I watched the The Deer Hunter for the first time tonight. I’ve had it Tivo’d for months now, but for whatever reason I decided that I had to see it tonight. I walked in the door, immediately turned it on, and watched all 3 hours of it. I paused only briefly to make myself a sandwich.

I may have been inspired y an interview on NPR that I was listening to on the way home. Scorcese’s editor for every film he’s ever done, beginning with Raging Bull, was on, describing her experiences working with one of the world’s most accomplished director’s. The Deer Hunter has nothing to do with Scorcese of course, but Bobby D does and it was just one of those nights. If I had it on DVD instead of tape, I would have watched Goodfellas straight through right after.
At any rate, excellent movie. It made me wonder what my Dad went through in Vietnam, and about what he might have seen. It made me wonder about what the troops in Iraq might be seeing even as I type this, and how many private scenes are playing out all over America like the last 10 minutes of The Deer Hunter.

And yes, I sang along with God Bless America and toasted Nick along with the rest of them… because Christoper Walken was every soldier who didn’t want to see what he saw but did anyway and ended up empty inside. That is why Christopher Walken is one good fucking actor, and that is why Christopher Walken deserves all the cowbell he wants.

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