First, the understanding of the movie is a very subjective feeling, everyone can have their own views due to different growing environments, but the general direction should not be much different, Douban film reviews are so poor. I had to write something
Second, there are two movies that have a great influence on me, namely "Once Upon a Time in America" and "Deer Hunter", "Once Upon a Time in America" has been interpreted in detail in the @ fast food movie of Station B, which is great! I have not found a detailed interpretation of the deer hunter
body
The first scene
Steven and Angela's wedding features friends such as Nick, Michael, Linda, Stanley, and Asso. Steven married his friend Angela before enlisting in the army for the sake of his friend's honor, which led directly to the beginning of their tragedy, Michael and Nick fell in love with Linda at the same time, but Linda fell in love with Nick and agreed to Nick's marriage proposal. This also means the beginning of a tragedy. Of all the characters, Linda's family background is only revealed, an alcoholic father, which provides a cushion for Linda's later emotional choices. Some people think that this preparation is too long, I think it is its charm, all the character background is clear, in order to provide impetus for the subsequent plot development. The opening of the wedding and the funeral behind echo, how beautiful life is, how cruel the reality is.
wedding
The second scene
A few friends go hunting (deer) is a further portrayal of the relationship between several people, from the dialogue we can see that the relationship between several people is not so close, they are friends but somewhat unappropriated. Michael and Nick have the best relationship, Michael is very capable, and successfully shoots a deer. Nick is more affectionate among his friends. The different performances of the two directly led to the difference in the fate of the two. This scene has beautiful scenery and beautiful music, which is extremely rare in the movie world!
hunt
The third scene
Michael, Nick, and Steven escaped after being captured in the Vietnam War, mainly in the cruelty of the war. One thing to note is that when Steven was frightened and screamed, Nick also called out to Michael, hoping for his comfort, but Michael did not pay attention, which may be the beginning of Nick's inner collapse, in addition, when Michael asked Nick to join forces to kill the defenders, he was already planning to give up Steven, and probably gave up Nick, because this escape faced a great accident, and the probability of escape was too small. Fortunately, he managed to escape, but after experiencing death and being saved by his companions, Nick has changed
Vietnam War
Fourth Scene (Emphasis)
Everything in front is to pave the way for the characters to behave after leaving the battlefield. Let's start with Nick, who survived in a nursing home but was discriminated against by the prosecutors, and the extreme interrogation was like a tool to the soldiers. After the nursing home came out, he had thought about calling Linda, but it did not connect, not that he gave up Onda, but that he knew that Linda must be waiting for him, but he became a person who had just been captured on the battlefield and saved by Michael, and could not meet Linda's expectations for him. You can only hide this love in your heart. He wanted to indulge himself like any other American soldier, but he was Catholic and full of love in his heart, and he could not cross his own defenses until he met the wheel of death. When he first came into contact with the wheel of death, his defensive line worked again, prompting him to escape successfully, but could not hold back the treacherous businessmen's cajoling and the famine of the wallet (the prostitutes did not pay, haha). In the meantime, he had a relationship with Michael, and we will say that Michael, who had built a feat on the battlefield and made a fortune in the casino of the Wheel of Death, made his home full of confidence and a little overwhelmed. Facing Linda, whom he likes, Nick is an impenetrable wall. After learning the news of the survival of his friend Steven, he recalled the memories of his former friends. When Linda asked to live with him, Michael was apprehensive, on the one hand, he didn't expect Linda to be so proactive, on the other hand, after that one-sided affair, Michael knew that Nick had survived but did not bring him back. "Wife-snatching" is not allowed in Catholic dogma, so he refused. Hunting again allowed him to break down his inner defenses. Agreed to Linda's request. When he intended to replace Nick's reassuring life, he learned from Steve that Nick had been thinking about his friends and providing financial support for Steve. In contrast to the heavy love and the thin feelings, he chooses to save Nick again. In stark contrast to Michael's inner struggles and previous decisiveness, great art really doesn't know what to say. So I'm talking about Linda, Linda was in love with Nick before he met Michael again, just like her family background, she suffered when she didn't have Nick, and when Nick didn't get news for many years, and when He came back with a rich and powerful Michael, she naturally chose Michael. Steve was reluctant to go home on the one hand without meritorious disability, and on the other hand Angela and the other person's child
Postwar
The fifth scene
Why was Nick bent on dying? Nick was tortured a lot after being trafficked to the black market by a profiteer, a long death wheel, and was on the verge of mental and volitional breakdown (even so, he had not forgotten Steve, and he probably already knew about Michael and Linda). I think there are several reasons why he chose to die, (1) Emotionally speaking, he is not as good as Michael, and he cannot face his beloved girl and family. (2) The injustice of war has plunged him into a deep inferiority complex. (3) Profiteers and casinos will not let him go easily. (4) He owes Michael a life. The above reasons forced him to accept death. Later, the funeral coincided with the previous wedding.
save
The story takes place almost entirely from Michael's point of view, which is supposed to be the first protagonist, but the two characters I think are tied for the first. In the context of the times, Nick is ordinary as if he exists in reality, but we rarely have the decisiveness and bravery of Michael. In reality, I think it should be more about learning that Nick is still supporting his friend, and he has every reason not to ask and completely seal Nick. But art is not reality, and when Michael risks his life to save Nick, it is enough to make people see the beauty of human nature.
funeral
Summary: The whole film is based on the brotherhood of Michael and Nick, Linda's love line is interspersed with it, and the two brothers swing in friendship and love, reflecting the struggle and helplessness of the little people in the context of the big era!