reliable ways to achieve an acid flashback.
 

starchief

Heisman
Feb 18, 2005
10,137
43,981
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I watch AN in its entirety. I skip to the arrival in Vietnam in Deer Hunter. I've watched both 3-4 times.
 

CAT Scratch FVR

All-Conference
Sep 4, 2004
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Deer Hunter was almost two movies. The war's impact on blue collar, small town, ethnic, America was what impacted me. Depressing, yep.

Apocalypse Now is a movie I keep going back to and finding things I missed earlier.
 

DSmith21

Heisman
Mar 27, 2012
8,297
13,024
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Close call. Apocalypse was better spectacle/score. Deer Hunter better story and acting.

The tie breaker goes to Deer Hunter because it had two Corleone's (Young Vito & Fredo) vs. one and a half for Apocalypse (Old Vito & adopted Tom Hagen). You never go against the family.
 
May 9, 2002
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Deer Hunter was almost two movies. The war's impact on blue collar, small town, ethnic, America was what impacted me. Depressing, yep.

Apocalypse Now is a movie I keep going back to and finding things I missed earlier.

That is what I liked the best about Deer Hunter. It actually had no real battle scenes unless you count the Russian roulette scene in the POW camp. The impact on the blue collar characters was what made the movie.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
38,075
59,391
113
Dead Presidents fan myself. Pretty similar to DH. Part of it was the war, part was the affect on the African American blue collar community.

..and you get a bad *** bank robbery scene.
 

Kaizer Sosay

Heisman
Nov 29, 2007
25,706
30,736
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Both great flicks but despite the common thread (Vietnam War) I don't consider them to be in the same category. Deer Hunter is awesome but AN is the movie that I watch more often. If it is on when I am surfing then I stop and watch it...no matter where it is in the story. Can't say the same about DH.
 

rautry2

Senior
Jan 3, 2017
843
424
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Both great flicks but despite the common thread (Vietnam War) I don't consider them to be in the same category. Deer Hunter is awesome but AN is the movie that I watch more often. If it is on when I am surfing then I stop and watch it...no matter where it is in the story. Can't say the same about DH.
AN is considered one of the most iconic movies of all time by most people, including me. AN is visually breathtaking, but if we're talking iconic scenes I'd give the edge to DH with the two roulette scenes. The only scene in AN that comes close is the transition of power scene at the end with the famous quote, "the horror".
 

Catman100

Heisman
Jan 3, 2003
6,899
10,145
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The Russian roulette scene in DH is some of the most intense stuff I have ever seen. With that said, AN is a more enjoyable movie to watch IMO. The Duvall attacking the village scene is great film making.
 

USSLair

All-American
Apr 9, 2017
4,489
6,957
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Apocalypse now for me. Have no experience with the war being I wasn't alive yet. But I love deer hunting too, just the opening dam wedding stuff takes so dam long.

I'll take Platoon over both to be honest.
 

812scottj

All-Conference
Apr 24, 2014
1,888
3,748
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Wedding scene way too long...I nominate Full Metal Jacket as the best Vietnam War movie. Platoon is a good one as well