Heaven's Gate (1980)
Country: US
Technical: col/scope 219m
Director: Michael Cimino
Cast: Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, John Hurt, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff Bridges
Synopsis:
An account of the Johnson County War, Montana 1890, where cattlemen first intimidated, then massacred, immigrant homesteaders.
Review:
A cause célèbre due to its high production costs ($36 million) and very meagre returns, the film has perhaps attracted undue critical opprobrium as a result. Initially released by United Artists at a greatly reduced 148 mins, it contains in its restored form bookend sequences of questionable relevance concerning the Kristofferson and Hurt characters and is undoubtedly an example of a director being given too much authorial control on the evidence of one very successful, but also very long, film. Leaving aside the narrative incoherence and the actors' at times half-hearted muttering into their beards, it does show a tremendous feel for its locations and contains sequences of passion and spectacle. Attempts at poetry, in particular a protracted dancehall scene, come off less well; the abiding impression is of dust, blood and slanting sun rays.
Country: US
Technical: col/scope 219m
Director: Michael Cimino
Cast: Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, John Hurt, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff Bridges
Synopsis:
An account of the Johnson County War, Montana 1890, where cattlemen first intimidated, then massacred, immigrant homesteaders.
Review:
A cause célèbre due to its high production costs ($36 million) and very meagre returns, the film has perhaps attracted undue critical opprobrium as a result. Initially released by United Artists at a greatly reduced 148 mins, it contains in its restored form bookend sequences of questionable relevance concerning the Kristofferson and Hurt characters and is undoubtedly an example of a director being given too much authorial control on the evidence of one very successful, but also very long, film. Leaving aside the narrative incoherence and the actors' at times half-hearted muttering into their beards, it does show a tremendous feel for its locations and contains sequences of passion and spectacle. Attempts at poetry, in particular a protracted dancehall scene, come off less well; the abiding impression is of dust, blood and slanting sun rays.
Country: US
Technical: col/scope 219m
Director: Michael Cimino
Cast: Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, John Hurt, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff Bridges
Synopsis:
An account of the Johnson County War, Montana 1890, where cattlemen first intimidated, then massacred, immigrant homesteaders.
Review:
A cause célèbre due to its high production costs ($36 million) and very meagre returns, the film has perhaps attracted undue critical opprobrium as a result. Initially released by United Artists at a greatly reduced 148 mins, it contains in its restored form bookend sequences of questionable relevance concerning the Kristofferson and Hurt characters and is undoubtedly an example of a director being given too much authorial control on the evidence of one very successful, but also very long, film. Leaving aside the narrative incoherence and the actors' at times half-hearted muttering into their beards, it does show a tremendous feel for its locations and contains sequences of passion and spectacle. Attempts at poetry, in particular a protracted dancehall scene, come off less well; the abiding impression is of dust, blood and slanting sun rays.