DeafEars at 2011-05-29 15:19:15:

One interesting thing about THE DEER HUNTER is that the original screenplay, called THE MAN WHO CAME TO PLAY, set up the Russian roulette "hook" but had nothing to do with Vietnam - that was added by Deric Washburn and Cimino.

Scott at 2011-05-29 22:05:26:

DeafEars: Did not know that. Do you have any links to the history of that screenplay's development? I'm interested to learn more.

DeafEars at 2011-05-29 22:38:03:

The wiki page has some details

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deer_Hunter

But I first found out about it skimming Michael Deeley's book

Blade Runners, Deer Hunters, & Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: My Life in Cult Movies

Scott at 2011-05-29 22:51:27:

Thanks for that info!

DeafEars at 2011-05-30 11:02:57:

You're welcome. I wonder if the original screenplay can be found somewhere - at the very least, now I know why Robert De Niro's character is called "Merle" in the draft I have of TDH.