Deer Hunter

Video:
In a word, "The Deer Hunter" is stunning. The 2.35:1 1080p/VC-1 transfer shows that older catalog titles can be visually impressive. Nearing the tender age of thirty, "The Deer Hunter" dates back to 1978, but contained detail and color that surpassed many newer films that I have witnessed on either HD-DVD or Blu-ray. My standard definition DVD copy of "The Deer Hunter" is the original, bare-bones release that featured less than stellar visuals and I must say, this disc is far superior in visuals than that initial release. Granted, there are moments in the film that are populated with dated stock footage and these old war scenes look horrendous and out of place when compared to the rest of the film, but when the HD-DVD is spinning footage shot by Director of Photography Vilmos Zsigmond, it approaches breathtaking in its color reproduction and level of detail.

The earlier scenes when Robert De Niro is hunting among the mountains of Western Pennsylvania are absolutely gorgeous. Detail is superb and the colors are just as brilliant, properly contrasted and as saturated as what was shown in the very recent "Brokeback Mountain." Only the incredible visuals of "The Searchers" come to mind as a better high definition transfer for an older catalog title. Aside from that picture and the wonderful job done by Warner Bros., Universal´s efforts on "The Deer Hunter" easily takes the runner up spot for older catalog titles released on a high definition format. Black levels were also strong, shadow detail was excellent. The source materials used were surprisingly clean and aside from the fish-out-of-water looking stock footage segments, the picture was quite consistent. There are moments of film grain and I´d be lying if I didn´t see one or two minor flaws, but this 184 minute picture looked stunning on the HD-30 disc.

Sound:
Whereas the video quality of "The Deer Hunter" can turn heads with its color depth, three dimensional depth and cleanliness, the sound quality is not nearly as impressive. Though "The Deer Hunter" is presented with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 multi-channel surround, it is a remarkably uninspired sounding mix. Much of the problem lies in the film´s original sound mix and as you sit back and enjoy "The Deer Hunter," an impression of monaural sound is given (The films original 2 channel mono mix is also included on the disc). The vast majority of "The Deer Hunter" takes place only in the center channel. During the wedding celebration and the escape sequence, the left and right channels were lively, but aside from these moments, the soundtrack was contained mostly in the center channel. The gunshots from Robert De Niro´s hunting rifle are the loudest and most impressive sounds, but they never approach gunshots of most modern films. The sound is clean, and aside from not being able to fill a room with sound, there isn´t a lot to complain about. The source materials really are to blame and though it is not impressive, it is clear and clean in its sound.

Extras:
The HD-DVD release of "The Deer Hunter" is an upgrade over my original DVD version of the film, however the film has been re-released more recently and contains more supplements than those on this dual layer platter. An Audio Commentary with Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and Film Journalist Bob Fisher runs for the entire three-hour length of the picture and takes a hard look at the cinematography of the picture and a few notes on the overall production of the picture. At times, Bob Fisher seems to be interviewing Zsigmond and these moments are the more interesting, but there are long moments of silence and unless you are really interested in the deep technical details related to the filming of "The Deer Hunter," this is a commentary track best served skipped. Three Deleted and Extended Scenes are also included and run for a little more than ten minutes. Footage featuring Christopher Walken supplied more of a ´transitional´ moment than what was left in the picture, but for the most part, the deleted material was wisely removed from the lengthy film. The Theatrical Trailer is also included. I would have liked a documentary or something more than what was provided, and I did enjoy the extended scenes, but the value added content is not fitting for such a classic and highly regarded film.

Closing Thoughts:
It took some maturity and military service during the first Gulf War to truly appreciate the messages and themes of "The Deer Hunter." I initially was unimpressed with the film and felt it was boring and dull. Now that I´ve gotten older and wiser, I appreciate Michael Cimino´s vision and no longer look at the film as a shoddy way of making a film about Russian Roulette. The truth is, "The Deer Hunter" does a superb job of detailing how the Vietnam Conflict harshly affected the lives of those that fought during the war and those that waited for their return at home. I´m a Pennsylvanian and familiar with the types of towns detailed in the picture. I´m quite familiar with Rolling Rock beer and other daily aspects of their lives. I´ve known and still know people that closely mirror the characters of the film and know first-hand that Cimino has done justice to those that lived in circumstances similar to what is seen in "The Deer Hunter." The HD-DVD transfer features a visually stunning film that is amazing at times in its level of detail and coloring. Sound is quite tame and nowhere near the impressive nature of the visuals. I was happy to see a couple bits of extras on the disc, but didn´t find them particularly interesting or entertaining. Still, something is better than nothing. For anybody that loves this picture and has the ability to play HD-DVD, I don´t see a reason why they should not upgrade. Others may find a rewarding experience by picking this title up. It is a great film, with great visuals and a few extras to boot.

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