History Film / HeavensGate

Savaged by critics on its release, the film became a BoxOfficeBomb--earning $3.4 million on a $44 million budget (losing more money than ''The Deer Hunter'' gained)--and an infamous CreatorKiller. Michael Cimino, who had been one of Hollywood's hottest young directors following his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', never recovered. He worked sporadically after this film (even serving as the director of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' before his constant requests to make it more extravagant--and expensive--led him to him being fired and replaced due to fear of another ''Heaven's Gate''), but never enjoyed the success he had prior to it. Kris Kristofferson, who had enjoyed a very successful career as a leading man in TheSeventies, [[StarDerailingRole never headlined a film this big again]].
The film's failure was widely viewed as a factor in Transamerica's decision to sell Creator/UnitedArtists to Creator/{{MGM}}, ending that studio's sixty-year run as a distribution company for independent producers.[[note]]Steven Bach, the UA production exec who greenlighted ''Heaven's Gate'', had his career ruined too, as he was fired after the movie bombed. He wrote a famous book about the disaster, ''Final Cut''.[[/note]] It is also regarded as a milestone signalling the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era, the period in the late [[TheSixties 1960s]] and [[TheSeventies '70s]] in which auteur directors enjoyed unprecedented creative freedom and control over their work; this environment would quickly fade out over the next three years as studios reasserted control and UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood rose to prominence.

* NoAnimalsWereHarmed: Caused a huge stink that led to this being a required part of all movie end credits. The American Humane Association brought numerous cases against the movie asserting horses were mistreated, bled, and in one instance ''blown up on camera''. (And that cockfighting scene? That was real.)

''Heaven's Gate'' is a 1980 American epic [[TheWestern Western]] film written and directed by Creator/MichaelCimino.

* ReCut: Creator/MichaelCimino's original cut was ''5 hours and 25 minutes long''; it's been speculated that he might've been pulling a BatmanGambit on United Artists, submitting an outrageously long cut so that his preferred three hour-plus runtime would look reasonable to the studio brass in comparison. This was edited down to 3 hours and 39 minutes for its premiere, and then down to 2 hours and 29 minutes for its wide release. In 2012, it was later restored to Cimino's original vision of 3 hours and 37 minutes (cutting out the intermission and making a few other adjustments to the premiere cut).

* ReCut: Creator/MichaelCimino's original cut was ''5 hours and 25 minutes long''; it's been speculated that he might've been pulling a BatmanGambit on United Artists, submitting an outrageously long cut so that his preferred three hour-plus runtime would look reasonable to the studio brass in comparison. This was edited down to 3 hours and 39 minutes from its premiere, and then down to 2 hours and 29 minutes for its wide release. In 2012, it was later restored to Cimino's original vision of 3 hours and 37 minutes (cutting out the intermission).

* EpicMovie: Cimino clearly wanted this to be his ''[[Film/BenHur1959 Ben-Hur]]''. The original print was ''5 hours and 25 minutes'' long; the November 1980 premiere was 3 hours and 39 minutes long. After that version got a disastrous reception, a 2 hour and 29 minute version died a quick box office death in April 1981. Even that version is still an Epic Movie, however, with the all-star cast and the jaw-dropping scenery and photography and the exhaustively ornate sets.

* ReCut: Creator/MichaelCimino's original cut was ''5 hours and 25 minutes long''. This was edited down to 3 hours and 39 minutes and then down to 2 hours and 29 minutes. In 2012, it was later restored to Cimino's original vision of 3 hours and 37 minutes. (This version eliminates the intermission.)

Savaged by critics on its release, the film became a BoxOfficeBomb--earning $3.4 million on a $44 million budget (losing more money than ''The Deer Hunter'' gained)--and an infamous CreatorKiller. Michael Cimino, who had been one of Hollywood's hottest young directors following his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', never recovered. He worked sporadically after this film (even serving as the director of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' before his constant requests to make it more extravagant--and expensive--led him to him being fired and replaced due to fear of another ''Heaven's Gate''), but never enjoyed the success he had prior to it. Kris Kristofferson, who had enjoyed a very successful career as a leading man in TheSeventies, [[StarDerailingRole never headlined a film this big again]]. The film had gone way, way over budget, causing Transamerica to sell Creator/UnitedArtists to Creator/{{MGM}}, thus ending that studio's sixty-year run as a distribution company for independent producers.[[note]]Steven Bach, the UA production exec who greenlighted ''Heaven's Gate'', had his career ruined too, as he was fired after the movie bombed. He wrote a famous book about the disaster, ''Final Cut''.[[/note]] It is also regarded as a milestone signalling the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era, the period in the late [[TheSixties 1960s]] and [[TheSeventies '70s]] in which auteur directors enjoyed unprecedented creative freedom and control over their work; this environment would quickly fade out over the next three years as studios reasserted control and UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood rose to prominence.

* InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt: The original poster and much of the promotional material for the film called it ''Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate''.
* InTheStyleOf: A RunningGag in Steven Bach's book ''Final Cut'' is various people commenting throughout production that "it looks like Creator/DavidLean made a {{Western}}," and that definitely seems to have been the basic concept.

* OscarBait: In spite of its lofty asperations, it only managed a ''single'' nomination for Art Direction.

* DeterminedWidow: The Serb woman who tells Averill "''We'll work our land''" after her husband has been murdered by Champion.

* DeterminedHomesteadersWife / DeterminedWidow: The Serb woman who tells Averill "''We'll work our land''" after her husband has been murdered by Champion.

VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory, the film takes place in 1890s Wyoming during the [[http://www.wyohistory.org/essays/johnson-county-war Johnson County War]], and tells the tale of two men, Sheriff James Averill (Creator/KrisKristofferson) and gunslinger Nathan Champion (Creator/ChristopherWalken). Averill's lawful duty is to keep the peace between poor immigrants and rich farmers, while Champion is the farmers' means of [[JudgeJuryAndExecutioner lethal property protection]]. (The immigrants have been stealing cattle, but only to stave off hunger.) Both are in love with the same woman: Ella Watson (Creator/IsabelleHuppert), a madam who falls on the farmers' "hit list". As a result, they end up opposing the farmers and join the immigrants' side in the subsequent Johnson County War. Let's just say this battle is [[LeaveTheCameraRunning a long one]].

* ReCut: Creator/MichaelCimino's original cut was ''5 hours and 25 minutes long''. This was edited down to 3 hours and 39 minutes and then down to 2 hours and 29 minutes. In 2012, it was later restored to Cimino's original vision of 3 hours and 37 minutes.

* EpicMovie: Cimino clearly wanted this to be his ''Film/BenHur''. The original print was ''5 hours and 25 minutes'' long; the November 1980 premiere was 3 hours and 39 minutes long. After that version got a disastrous reception, a 2 hour and 29 minute version died a quick box office death in April 1981. Even that version is still an Epic Movie, however, with the all-star cast and the jaw-dropping scenery and photography and the exhaustively ornate sets.

Savaged by critics on its release, the film became a BoxOfficeBomb--$3.4 million on a $44 million budget--and an infamous CreatorKiller. Michael Cimino, who had been one of Hollywood's hottest young directors following his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', never recovered. He worked sporadically after this film (even serving as the director of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' before his constant requests to make it more extravagant--and expensive--led him to him being fired and replaced due to fear of another ''Heaven's Gate''), but never enjoyed the success he had prior to it. Kris Kristofferson, who had enjoyed a very successful career as a leading man in TheSeventies, [[StarDerailingRole never headlined a film this big again]]. The film had gone way, way over budget, causing Transamerica to sell Creator/UnitedArtists to Creator/{{MGM}}, thus ending that studio's sixty-year run as a distribution company for independent producers.[[note]]Steven Bach, the UA production exec who greenlighted ''Heaven's Gate'', had his career ruined too, as he was fired after the movie bombed. He wrote a famous book about the disaster, ''Final Cut''.[[/note]] It is also regarded as a milestone signalling the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era, the period in the late [[TheSixties 1960s]] and [[TheSeventies '70s]] in which auteur directors enjoyed unprecedented creative freedom and control over their work; this environment would quickly fade out over the next three years as studios reasserted control and UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood rose to prominence.

Not to be confused with the infamous religious/UFO {{cult}} of the same name.

Not to be confused with the infamous {{cult}}.

''Heaven's Gate'' is a 1980 American epic [[TheWestern Western]] film directed by Creator/MichaelCimino.

Savaged by critics on its release, the film became a BoxOfficeBomb--$3.4 million on a $44 million budget--and an infamous CreatorKiller. Michael Cimino, who had been one of Hollywood's hottest young directors following his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', never recovered. He worked sporadically after this film (even serving as the director of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' before his constant requests to make it more extravagant--and expensive--led him to him being fired and replaced due to fear of another ''Heaven's Gate''), but never enjoyed the success he had prior to it. Kris Kristofferson, who had enjoyed a very successful career as a leading man in TheSeventies, [[StarDerailingRole never headlined a film this big again]]. The film had gone way, way over budget, causing Transamerica to sell Creator/UnitedArtists to Creator/{{MGM}}, thus ending the studio's sixty-year run as a distribution company for independent producers.[[note]]Steven Bach, the UA production exec who greenlighted ''Heaven's Gate'', had his career ruined too, as he was fired after the movie bombed. He wrote a famous book about the disaster, ''Final Cut''.[[/note]] It also is regarded as a milestone at the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era, the period in the late [[TheSixties Sixties]] and TheSeventies in which auteurs enjoyed unprecedented creative freedom and control of their work; this environment would quickly fade out over the next three years as studios reasserted control and UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood rose to prominence.

The film became a BoxOfficeBomb--$3.4 million on a $44 million budget-- and an infamous CreatorKiller. Michael Cimino, who had been one of Hollywood's hottest young directors following his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', never recovered. He worked sporadically after this film (even serving as the director of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' before his constant requests to make it more extravagant--and expensive--led him to him being fired and replaced due to fear of another ''Heaven's Gate''), but never enjoyed the success he had prior to it. Kris Kristofferson, who had enjoyed a very successful career as a leading man in TheSeventies, [[StarDerailingRole never headlined a film this big again]]. The film had gone way, way over budget, causing Transamerica to sell Creator/UnitedArtists to Creator/{{MGM}}, thus ending the studio's sixty-year run as a distribution company for independent producers.[[note]]Steven Bach, the UA production exec who greenlighted ''Heaven's Gate'', had his career ruined too, as he was fired after the movie bombed. He wrote a famous book about the disaster, ''Final Cut''.[[/note]] It also is regarded as a milestone at the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era, the period in the late [[TheSixties Sixties]] and TheSeventies in which auteurs enjoyed unprecedented creative freedom and control of their work; this environment would quickly fade out over the next three years as studios reasserted control and UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood rose to prominence.

The film takes place in 1890s Wyoming during the [[http://www.wyohistory.org/essays/johnson-county-war Johnson County War]], and tells the tale of two men, Sheriff James Averill (Creator/KrisKristofferson) and gunslinger Nathan Champion (Creator/ChristopherWalken). Averill's lawful duty is to keep the peace between poor immigrants and rich farmers, while Champion is the farmers' means of [[JudgeJuryAndExecutioner lethal property protection]]. (The immigrants have been stealing cattle, but only to stave off hunger.) Both are in love with the same woman: Ella Watson (Creator/IsabelleHuppert), a madam who falls on the farmers' "hit list". As a result, they end up opposing the farmers and join the immigrants' side in the subsequent Johnson County War. Let's just say this battle is [[LeaveTheCameraRunning a long one]].

The film takes place in the 1890s during the [[http://www.wyohistory.org/essays/johnson-county-war Johnson County War]], and tells the tale of two Wyoming men, Sheriff James Averill (Creator/KrisKristofferson) and gunslinger Nathan Champion (Creator/ChristopherWalken). Averill's lawful duty is to keep the peace between poor immigrants and rich farmers, while Champion is the farmers' means of [[JudgeJuryAndExecutioner lethal property protection]]. (The immigrants have been stealing cattle, but only to stave off hunger.) Both are in love with the same woman: Ella Watson (Creator/IsabelleHuppert), a madam who falls on the farmers' "hit list". As a result, they end up opposing the farmers and join the immigrants' side in the subsequent Johnson County War. Let's just say this battle is [[LeaveTheCameraRunning a long one]].

In addition to Kristofferson, Walken, and Huppert, the AllStarCast includes Creator/JohnHurt as Billy Irvine, Creator/SamWaterston as Frank Canton, Creator/BradDourif as Eggleston, Creator/JosephCotten (in one of his last film roles) as the Reverend Doctor, Creator/JeffBridges as John Bridges, Creator/TerryOQuinn as Captain Minardi, Creator/MickeyRourke as Nick Ray, and Creator/WillemDafoe (in his film debut) as Willy.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/heavens_gate.png]]

The film takes place during the [[http://www.wyohistory.org/essays/johnson-county-war Johnson County War]], and tells the tale of two Wyoming men, Sheriff James Averill and gunslinger Nathan Champion. Averill's lawful duty is to keep the peace between poor immigrants and rich farmers, while Champion is the farmers' means of [[JudgeJuryAndExecutioner lethal property protection]]. (The immigrants have been stealing cattle, but only to stave off hunger.) Both are in love with the same woman, Ella--a madam who falls on the farmers' "hit list". As a result, they end up opposing the farmers and join the immigrants' side in the subsequent Johnson County War. Let's just say this battle is [[LeaveTheCameraRunning a long one]].

The film became a BoxOfficeBomb--$3.4 million on a $44 million budget-- and an infamous CreatorKiller. Michael Cimino, who had been one of Hollywood's hottest young directors following his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', never recovered. He worked sporadically after this film (even serving as the director of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' before his constant requests to make it more extravagant--and expensive--led him to him being fired and replaced due to fear of another ''Heaven's Gate''), but never enjoyed the success he had prior to it. Creator/KrisKristofferson, who had enjoyed a very successful career as a leading man in TheSeventies, [[StarDerailingRole never headlined a film this big again]]. The film had gone way, way over budget, causing Transamerica to sell Creator/UnitedArtists to Creator/{{MGM}}, thus ending the studio's sixty-year run as a distribution company for independent producers.[[note]]Steven Bach, the UA production exec who greenlighted ''Heaven's Gate'', had his career ruined too, as he was fired after the movie bombed. He wrote a famous book about the disaster, ''Final Cut''.[[/note]] It also is regarded as a milestone at the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era, the period in the late [[TheSixties Sixties]] and TheSeventies in which auteurs enjoyed unprecedented creative freedom and control of their work; this environment would quickly fade out over the next three years as studios reasserted control and UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood rose to prominence.

The AllStarCast included Kris Kristofferson as Averill, Creator/ChristopherWalken as Champion, Creator/JohnHurt as Billy Irvine, Creator/JeffBridges as John Bridges, Creator/SamWaterston as Canton (the head of the evil ranchers), Creator/JosephCotten in one of his last film roles, Creator/IsabelleHuppert as Ella, Creator/MickeyRourke, Creator/BradDourif, and Creator/WillemDafoe in his film debut.

The film became a BoxOfficeBomb--$3.4 million on a $44 million budget-- and an infamous CreatorKiller. Michael Cimino, who had been one of Hollywood's hottest young directors following his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', never recovered. He worked sporadically after this film (even serving as the director of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' before his constant requests to make it more extravagant--and expensive--led him to him being fired and replaced due to fear of another ''Heaven's Gate''), but never enjoyed the success he had prior to it. Creator/KrisKristofferson, who had enjoyed a very successful career as a leading man in TheSeventies, [[StarDerailingRole never headlined a film this big again]]. The film had gone way, way over budget, causing Creator/UnitedArtists to take a bath. UA was sold to Creator/{{MGM}} by parent company Transamerica, thus ending the studio's sixty-year run as a distribution company for independent producers.[[note]]Steven Bach, the UA production exec who greenlighted ''Heaven's Gate'', had his career ruined too, as he was fired after the movie bombed. He wrote a famous book about the disaster, ''Final Cut''.[[/note]] It also is regarded as a milestone in the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era, the period in the late [[TheSixties Sixties]] and TheSeventies in which auteurs enjoyed unprecedented creative freedom and control of their work; this environment would quickly fade out over the next three years as studios reasserted control and UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood rose to prominence.

The film became a BoxOfficeBomb--$3.4 million on a $44 million budget--and an infamous CreatorKiller. Michael Cimino, who had been one of Hollywood's hottest young directors following his UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning ''Film/TheDeerHunter'', never recovered. He worked sporadically after this film (even serving as the director of ''Film/{{Footloose}}'' before his constant requests to make it more extravagant--and expensive--led him to him being fired and replaced due to fear of another ''Heaven's Gate''), but never enjoyed the success he had prior to it. Creator/KrisKristofferson, who had enjoyed a very successful career as a leading man in TheSeventies, [[StarDerailingRole never headlined a film this big again]]. The film had gone way, way over budget, causing Creator/UnitedArtists to take a bath. UA was sold to Creator/{{MGM}} by parent company Transamerica, thus ending the studio's sixty-year run as a distribution company for independent producers.[[note]]Steven Bach, the UA production exec who greenlighted ''Heaven's Gate'', had his career ruined too, as he was fired after the movie bombed. He wrote a famous book about the disaster, ''Final Cut''.[[/note]] It also is regarded as a milestone in the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era, the period in the late [[TheSixties Sixties]] and TheSeventies in which auteurs enjoyed unprecedented creative freedom and control of their work.

However, in spite of the critical and commercial backlash, the film was saved by independent film channel Z Channel, which was run by a friend of Cimino and who convinced Cimino to restore the original version of the film with an eye towards the cable and home video market. Upon its re-release (and sparked by the notoriety of the film), the director's cut of ''Heaven's Gate'' has seen its reputation rebuilt somewhat amongst film critics outside of the controversy of its genesis.

''Heaven's Gate'' is a 1980 American [[TheWestern Western]] film directed by Creator/MichaelCimino.

* SatelliteCharacter: Billy Irvine is just kind of...there, not affecting the story in any way at all other than to throw out the occasional one-liner and piss Canton off. Lampshaded toward the end of the movie, during the battle, when Canton snarls "Sometimes I don't even know why you're here." Seconds later Irvine is shown standing amongst the violent chaos, drinking from his flask and muttering "Last time this year I was in Paris. I love Paris."