After his debut feature, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), director Michael Cimino created something on a grander scale with this tale of three Pennsylvania steelworkers who serve in the Vietnam War – Michael (Robert De Niro), Steven (John Savage), and Nick (Christopher Walken).

The tripartite structure begins with Steven’s wedding shortly before the three ship out. Moving to the battlefield, the next section finds the three held as prisoners of war, forced to play Russian roulette for the amusement of their captors before escaping and then losing each other along the way.

Finally, Michael, now home, tracks down his friends and discovers the terrible aftermath of their experiences. The epic film’s success would prove Cimino’s undoing when tried to repeat its scale in 1980’s Heaven’s Gate, which will be reissued in August. (Notes by Kevin Coyne.)

Screening as part of 70mm: The Big Picture, a season of films showing on 70mm at the IFI from Jun 4th to 29th.

Tickets for all 70mm screenings: €12