Deliverance

Deliverance is a 1972 American thriller film directed and produced by John Boorman from a screenplay by James Dickey, adapted from Dickey's 1970 novel.

Deliverance is a 1972 American thriller film directed and produced by John Boorman from a screenplay by James Dickey, adapted from Dickey's 1970 novel. The film follows four Atlanta businessmen on a canoe trip in rural northern Georgia that turns violent and dangerous. It became a critical and commercial success and has since been recognized as a landmark American film.

Plot

The film follows four businessmen who leave Atlanta for a canoe trip on the Cahulawassee River in remote northern Georgia. Their journey becomes a fight for survival after violent encounters with local inhabitants and the dangers of the river.

Production and source material

Deliverance was adapted by James Dickey from his own 1970 novel. John Boorman directed and produced the film, which was released by Warner Bros. and made with a relatively small budget.

Reception and legacy

The film was both a box-office hit and a major critical success, earning award nominations and lasting cultural recognition. Later commentary has identified it as one of the defining and most controversial American films of the 1970s.

Cultural significance

Deliverance is often cited for its influence on American thriller and rural-horror filmmaking. It has also been noted for its ecological subtext about the loss of wilderness and the consequences of development.