Russian roulette is a dice game in which a player takes turns spinning a cylinder containing six flanged, numbered dice. The player can choose to spin the cylinder once, twice, or three times. If the number showing on the die is less than the player’s chosen number, the die is reset to its starting position and the player can spin again. If the number shown on the die is equal to or greater than the player’s chosen number, that die is counted as a “hit” and the player continues spinning the cylinder.
A hit means that one of the player’s six chances of being unlucky has occurred; if two or more hits occur, then a “carryover” from one spin of the cylinder to the next occurs and another die from that set is added to the mix. If a player manages not to get a hit for several spins, then they are said to have “won.” A Russian Roulette game typically lasts between five and ten minutes.
In 1971, director Michael Cimino made what is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made: The Deer Hunter. One of its most memorable scenes features lead actor Robert De Niro playing Russian roulette with real bullets while his co-stars—Christopher Walken, John Savage, Charles Bronson, and Julianna Margulies—look on in horror.
Cimino himself has said that he deliberately included this scene in order to create an intense atmosphere. Why did Cimino choose to include this scene in his film?.
One reason may be that Russian roulette is a classic example of psychological thriller cinema. As mentioned earlier, this scene functions as an intense atmosphere-builder; however, it also has an underlying message about risk-taking and mortality.
In particular, it emphasizes how even seemingly innocuous activities (such as playing Russian roulette) can have serious consequences if not played carefully. By including this scene in his film, Cimino was able to warn his audience about the dangers of taking risks and emphasizing how important it is to live life deliberately and responsibly.
