Memorial Day– commemoration of sorts

Each person has events planned for the Memorial Day weekend. These may include parades, barbecues, and/or parties. On the most basic level, Americans, should honor the fallen soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for this country.

I myself have a commemoration of sorts, each year, I watch one of my favorite movies of all time, "The Deer Hunter." I have probably seen this movie, about a dozen times. Each time, I have learned something new. I have seen documentaries, interviews, and this movie with commentary from the actors and filmmakers. In short, I consider myself an aficionado, of sorts, about this movie, but in the typical obsessive/compulsive manner I live, I am open to learn more.

I once asked a friend of mine, and a true movie fan, whose knowledge of movies easily trumps mine, whether he had seen the movie in the theaters? He indicated that he had, but has not seen it since. When I asked him, why he has not seen it since? After acknowledging that it was a solid movie, he stated, "why would I want to go through posttraumatic stress again?"

I remember seeing a tribute to Robert DeNiro, where they showed a clip of his famous films, and conducted an interview with him, after each movie. He has so many movies that are fantastic and he commented on each one. When Deer Hunter was discussed, it moved him to tears. He did not say much other than that. I know the movie won an Academy award for: best picture, best director, best supporting actor, but it was a travesty that he did not win for best actor.

Various tidbits from this movie:
1) Christopher Walken – was terrified shooting scenes in the streets in Vietnam.
*I think it was his best role to date, coincidentally, it was his first major role, as far as I am concerned, he should have retired after this film. I think every film he has made, and his "weirdness," is a derivation from this film.
2) Robert De Niro wanted to use more live bullets in the chamber, in the last, "Russian Roulette" scene.
3) Barbara Streisand starred in the film "Coming Home," which was a pretty good movie, but she said she had never heard of the Deer Hunter.

One from the road, "I could be happy, for the rest of my life, with the…"
Jimmy