Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Deer Hunter 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

One of the greatest films ever made arrives on 4K UHD Blu-ray

One of the most important war films ever made (and named as one of the Top 100 Films of All Time by the AFI), The Deer Hunter is a gripping drama about the ordinary lives of men and the journey taken in life. The story follows the exploits of a group of friends who work in the steel industry in Pennsylvania. Following the odyssey of these friends and co-workers, The Deer Hunter explores time spent hunting in the Alleghenies to trials in the Vietnam War. Featuring knock-out performances by the great Robert De Niro, John Savage, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken, The Deer Hunter stands firm as a classic that cannot be matched in its arena. Don't miss this masterpiece: a gem of cinema showcasing the rich language of cinema at its finest.

The perils of war and the journey of the heart.

For more information on The Deer Hunter and a full-length discussion on the complexities of the film, please refer to the review by my colleague Dr. Svet Atanasov.

Please Note: Screenshots featured in the review are taken from the included 1080p Blu-ray disc of The Deer Hunter included in the 4K UHD combo pack release.

The Deer Hunter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 4K UHD Blu-ray for the first time in North America (from distributor Shout Factory), The Deer Hunter has received a mostly impressive 2160p HEVC/H.265 native 4K resolution presentation in the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The landmark film was previously released on the 4K UHD format in 2018 from Studio Canal (and was reviewed on the site by my colleague Dr. Svet Atanasov here). The release was restored in 4K and the release is a huge improvement over previous presentations of the film on home media. The original Universal Blu-ray release had a disappointing, artificial looking presentation which was a huge disappointment given the somewhat obtrusive use of DNR on the transfer. There are other editions available (including overseas Blu-ray editions) which seem overly-sharpened and less refined as desirable as well.

For whatever reason, The Deer Hunter seems to be a masterpiece that has struggled over the years to get a truly impressive presentation of the film (until now). Finally, The Deer Hunter is free from any egregious DNR and the natural film grain can be seen in all its glory. The scan has outstanding color reproduction and the level of depth to the image is outstanding. Clarity is improved dramatically from the 4K resolution. Given the expansive canvas of the visuals, a 4K scan seems like a necessity for a film as ambitious as this one, and the war scenes look especially intense with the scope of the film taking on a new light.

One aspect of the presentation which viewers will find interesting is the way in which the HDR grade was utilized on the film. Those equipped with Dolby Vision capable displays will see extra detail as a result of the dynamic metadata (adding highlights/nits information that isn't as complex on the static HDR10 layer). The HDR presentation is more expansive than the previous presentations of the film. Dark scenes look especially dark and bleak (and give some edge to the presentation). The HDR is a subtle grade in some respects but black levels are significantly enhanced and deepened. Some scenes appear significantly darker than before and yet the HDR still pushes to preserve fine detail that can be seen in the visuals). While I wouldn't go so far as to call it a perfect transfer, it is still significantly more filmic than previous releases on home media. The bit-rate frequently hovers around 100mbps and thus the film has more room to breathe.

The Deer Hunter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound presentation. The audio is encoded in 24 bit depth (for greater clarity and a better noise-floor). The audio track is remarkably similar (if perhaps even identical) to previous Blu-ray editions of the film. The clarity and detail of the track is impressive. Dialogue is consistently crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The music score is also preserved. Certainly, the surround sound track is exemplary and leaves little room for disappointment.

Unfortunately, fans hoping to watch the film with the original audio mix may feel a little jilted by the lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 track. Not only is the track lacking a lossless sound mix (something the UK Studio Canal 4K edition contained), the audio bit-rate is at a measly 192kbps: even less than the similarly compressed 2.0 mix on the original Blu-ray (which was encoded at 448 kbps). This is certainly a bit of a buzz-kill for some. However, the surround mix is exceptional (and is what I personally advise selecting).

Optional English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are provided.

The Deer Hunter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

In addition to an attractive o-card slipcover, the release includes reversible cover art. The release is a 4K UHD & Blu-ray combo pack.

Audio Commentary featuring cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and film journalist Bob Fisher (included on both discs in the set).

The rest of the supplements are on the included Blu-ray disc in the release:

NEW A National Anthem: Interview with producer Michael Deeley on The Deer Hunter (HD, 13:50)

NEW We Don't Belong Here – Interview with actor John Savage on The Deer Hunter (HD, 8:26)

The War At Home: Interview with Rutanya Alda on The Deer Hunter (HD, 11:28)

This Is Not About War – Katy Haber and Willette Klausner on The Deer Hunter (HD, 12:54)

Deleted and Extended Scenes (SD, 39:53)

Interview with film critic David Thomson (HD, 24:03)

Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:47)

Radio Spots (SD, 1:53)

Still Gallery is a click-through gallery of photos relevant to the production.

The Deer Hunter 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Deer Hunter is a masterpiece. There are few war films that are as profound and as inspired as this one. Though younger viewers might take issue with the somewhat leisurely pace of the filmmaking, I have always found the film refreshing and deeply absorbing. The focus on the characters is certainly one of the greatest strengths of the filmmaking and the performances by De Niro, Streep, and Walken are extraordinary.

One of the greatest war films ever made (and partly because it explores more than just the events of war), The Deer Hunter is an essential 70's classic. It is a joy to see that this classic is still appreciated by so many and that the film has been given the "deluxe" treatment with a 4K release. Fans of the film should consider picking this edition up for their growing 4K collections. (Please Note: Region B viewers are strongly encouraged to take a look at the coverage of the Studio Canal 4K UHD edition covered here by my colleague Dr. Svet Atanasov.) Highly recommended.