'The Deer Hunter'

The 1970s. What are you going to do? It's like the dead-ball era in baseball for pitchers. If you were lucky enough to be born in a certain era and work in a certain industry, there were a lot of factors going your way.

I can't figure out exactly what was going on in the 1970s. My friends say that directors were allowed to make whatever movies they wanted. Probably this is true. But we still have good movies today. Full Metal Jacket was made in the 1980s. The Deer Hunter isn't especially graphic (disturbing, yes; graphic, no). Outside of it being four hours long, the makers of The Deer Hunter didn't get away with anything, per se.

I think there are many other factors. First, the audience. Filmgoers today demand a certain amount of simplicity. They want filmmakers to meet them halfway when they go to the cinema. In the 1970s, films like The Godfather, The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Chinatown were not only making money, but turning the heads of critics. Today's film fans can't stand sitting in on a three-hour movie unless it has killer design or CGI.

With that, you had actors and directors that could do these insanely awesome films because they were making money and winning awards. These days, serious actors must make the money-making film before they can do the thought-provoking indie flick.

Once they got Robert De Niro involved, it all clicked. Meryl Streep was brought in. John Cazale (who didn't live long enough to see the film as a finished product) followed. You had a really good core to go with. Adding Christopher Walken and others was just icing on the cake. Those people wanted to make important films. I can just imagine all of them hanging out together between filmings talking about what they are going to do next. How each will take their occupation to the next level. It was exciting not necessarily because of the actors or directors. But everyone -- investors, fans, critics -- were all pulling the same way.