20 Best Movies Over Three Hours Long

Runtime: 3 hours, 2 minutes

There have been many great films produced about the Vietnam War, from Apocalypse Now to Platoon and Full Metal Jacket, but few have carried with them the raw horror of The Deer Hunter, a relentless three-hour ride into hell.

Directed by Michael Cimino, who would never reach such highs again, The Deer Hunter follows three friends whose lives are destroyed by the war and whose attempts to find peace back home after all they've seen and suffered fail at every turn.

Breathtakingly shot but hopelessly grey, Cimino's drama does what few war movies have been able to - paint a vivid portrait of life after the war as well as during, and make each as thrilling as the other.

Aided by the tragic performances of Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep and the late, great John Cazale, The Deer Hunter does find some peace in its closing moments, but leaves behind a horrible feeling of loss in its wake that echoes to this day.