ironhorse_iv Review of Heaven's Gate

Heaven's Gate (1980)

This movie fell down the stairway to heaven and made a mess. This film was hell to make.

[6/10 · 20 March 2016]

This notorious, big-budget epic film was a major financial disaster for its studio, United Artists. It pretty much, bankrupted them for a very long time. The reasons why are very clear. There were major setbacks in the film's production due to cost and time overruns, negative press, and rumors about director Michael Cimino's allegedly overbearing directorial style. It also didn't help that western movies weren't that popular in the 1980s. The film became the biggest flop in film history at the time. Only grossing $3.5 million domestically (from an estimated $44 million budget). Following its initial release in late 1980, the film was pulled from theatres, edited down, and re-released a few months later, although it still failed miserably. UA's corporate parent, Transamerica, was forced to sell the bankrupted studio to MGM for only $350 million as a result. Loosely based on the historical event of the Johnson County War (1889–1893), and told in the point of view of Marshall James 'Jim' Averill (Kris Kristofferson), the expensive film tells the story of conflict between starving Eastern European immigrant farmers and the mercenaries hired by the cattlemen to drive them out of their lands. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, the worst thing about this movie is the overlong run time with its editing problems. It takes forever to get the story started with this movie! I just glad, the overlong film pace was cut down to 219 minutes, rather than the origin 5 hour version. You really don't miss much, between that version and the Director Cut. If you take away, the college graduation dance, the roller skating party and the battle scenes, this movie is mostly boring. Another thing, I really didn't like the movie is the allegations of animal abuse. Hearing that many of horses were killed and many more injured during the battle scene is disturbing. Even, the accusations of actual cockfights, decapitated chickens, and a group of cows disemboweled to provide "fake intestines" for the actors is pretty gruesome to hear. The public outcry prompted the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to contractually authorize The American Humane Association (AHA) to monitor the use of all animals from now on, in all filmed media. This is why, the common use of the "No animals were harmed ..." disclaimer has return to American cinema credits. Another big thing, the film fails to do, is be, historical accuracy. There were large differences from actual history, like how there was small numbers of settlers arriving in northern Wyoming, compare to masses of exile, poor European immigrants of the film. Also, the fact that Nate Champion (Christopher Walken) was not a "enforcer" for the stockmen and a murderer, but in real-life, well-liked small rancher in Johnson County, whom honestly, fought against the cattlemen should had been explore more. The biggest change in history was Jim Averill, who in real-life was not a Marshal, but a small-time rancher. Along with his common-law wife Ellen (or Ella) Watson, he was murdered by rich stockmen two years before the Johnson County War even began. Also, the fact that Ella (Isabelle Huppert) had exchanged sexual favors for stolen cattle, was mostly false. It's most unlikely that Watson or Averell ever knew Nate Champion at all. Despite the history, not being accuracy, the changes, do still work as a means of telling a story. In my opinion the movie isn't as bad, as people make it out to be, it was still somewhat watchable if you have the time. The acting was surprising, alright, despite all the critics, saying all of the actors were miscasting. Don't know, about them, but I love seeing, John Hurt, Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston, Terry O'Quinn, Tom Noonan, Mickey Rourke and Willem Dafoe in all of their roles. The only one, I got a problem with is Isabelle Huppert. I don't remember, reading Ellen Liddy Watson being so French, who barely spoke English who has barely any chemistry with her co-star. Her role was a bit puzzling. One thing that I got mixed feelings for, is the music by composer, David Mansfield. The theme song sounds more like a mafia movie than a western. Its unique sound is interesting, but pretty jarring. Also, the marketing for this movie isn't accurate at all. The love story between Ellen Watson and Jim Averill is only a subplot of the film, not the whole movie. The majority of the movie is about death-list with the romantic scenes, badly edited on. I don't think, seeing a movie with rape, graphic murder, and violence as a romantic date movie. Yet, as a viewer, I didn't mind, the expensive on-location shooting and fastidious over-attention to detail. Yes, it must had been a pain in the butt to film, but the film is too well-shot and beautiful by cinematographer, Vilmos Zsigmond to complain, too much about it. I can care less, if the film budget balloon almost six times above-budget to produce (from $7.5 million to about $44 million). It's not my lost as an audience viewer. However, I do hate the fact that it ended the reign of the New Wave of 1970's 'auteurs' or independent film-makers, as studios gave more control to producers, than the directors. It took years for Oscar Winner, Michael Cimino to find work, after the disaster of this film. Overall: While this film received numerous Razzie Award & a whole cult named after it, it's not the worst movie, I have ever saw. It's mediocre at best. Still, I can't recommended watching. Heaven's Gate can wait.