Rating: 
Summary: How the West was Won
Review: Cimino may not have made a blockbuster, but he did make one of the best Westerns in cinematic history. Unfortunately, most people can't sit through a 4-hour movie. If you are one of those persons who can appreciate a complex narrative, delivered by a stunning cast, that tells a more candid tale of the West, then "Heaven's Gate" is a real treat. Cimino has collected a set of compelling stories that swirl around the range wars of the Montana. He relates these stories through his protaganist, a federal marshall played by Kris Kristofferson. His thoughts drift back to Harvard Yard in the opening sequence, where he reveled in the commencement ceremonies with his old schoolmate, John Hurt. Much of this scene was chopped out in the theatrical release, undermining the content of the film. It is this Eastern view, which Cimino wants you to take note of. How one can meld into the West as Kristofferson does, and how one can become part and parcel of the cattle syndicate as Hurt did. The stories mainly focus around the Eastern European immigrants who attempted to carve out a life in late 19th-century Montana. They came up against the great cattle syndicates, who owned much of the range, leaving little for the immigrants to settle on. Cimino gives you a very intimate view of the events. His camera angles take you right into the action. This is a very visceral movie. Eventually these immigrants come up against the cattle barons, who had formed their own vigilante gangs in an attempt to combat the encroachment of the new settlers on their land. Kristofferson has grown close to the immigrants and eventually chooses to support their claims, leading to a final gut-wrenching confrontation, which includes his old schoolmate, John Hurt. The cast is first rate. Walken, Bridges, Huppert, Watterston all give excellent performances. Cimino has inverted many of the myths that surround the Old West, and provided a living history. The film almost has the quality of a sepia tone, as he has muted his colors to give the sense of age. The [fourty]... million budget seems paltry by toda's standards, but at the time it was one of the most expensive films ever made. Unfortunately, not everyone was ready for it.
Rating:
Summary: Un film magnifique sur l'idéal fondateur de l'Amérique
Review: Ce film ambitieux et engagé nous rappelle l'une des pages les plus sombres de la construction de l'Amérique, entre mythe fondateur et tragédies refoulées. Tout y est magnifique: les acteurs, les décors, la musique, ces histoires épiques et ces parcours tragiques, ainsi que la mise en scène éblouissante de Michael Cimino, énivrante même, à l'image du rêve américain. Plus qu'un chef-d'oeuvre, "La porte du paradis" est l'une des pierres les plus précieuses apportée à l'édifice de l'introspection de l'Amérique. Collector.
Rating: 
Summary: SNORE!
Review: Wow, this is truly the most boring movie I have ever seen. Cimino deserves all the criticism. I usually dont put much stock in "critics" analysis of these outcast films and I fell for some of the recommendations and bought the DVD. Big mistake. And I love Walken and Kristofferson, the later in his prime. Not enough to save this pig and not worthy of further comment. It's as bad as the critics said. I will give the director credit for his dedication to authenticism and visually this movie is special. They should have used all the money they poured into this dog to buy a decent script. Horrible.
Rating:
Summary: For Heaven's Sake not Heaven's Gate
Review: To write a review, you have to give it a star and this doesn't deserve any. I have just read a few of the most recent reviews for Heaven's Gate have to give a rebuttal. I am made to wonder if the positive reviews are from the grandchildren of original investors hoping to recoup the family fortune through new video sales. I would rather watch "Ernest Goes To Camp" every day for a month than see Heaven's Gate again. I rented this when it was first out on video. Watching this movie was excruciating. I could not view it in one sitting. The only reason I watched the whole thing was to look for one redeeming feature and I never found it. The sound was trash and the filming technique was unbelievably poor. I can't believe it was ever shown to the public.
Rating: 
Summary: Is it really that bad?
Review: It is difficult to watch Heaven's Gate without being fully aware of the film's history. It was the film that brought down a studio; it is the worst film ever made; it was a film made by an egomaniac director completely out of control; it is a complete and incoherent mess. And, as with many film legends, many of these claims are made by people who have never seen it. So, whenever one sits down to watch this 3 hour 40 minute epic, you cannot help but view the film through these prisms. The current version of the film available on VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD claims to be Cimino's original cut of the film, though that is hard to prove given that the 3+ hour version was never officially released. Studio heads panicked and yanked that version several days before the opening, demanding Cimino recut it to a shorter length. Apparently, this version available on video was "found" by the studio and released because of the enormous curiosity and history of the production. There has been no formal declaration that this version IS the final cut that Cimino had planned to release. Is the film as bad as everyone says? The film that is available on video does has its problems. The audio mix is atrocious with much of the dialogue being lost in the mix of ambient sound. The opening sequence, though well executed, is totally unnecessary. The pacing of the first 40 minutes is slow, confusing, and a mishmash of scenes that the viewer is left to figure out its importance and meaning. The lead actor and the film's anchor, Kris Kristoferson, turns in a boring, leaden, one-note performance that further hampers the film. But the film also has much going for it. The cinematography, always singled out as a highlight, is truly astonishing. Combined with the meticulous and accurate production work of the sets and costumes, the film has the unmistakable look and feel of being shot in the late 1890's. It has a compelling storyline that deals with the issue of immigration in a fresh and controversial way. The performances of the actors, in particular Hubert and Waterston, are excellent and go a long way in compensating for several weakly scripted scenes. And the music of David Mansfield is note-perfect. So when these elements are combined--as they are many times throughout--the film is very impressive, engaging, and shows enormous promise. Where the film truly suffers is in the editing. I saw the original 2 1/2 version several times during its release, though it was not much better overall (it felt too short!), the storyline was clearer and there were a couple of expository moments that this version lacks. One could easily trim down the first hour to an improved, clearer, and better paced 30 minutes. It is the lack of structure that really injures this version. One almost gets the sense that the film is still in its rough-cut stage and is about 2 - 3 versions away from a finished product. The DVD release is a huge disappointment. The master is taken from the laserdisc version and suffers an enormous loss of clarity. Because of this, viewers are only given a letterboxed version and not the preferred 16x9 presentation that this widescreen presentation deserves. The audio, though stating it is 5.1, is bland and muddled and demonstrates no delineation between front and rear. What is even more frustrating is that many of the Polish scenes lack proper subtitles, so the viewer has no idea what is being spoken. (There is no English subtitle track either.) It is difficult to recommend this film to family or friends as you will never know what will be the reaction. If you are patient and understand that this is not a final version, then you are more forgiving of its faults and can enjoy many of its excellent moments. On the other hand, if you are expecting to see the Worst Film Ever Made, you have much that will prove that theory. It all depends from which prism you choose to view the film.
Rating:
Summary: Better than _Deer Hunter_, but not by much ...
Review: Anyone looking for a slice of Western history should be warned that Michael Cimino's film about the Johnson County War is wildly inaccurate. That said, this three-and-a-half hour Western epic is grand and beautiful, though overlong. Cimino shows a good eye for visual composition and period detail. Too bad the story makes no sense.
Rating:
Summary: WARNING: This is NOT about the cult from San Diego
Review: I rented this thinking it would be all about the cult that wore Nike's and went into outer space, but instead it was some boring western. I guess the cult never got their name copyrighted!!! Stay away from this!
Rating: 
Summary: An under appreciated work
Review: I must admit, when I sat down to watch this 4 hour epic, I expected the worst. Being familiar with film and one who reads a great deal, I was well aware of the universal vitriol that this movie received when released way back in 1980. I was, however, surprised and slightly angered that this film was so badly received. It contains luscious, panoramic cinamatography, breathtaking meticulously detailed costumes and sets and mesmerising, almost dreamlike acting by it's 3 stars. I think it was due to Cimino's take on American history that provoked such a negative response. It derides the American Dream as one of mutual compromise and discreteness. Quite interestingly, this movie is rated quite highly by British and European critics.
Rating: 
Summary: I was one of the few who saw it in the movies
Review: When I read the intial reviews of this film, I knew that it was not going to last long in the theatres so I rushed out to see it, fearing that it would be yanked and disappear forever. I was right, as it left my local theatre the next week and most national movie chains the week after. I was the only one in the theatre! What I saw was the movie on a big screen. Here is what I thought: It was a gorgeously filmed, beautifully scored mess with a few striking set pieces (the roller skating scene, etc.). It was almost impossible to figure out. I still have little idea what the early scenes in harvard have to do with the rest of the film or why the prostitute (idealized by Hollywood, as usual) had such a large, meaningless role. I also have no idea why the peasants were shot. The movie either doesn't explain these things or does so in such vague ways that you will miss them. Much of the dialogue was unintelligible! The dialogue soundtrack was muddy and the acting appeared to be drug influenced (later stories about the filming stated that drug use was widespread on the set). If you have nothing better to do, you might get a kick out this for the big scenes but have your fast forward button close by, you will need it. A bewildering, sometimes stunning, often tedious film.
Rating:
Summary: Complete Bomb!
Review: This is possibly one of the worst movies ever made. I kept pressing the forward botton on my remote because it was so slow. Also, it is very hard to follow. I could not understand the way the characters spoke. Many lines were in Polish with no subtitles. Thank god I bought the movie on sale. But guess what? I am planning on selling it back to a second hand store. I own hundreds of videos, but this one is not fit to lay on my shelf!!
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