wtf PTSD

The Deer Hunter is a 1978 American war film about three Russian American steelworkers whose lives were changed forever after they fought in the Vietnam War. The three soldiers are played by Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and John Savage, with John Cazale (in his final role), Meryl Streep, and George Dzundza playing supporting roles.

 

The story takes place in Pennsylvania USA and in Vietnam. The scenes depicting Russian roulette were highly controversial after the film's release. The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Michael Cimino, and Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken, and marked Meryl Streep's first Academy Award nomination (for Best Supporting Actress).

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The film has a rawness in how it depicts the PTSD symptoms; however, a diagonsis of PTSD is never mentioned. This film is about the devastating effects of war and trauma on individuals in a small tightly-knit community. I found the combat and imprisonment scenes to be graphic and harrowing to watch and therefore triggering. The iconic scenes of Christopher Walken's character playing russian roulette were difficult to watch and I can understand why they were controversial at the time. I suffer from PTSD due to trauma from combat; I've found that I am drawn to watch films of this harrowing nature. Although I don't understand why I am drawn to them, perhaps it is because I have an affinity with the story and/or a character depicted.; maybe it comes from a defiant act because I use to be able to watch these films and I'm determined to be able to still watch them; then again, it could also be that I am drawn to them as a test to see if I CAN still watch them; or, what I think is most likely, because I'm trying to control somelthing: I am going to watch this and I can be in control of the start and end of it rather than the event(s) that caused my PTSD that came to me out-of-the-blue.

 

See here for the official trailer