The Deer Hunter

By apparent chance, Pennsylvania buddies Nick (Christopher Walken) and Stevie (John Savage) find Mike (Robert De Niro) after a nasty firefight in Viet Nam, whereupon they’re all captured, director Michael Cimino introducing the incendiary Russian roulette theme, in The Deer Hunter, 1978.

From director Michael Cimino’s much-praised Russian-Orthodox wedding sequence, shot in a Cleveland church, Christopher Walken and Meryl Streep in immediate support of John Savage and Rutanya Alda, Robert De Niro, John Cazale, George Dzundza et al attending, from The Deer Hunter, 1978.

Co-writer and director Michael Cimino perhaps forges his characters, Russian-American steel workers in Clairton, Pa., ca. 1967, Mike (Robert De Niro) Stevie (John Savage), Nick (Christopher Walken) headed for Viet Nam, sidekicks Stan (John Cazale) and Axel (Chuck Aspegren), opening The Deer Hunter, 1978.

Famous beery camaraderie from director Michael Cimino, the Four Seasons hit by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe, Mike and Nick (Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken) shooting pool, Stan (John Cazale) counseling bridegroom Stevie (John Savage), the wedding and Viet Nam looming, in The Deer Hunter, 1978.

After the wedding and before Viet Nam, Michael Cimino shooting his Pennsylvania steel-workers’ last hunting trip in the Washington Cascades, John Cazale as profane Stanley, Robert De Niro as Mike, Christopher Walken as conciliating Nick, with Chuck Aspegren, George Dzundza, in The Deer Hunter, 1979.

Three young factory workers are drafted and sent to Vietnam in The Deer Hunter (1978).