Entertainment · Film · 2 hrs ago
Martin Scorsese praises Michael Cimino’s troubled film Heaven’s Gate
Martin Scorsese has praised Heaven’s Gate, the film Michael Cimino directed after his Oscar-winning success with The Deer Hunter.
The film was made in Hollywood and became known for its long, costly production, which lasted 165 days and included repeated takes and extensive changes to sets.
Cimino controlled the final cut, but the first version ran for more than five hours and was later shortened.
The film was sharply criticized and failed commercially, and United Artists went bankrupt after its costly production.
The backlash also had repercussions for Scorsese’s own career, though the details are not given here.
Cimino later prepared a new version, which was released in 2013.
Scorsese says the film contains remarkable elements, and the story presents it as a lasting work of American cinema despite its troubled history.
Martin Scorsese praised Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, calling it full of wonderful and truly incredible elements.
The film’s production and release became notorious for delays, cost overruns and a sharply shortened theatrical version.
Its failure damaged Cimino’s career and contributed to the collapse of United Artists, according to Allociné.
Cimino later described a revised version of the film as a reconstruction rather than a restoration.
- Who
- Martin Scorsese praised the film directed by Michael Cimino.
- What
- Scorsese praised Heaven’s Gate, a film whose production and release were marked by controversy.
- When
- Not stated
- Where
- The film is set in the American West. The remarks were discussed in an interview in France in 2013.
- Why
- Scorsese said the film contained wonderful and truly incredible elements.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Michael Cimino was one of Hollywood’s most sought-after directors after his previous film won multiple Oscars.
A 219-minute cut of Heaven’s Gate was shown at its New York premiere.
The film returned to theaters in a 149-minute cut.
Cimino came to France to accompany the rerelease of a version he had re-edited.
- Director
- Michael Cimino
- Film
- Heaven’s Gate
- Scorsese’s assessment
- It contains wonderful elements and truly incredible things
- Initial cut
- 5 hours 25 minutes, assembled from 220 hours of footage
- New York premiere
- November 19, 1980
What people are saying
Heaven’s Gate contains wonderful elements. Really, really incredible things.
This is not a restoration, it is a reconstruction!
Sources
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