There had been remarkably few films made about the Vietnam War when The Deer Hunter began filming in 1977. Michael Cimino had only one previous directorial credit (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot), but the filmmaker was given unusual leeway to create a three-hour-plus epic, with equal weight given to its study of small-town American life and to the brutality and horror of war. The film won five Oscars including Best Picture, Directing, and Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken’s intense performance. The film also marked the last screen appearance of 1970s cinema legend John Cazale.