Heavens Gate

[JONEZY]

Finally watched this movie all the way through. Great scenery, great cinematography , a few good scenes.  But overall I can't recommend it.  Too many LONG scenes, not enough character development for my taste.  I see where Cimino was going with it, wanted to like it but I have to give it a thumbs down.  

 

Your thoughts?

 

[Georgy Zhukov]

Isn't that the film that was credited for killing the epic? Like before 3 hour and a half hour films where common. The Godfather Part 2, Lawrence of Arabia, Sound of Music, Gone with the Wind, then Heaven's Gate came along and all of a sudden films kept getting shorter. One of the first victims was Once Upon a Time in America was originally 4 hours long, but it was cut to 90 minutes by the studio. 

I think the combination of television and the new market of Home Video had influence on the runtime of films. A lot more cost effective when your film fits all on one VHS tape and wouldn't take up an entire evening's (or two) time slot. 

 

It was also one of the last films where directors had almost compelte control of their projects and lead to producers taking on a role that would micromanage the making of films in hopes of increasing profits. That was why back in the 70's, there was a time where directors like Scorsese, Coppola, Spielberg, ect would make whatever film they want and be hits. The downside is that a director like Cimeno and others would make a film not many will get. So, the era of "director driven" films was coming to an end which will end up where we at today. Studio driven films with hired hands as directors. 

 

The film's financial disaster also help bring an end to United Aritists and as its own film company. It was breaking the bank with James Bond and Rocky, but it also threw money at projects that turned out to be disappiointing. 

 

And those are my thoughts.

[estrangedtwat]

At first I thought they made a movie about that Comet suicide cult.

 

But now I remember....this movie and Ishtar used to be called the biggest flops of all time.  But I think there have been a lot bigger since then.

[wasted]

I saw the director’s cut and it made sense. 

[DieselDaisy]

It, its disastrous box office performance that is, effectively brought down United Artists!

[wasted]

UA sort bought more into director driven movies in the Coppola vision, but Star Wars won and ruined film forever. Now we have CGI remakes of Remakes. High concept was kind of awesome though.