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He was a young steelworker from a sad little hill town in Pennsylvania. Nothing had prepared him for war in the jungles of Asia ... nothing except the hellish heat of the blast furnaces ... gut-searing boilermakers ... the trailer life ... and the strenghth of his passion for hunting the great deer of the Alleghenies. The deer hunter was young, but he had steady nerves, the grace of a cat, and the high mountain passes in his heart. He would need all of them to survive.
170 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 21, 2025
I think this is both an underrated movie and book. The plot follows a group of friends and the trauma of war that links them all together. These men, like many Vietnam veterans, served their country and returned with combat-related psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.
After an engagement with enemy forces, the group are taken prisoner by Viet Cong. To the guards amusement, the group is forced to play a game of Russian roulette. This was a very gripping part in both the book and the movie.
They eventually escape, float down river, and regain contact with American forces. They move on, rotate back to America, but things are not the same for any of them. The characters all suffer from psychological trauma and deal with it in their own ways.
The characters in the book were well-written and developed. Mike (Robert De Niro's character) was the strong one, the true Deer Hunter. Stevie (John Savage's character) was the physically weak and fragile one. And Nicky (Christopher Walken's character) was the vulnerable one, being unable to mentally process the extreme duress and ultimately becoming the 'casualty of war.'
For me the book was more captivating than the movie and I enjoyed it. The story speaks to all service members who have served in armed conflict and come home to fight another war. I would recommend this book. Thanks!
After an engagement with enemy forces, the group are taken prisoner by Viet Cong. To the guards amusement, the group is forced to play a game of Russian roulette. This was a very gripping part in both the book and the movie.
They eventually escape, float down river, and regain contact with American forces. They move on, rotate back to America, but things are not the same for any of them. The characters all suffer from psychological trauma and deal with it in their own ways.
The characters in the book were well-written and developed. Mike (Robert De Niro's character) was the strong one, the true Deer Hunter. Stevie (John Savage's character) was the physically weak and fragile one. And Nicky (Christopher Walken's character) was the vulnerable one, being unable to mentally process the extreme duress and ultimately becoming the 'casualty of war.'
For me the book was more captivating than the movie and I enjoyed it. The story speaks to all service members who have served in armed conflict and come home to fight another war. I would recommend this book. Thanks!
July 3, 2022
صائد الغزلان
*الغايات اهم من الاحتياجات *
فالغزالة كثيرا ما تسبق الاسد لانه يجري لاجل الطعام؛ اما الغزالة فتجري لاجل :حياتها} و لكن يظل
العنف العشوائي هو ما يعيد تقييمك للحياة باكملها
كل الأفلام العظيمة عن الحرب هي ضد الحرب، لأن الصدق في تصوير الحرب يجعل المرء يرى جنونها” و صائد الغزلان من افلام السبعينات الحربية
صداقة تجمع ثلاثة من أبناء المهاجرين الروس من عمال الصلب في ولاية بنسلفانيا الأمريكية، يتم تجنيدهم، ويذهبون الى الحرب في فيتنام، حيث يقعون في أسر قوات الفيت كونغ الشيوعية، ويتعرضون للتعذيب بلعبة الروليت الروسية
حيث يرغم جنود الفيت كونغ الأسرى الغربيين الثلاثة على تصويب مسدس محشو برصاصة واحدة الى رءوسهم، والضغط على الزناد، فربما تصيبه الرصاصة أو لا تنطلق أصلاَ، مع كل ما يسببه هذا من دمار نفسي طويل المدي
*الغايات اهم من الاحتياجات *
فالغزالة كثيرا ما تسبق الاسد لانه يجري لاجل الطعام؛ اما الغزالة فتجري لاجل :حياتها} و لكن يظل
العنف العشوائي هو ما يعيد تقييمك للحياة باكملها
كل الأفلام العظيمة عن الحرب هي ضد الحرب، لأن الصدق في تصوير الحرب يجعل المرء يرى جنونها” و صائد الغزلان من افلام السبعينات الحربية
صداقة تجمع ثلاثة من أبناء المهاجرين الروس من عمال الصلب في ولاية بنسلفانيا الأمريكية، يتم تجنيدهم، ويذهبون الى الحرب في فيتنام، حيث يقعون في أسر قوات الفيت كونغ الشيوعية، ويتعرضون للتعذيب بلعبة الروليت الروسية
حيث يرغم جنود الفيت كونغ الأسرى الغربيين الثلاثة على تصويب مسدس محشو برصاصة واحدة الى رءوسهم، والضغط على الزناد، فربما تصيبه الرصاصة أو لا تنطلق أصلاَ، مع كل ما يسببه هذا من دمار نفسي طويل المدي
July 9, 2021
A bunch of young mates working in a steel mill will have one last hunting trip before some of them go away to Vietnam and serve their country. They will be captured and play a game of Russian roulette, their minds will be close to insanity and an ingenius way of using the pistol will result in escaping the POW camp. There is so much trauma and Mike will do anything to save his mate Nick who is now completely lost in this heinous underground gambling establishment that preys on Nick's stress and lack of caring for his own life. Deeply sad and emotional.
December 10, 2013
I read a few chapters before I realised this was a 'novelisation', which went some way to explaining the 'The brown-haired man looked at the cup' vibe I was getting. And why was I reading a novelisation of The Deer Hunter? Well, I couldn't find my main book and it was lying nearby...
I may have given it two stars but let me tell you it was a blessed relief to dip into this after struggling through Billy Budd for a week or two.
I may have given it two stars but let me tell you it was a blessed relief to dip into this after struggling through Billy Budd for a week or two.
September 9, 2021
An emotional read
September 1, 2018
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3080793.html
I saw the Oscar-winning film when I was a teenager, and was somewhat confused by it, knowing a bit about the Vietnam war but much less about the blue-collar culture which turns out to be the main theme of the story. It's a very effective film, in sound and vision, and some of it has lingered with me for three decades. It will be some time before I reach it in my current viewing sequence, however. The novelisation is a poor substitute, reminiscent of the least energetic Doctor Who novelisations; it feels like a direct transcription from the screenplay, with very limited authorial insight into the thinking or experiences of the characters. I guess that back in the ancient days of the late 1970s, before there were easily available video tapes, this was the most accessible way for fans of the film to re-experience it.
I saw the Oscar-winning film when I was a teenager, and was somewhat confused by it, knowing a bit about the Vietnam war but much less about the blue-collar culture which turns out to be the main theme of the story. It's a very effective film, in sound and vision, and some of it has lingered with me for three decades. It will be some time before I reach it in my current viewing sequence, however. The novelisation is a poor substitute, reminiscent of the least energetic Doctor Who novelisations; it feels like a direct transcription from the screenplay, with very limited authorial insight into the thinking or experiences of the characters. I guess that back in the ancient days of the late 1970s, before there were easily available video tapes, this was the most accessible way for fans of the film to re-experience it.
January 29, 2013
I don't remember how many times I have already watched this movie The Deer Hunter (1978).
An in-depth examination of the way that the Vietnam war affects the lives of people in a small industrial town in the USA.
Cast:
Robert De Niro as. Michael
John Cazale as Stan
John Savage as Steven
Christopher Walken as Nick
Meryl Streep as Linda
George Dzundza as John
An in-depth examination of the way that the Vietnam war affects the lives of people in a small industrial town in the USA.
Cast:
Robert De Niro as. Michael
John Cazale as Stan
John Savage as Steven
Christopher Walken as Nick
Meryl Streep as Linda
George Dzundza as John
March 10, 2019
One of the first times I've ever felt the book was lesser than it's cinematic counterpart. But then, it's also one of the first times I've known a book to be based on the screenplay of a (then) newly released film.
Everything felt flat, forced, and faux. That being said, I feel it was still a good try, but I just plainly did not enjoy it as I did the film.
Everything felt flat, forced, and faux. That being said, I feel it was still a good try, but I just plainly did not enjoy it as I did the film.
Want to read
November 8, 2023So awesome, yet so underrated it needs attention!
The Deer Hunter received mostly positive reviews from critics and audiences. It currently holds a 94% "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average of 8.6 out of 10 and a critic consensus that reads " Its greatness is blunted by its length and one-sided point of view, but the film's weaknesses are overpowered by Michael Cimino's sympathetic direction and a series of heartbreaking performances from Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken." Film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert both awarded the film a four out of four stars and both named it as the third best film in the 10 best films of the 1970s. Gene stated in his review "Is it as good as its advance word and nine Academy Award nominations suggest? Yes." Roger Ebert described it as "a heartbreakingly effective fictional machine that evokes the agony of the Vietnam time." Leonard Maltin also awarded the film a four stars and described it as "sensitive, painful, evocative work." The film was placed in the National Film Registry in 1996.
Awards and nominations
The Deer Hunter won five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director for Michael Cimino and Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken.
The Deer Hunter is a 1978 war drama film starring Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken and John Savage. The story for the film was written by the late Michael Cimino (who also produced and directed the film), Deric Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, and Quinn K. Redeker.
Pennsylvania steelworkers and longtime friends Michael "Mike" Vronsky and Nikanor "Nick" Chevotarevich put their blue-collar life on hold, go through military training and prepare for combat in Vietnam.
Well written story about the Vietnam War and how it really affects people.
The acting is well done.
The fight scenes are well choreographed.
Well composed music.
Nick and Michael have excellent chemistry.
The cinematography is beyond excellent and breathtaking.
The pacing is very good.
This film was Meryl Streep's first-ever Academy Award nomination; she would go on to be the most-nominated actress in history.
The wedding scenes are nice to look at.
A deer has to be taken with one shot. I try to tell people that, but they don't listen.
Bad Qualities
Michael Cimino's portrayal of the North Vietnamese was offensive and stereotypical.
The Russian Roulette scene was offensive as well.
The runtime is a bit too long at 183 minutes (3 hours and 3 minutes).
The wedding scenes can go on for a bit too long.
The Deer Hunter received mostly positive reviews from critics and audiences. It currently holds a 94% "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average of 8.6 out of 10 and a critic consensus that reads " Its greatness is blunted by its length and one-sided point of view, but the film's weaknesses are overpowered by Michael Cimino's sympathetic direction and a series of heartbreaking performances from Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken." Film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert both awarded the film a four out of four stars and both named it as the third best film in the 10 best films of the 1970s. Gene stated in his review "Is it as good as its advance word and nine Academy Award nominations suggest? Yes." Roger Ebert described it as "a heartbreakingly effective fictional machine that evokes the agony of the Vietnam time." Leonard Maltin also awarded the film a four stars and described it as "sensitive, painful, evocative work." The film was placed in the National Film Registry in 1996.
Awards and nominations
The Deer Hunter won five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director for Michael Cimino and Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken.
The Deer Hunter is a 1978 war drama film starring Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken and John Savage. The story for the film was written by the late Michael Cimino (who also produced and directed the film), Deric Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, and Quinn K. Redeker.
Pennsylvania steelworkers and longtime friends Michael "Mike" Vronsky and Nikanor "Nick" Chevotarevich put their blue-collar life on hold, go through military training and prepare for combat in Vietnam.
Well written story about the Vietnam War and how it really affects people.
The acting is well done.
The fight scenes are well choreographed.
Well composed music.
Nick and Michael have excellent chemistry.
The cinematography is beyond excellent and breathtaking.
The pacing is very good.
This film was Meryl Streep's first-ever Academy Award nomination; she would go on to be the most-nominated actress in history.
The wedding scenes are nice to look at.
A deer has to be taken with one shot. I try to tell people that, but they don't listen.
Bad Qualities
Michael Cimino's portrayal of the North Vietnamese was offensive and stereotypical.
The Russian Roulette scene was offensive as well.
The runtime is a bit too long at 183 minutes (3 hours and 3 minutes).
The wedding scenes can go on for a bit too long.
October 8, 2019
I can't think of a single reason to prefer this over the movie version, yet prefer it I do. Maybe it's because the book is a bit breezier, or maybe I'm just not much of a Robert DeNiro fan.
Anyhow, it's a very workmanlike novelization considering the movie went on to win Best Picture. Author E.M. Corder (a pseudonym for Jerrold Mundis) makes no attempt to dig deeper into the psychological hangups of these characters, and one senses he penned this under a tight deadline. (Heck, even the proofreading is sloppy.) Apart from a handful of beautifully written descriptive paragraphs, it mostly comes across as a hastily fleshed-out screenplay. Even still, it's a thoroughly engrossing read. But, man, I would've loved to see him really bite into the meat of this story and give it a good chewing over, as opposed to simply nibbling around the edges. A little more research would've been nice, too, since certain scenes involving deer hunting in the Allegheny Mountains and fighting in the jungles of Vietnam don't strike me as 100% convincing.
But for what it is, THE DEER HUNTER is a perfectly acceptable novelization for those of us who don't consider the movie an unassailable masterpiece. If you're a fan of the movie, then I see no reason to bother with this. If, like me, you watched it on VHS twenty years ago and then mostly forgot about it, the book offers a nice alternate way in which to re-experience it.
Anyhow, it's a very workmanlike novelization considering the movie went on to win Best Picture. Author E.M. Corder (a pseudonym for Jerrold Mundis) makes no attempt to dig deeper into the psychological hangups of these characters, and one senses he penned this under a tight deadline. (Heck, even the proofreading is sloppy.) Apart from a handful of beautifully written descriptive paragraphs, it mostly comes across as a hastily fleshed-out screenplay. Even still, it's a thoroughly engrossing read. But, man, I would've loved to see him really bite into the meat of this story and give it a good chewing over, as opposed to simply nibbling around the edges. A little more research would've been nice, too, since certain scenes involving deer hunting in the Allegheny Mountains and fighting in the jungles of Vietnam don't strike me as 100% convincing.
But for what it is, THE DEER HUNTER is a perfectly acceptable novelization for those of us who don't consider the movie an unassailable masterpiece. If you're a fan of the movie, then I see no reason to bother with this. If, like me, you watched it on VHS twenty years ago and then mostly forgot about it, the book offers a nice alternate way in which to re-experience it.
December 4, 2020
I presume that people read novelizations after seeing the movie, but I have not. That might have prevented any spoilers (the end is unexpected indeed), but it did feel like the writer wrote this book as a support to the movie, and not as a stand alone story. The characters did not feel very developed, their actions barely interpreted (the connection with hunting and Vietnam), and there seemed to be gaps into the storyline overall. The Russian roulette scenes were exciting and well described, but without the context, it lost most of its impact. Would not recommend to read.
Want to read
January 15, 2025The deer Hunter is gebaseerd op de gelijknamige film die de Oscar won voor beste film in 1978. Persoonlijk vond ik het ook een goede film. Ik wist niet dat er er een boek bestond. Het verhaal volgt drie jongeren die naar Vietnam vertrekken maar worden krijgsgevangen in een vietcong kamp. Het verhaal van de film gaf heel goed weer hoe geweld een persoon kan veranderen. In het begin waren ze jonge knapen zonder zorgen en op het einde gebroken mannen. Een verhaal over onvoorwaardelijke vriendschap. De film was pakkend en mooi. Hopelijk voel ik dezelfde emoties in het boek.
February 27, 2018
to be honest, i read the screenplay by michael cimino and not this novel. but it was the closest i could find here on GR. the screenplay is very descriptive almost like a novel itself. one of the best screenplays around.
March 14, 2019
A quick, crafty and fun read. A little bit confusing at some parts but worth the time
January 16, 2020
I found this interesting mostly because I'm from the same area (southwestern PA).
November 3, 2023
A real masterpiece!
November 15, 2023
you can never go home again!
July 13, 2024
Excellent fleshing-out of the setting and action; very sparse on the emotion and characters.
May 7, 2025
This book will stay with me.
February 9, 2017
(ENGLISH REC BELOW SPANISH ONE)
Duro relato de la guerra pero que afortunadamente no se centra en exceso en los detalles más sórdidos y cruentos, aunque es totalmente realista. Me ha gustado, aunque me esperaba que la parte de la guerra propiamente dicha durara más. Sin embargo, fue una buena sorpresa que la mayor parte del libro se centrara en la personalidad de Mike y su relación con Nick y Steven.
***
A really hard book about the horrors of the war, but thankfully they're less described than I expected, even if the book is still extremely realistic. I liked it, even if I had expected the war chapter was longer. However, I loved that most of the book was focused on Mike and his friendship with Nick and Steven.
Duro relato de la guerra pero que afortunadamente no se centra en exceso en los detalles más sórdidos y cruentos, aunque es totalmente realista. Me ha gustado, aunque me esperaba que la parte de la guerra propiamente dicha durara más. Sin embargo, fue una buena sorpresa que la mayor parte del libro se centrara en la personalidad de Mike y su relación con Nick y Steven.
***
A really hard book about the horrors of the war, but thankfully they're less described than I expected, even if the book is still extremely realistic. I liked it, even if I had expected the war chapter was longer. However, I loved that most of the book was focused on Mike and his friendship with Nick and Steven.
June 18, 2016
القصة هي تقريبا تجسيد عكسي لفيلم رامبو .. لبيان زيف ما أخرجه تيد كوتشيف في فيلمه .. الرجل الخارق الذي يَقْتُلُ ولا يُقتَلُ
المهم ينقلنا "جيرولد مانديس " إلى منتهى العذاب والمأساة والفاجعة والحزن حيث إستطاع أن يصور مدى الضرر العقلي المعنوي والجسدي الذي خلّفته الحرب الفيتنامية
التحفة تحكي قصة ثلاثة شباب أمريكيين يعملون في مجال الصلب إنتقلوا إلى الخدمة العسكرية حين إندلعت الحرب الفيتنامية
تم إصدار فيلم للقصة بنفس العنوان من إخراج 'مايكل كيمينو' وجعله 'ديريك واشبورن' نصا سينمائيا
بطولة : روبرت دي نيرو و الجميلة ميريل ستريب وجون كازالي وجون سافاج وكريستوفر واكن
حاز على خمسة جوائز أوسكار لأفضل فيلم, أفضل إخراج, أفضل ممثل بدور مساعد " لكريستوفر واكن " وأفضل مونتاج وأفضل تأثيرات سمعية
المهم ينقلنا "جيرولد مانديس " إلى منتهى العذاب والمأساة والفاجعة والحزن حيث إستطاع أن يصور مدى الضرر العقلي المعنوي والجسدي الذي خلّفته الحرب الفيتنامية
التحفة تحكي قصة ثلاثة شباب أمريكيين يعملون في مجال الصلب إنتقلوا إلى الخدمة العسكرية حين إندلعت الحرب الفيتنامية
تم إصدار فيلم للقصة بنفس العنوان من إخراج 'مايكل كيمينو' وجعله 'ديريك واشبورن' نصا سينمائيا
بطولة : روبرت دي نيرو و الجميلة ميريل ستريب وجون كازالي وجون سافاج وكريستوفر واكن
حاز على خمسة جوائز أوسكار لأفضل فيلم, أفضل إخراج, أفضل ممثل بدور مساعد " لكريستوفر واكن " وأفضل مونتاج وأفضل تأثيرات سمعية
July 23, 2013
Book of the bloody film. I'm there thinking it's interestingly minimalist and surprisingly cinematic and trying to work out whether it's a clever choice or just lazy writing. Meh. I must watch the film again.
October 23, 2016
Great story that takes readers into the lives of those who go to war and what the consequences are mentally and physically. The author does a great job catching the emotional roller coaster ride of war and life before and after.
May 13, 2015
Disturbing book about war and politics and Vietnam and comradeship, especially to young man who had missed being drafted to Vietnam by a hair.
April 10, 2016
not copied from shefari
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews