My Favorite Movies -- Deliverance (1972)

Most people only know Deliverance for "that scene" and for dueling banjos. Most people are missing an incredible story about what it means to be a man... about arrogance and morality... about man vs. nature. Deliverance is the only great film featuring Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights is almost great). Deliverance is one of those movies that just feels "real." The mountain people feel like the real thing.... the locations feel real.... the towns feel real... and it all just heightens the creepy dread that hangs over this film. There are many striking scenes in this film...

A. The first encounter with hill people/dueling banjos

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ydGhd1Da6fo

B. John Voight's character can't shoot a deer (almost copied in Deer Hunter years later)


C. The infamous "squeel like a pig" scene. This scene is still horrible and chilling to this day, nearly unwatchable. The moment before this scene where Voight and Beatty pull over to the river bank always gets me worried for them.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zSrBfjaWkPc


D. The rapids/climbing the cliff.

E. Finding their friend downstream.

F. Unearthing the cemetery. http://youtube.com/watch?v=oZlKc9sZGHU&feature=related

E. The final nightmare.

This movie was based on the novel by noted poet James Dickey. For those interested my favorite poem ever is by James Dickey. The poem is called Falling and is about the last moments of life as a stewardess falls from a plane to her death... intense and beautiful.