I think my favorite part of

[a1an]

The Deer Hunter is when Michael returns home from Vietnam, avoids the "welcome home" party planned for him, and then drops in on Linda, a gal he has liked but who is pledged to his best friend, who is still in Vietnam

Comments

[raistlinbrown]

Did you know that Meryl and John Cazale were engaged in real life? He was in several iconic roles in the 70s, and then he died of bone cancer at 42. She married someone else that same year and has four kids, but she still speaks fondly of him and considers him a great love of her life. From the IMDB...

His final film, The Deer Hunter (1978), was filmed whilst he was ill with cancer. He met his co-star, Meryl Streep, whilst filming The Deer Hunter (1978) and they became engaged.

Controversy occurred during the filming. While the studio was unaware of his condition, the director, Michael Cimino, knew about it. As Cazale was evidently weak, he was forced to film his scenes first. When the studio discovered he was suffering from bone cancer, they wanted him removed from the film. His co-star and fianceé, Meryl Streep, threatened to quit if he was fired. He died shortly after filming was completed.

[a1an]

thanks for the info

[raistlinbrown]

Yeah, he was pigeonholed as something of a bumbling, subservient second fiddle in his few roles (Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather, The Conversation), but he played that role very well. Fredo isn't going to be anyone's favorite character, but without Cazale's masterful pathetic desperation, the tale would be substantially weakened and Al Pacino's Michael wouldn't be nearly the tragic figure that he is. With those three films and The Deer Hunter on his resume, one could argue that Cazale came as close any actor has to having a spotless resume in terms of critical appreciation.

Yeah, Meryl only had one film credit and a couple television credits prior - it's been a while since I saw Deer Hunter...don't the credits list her as "introducing"? I don't go out of my way to see most of Meryl's movies; her choices aren't movies that are usually my taste. But I am always impressed with her as an actress. I thought she was great in Adaptation, and I enjoyed her in Prairie Home Companion and Manhattan. And Sophie's Choice...wow, that's just

[a1an]

yeah, your last paragraph, I was gonna say the sad tale carries some resonance with me also

nope, just watched it (2x) this weekend the credits just say "Meryl Streep", listed about fifth or sixth. I think she is higher than the non- actor who plays Axel (a guy De Niro met while haunting local bars in the still mill community)

but at the end when they review the main characters, each with a still from the movie, she is shown EDIT: second to last (right before De Niro)/EDIT

what do you think about the "god bless america" ending? Dont recall how it struck me the first time, but since then Ive always found it rather corny: on the audio commentary, the cinematographer mentions when he saw that in the script he thought it was going to be very corny (and sort of a sappy ending to a magnificent movie), he tried to talk the director out of it. He says, however, as they filmed that part, although he thought he might break out laughing, he and most the crew were in tears.

Forgot Cazale was in The conversation.

[miloseva]

Out of Africa is probably the most diabolical of cinematic torture.

[a1an]

Ive never really known miuch about the Kmer Rouge and the Cambodia, and its relation to Vietnam, if it came after of at the same time - but as the film makes clear, it was terrible.