Heaven's Gate (1980)

Director:

Michael Cimino

Writer:

Michael Cimino (writer)

Release Date:

19 November 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Western

Tagline:

What one loves about life are the things that fade.

Plot:

Michael Cimino's bleak anti-western based on events in 1890s Wyoming. Sheriff James Averill attempts...

Plot Keywords:

Immigrant | Hired Gun | 1890s | Battle | Love

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Kris Kristofferson	...	James Averill
Christopher Walken	...	Nathan D. Champion
John Hurt	...	Billy Irvine
Sam Waterston	...	Frank Canton
Brad Dourif	...	Mr. Eggleston
Isabelle Huppert	...	Ella Watson
Joseph Cotten	...	The Reverend Doctor
Jeff Bridges	...	John L. Bridges
Ronnie Hawkins	...	Major Wolcott
Paul Koslo	...	Mayor Charlie Lezak
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Trapper Fred
Richard Masur	...	Cully
Rosie Vela	...	Beautiful girl (as Roseanne Vela)
Mary Catherine Wright	...	Nell (as Mary C. Wright)
Nicholas Woodeson	...	Small man
Stefan Shcherby	...	Big man
Waldemar Kalinowski	...	Photographer
Terry O'Quinn	...	Capt. Minardi
Jack Conley	...	Morrison (as John Conley)
Margaret Benczak	...	Mrs. Eggleston
Jim Knobeloch	...	Kopestansky (as James Knobeloch)
Erika Petersen	...	Mrs. Kopestonsky
Tom Noonan	...	Jake
Marat Yusim	...	Russian merchant
Aivars Smits	...	Mr. Kovach
Gordana Rashovich	...	Mrs. Kovach
Jarlath Conroy	...	Mercenary in new suit
Allen Keller	...	Dudley
Caroline Kava	...	Stefka
Mady Kaplan	...	Kathia
Anna Levine	...	Little Dot
Pat Hodges	...	Jessie
Mickey Rourke	...	Nick Ray
Kevin McClarnon	...	Arapaho Brown
Kai Wulff	...	German merchant
Steven Majstorovic	...	Czech merchant
Gabriel Walsh	...	Zindel's clerk
Norton Buffalo	...	Private
Jack Blessing	...	Emigrant boy
Jerry Sullivan	...	Governor of Wyoming
Jerry McGee	...	Heaven's Gate band
Cleve Dupin	...	Heaven's Gate band
Stephen Bruton	...	Heaven's Gate band
Sean Hopper	...	Heaven's Gate band
David Mansfield	...	John DeCoy, Heaven's Gate band violinist
T-Bone Burnett	...	Heaven's Gate band
David S. Cass Sr.	...	Moustached mercenary (as David Cass)
Paul D'Amato	...	Bearded mercenary
Peter Osusky	...	Peter
Ivan Kormanik	...	Ivan
Michael Christensen	...	Juggler
Anatoli Davydov	...	Fighting Bulgarian emigrant (as Anatoly Davydov)
Nina Gaidarova	...	Bulgarian emigrant's wife
Wally McCleskey	...	Chicken fighter
Gary Vezane	...	Canton's bodyguard (as Gary 'Buzz' Vezane)
H.P. Evetts	...	Wolcott's bodyguard
Bruce Morgan	...	Miner (mercenary)
Bobby Faber	...	Class marshal (Harvard)
Judi Trott	...	Irvine's girlfriend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robin Bartlett	...	Mrs. Lezak
Loyd Catlett	...	Morison's sentry
Juli Erickson	...	Refugee
Les Gapay	...	Extra
Al Nazario Hunter	...	Regulator
David Lewis	...	Extra
Eric Wood	...	Immigrant
Willem Dafoe	...	Extra (uncredited)
Lincoln Hurst	...	Harvard undergraduate (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Cimino

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Cimino		writer

Produced by
Joann Carelli	....	producer
Denis O'Dell	....	executive producer
Charles Okun	....	executive producer
William Reynolds	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Mansfield

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond

Film Editing by
Lisa Fruchtman
Gerald B. Greenberg		(as Gerald Greenberg)
William Reynolds
Tom Rolf

Casting by
Cis Corman
Tony Gaznick
Jane Halloran

Production Design by
Tambi Larsen

Art Direction by
Spencer Deverell		(as Spencer Deverill)
Maurice Fowler

Set Decoration by
James L. Berkey		(as Jim Berkey)
Josie MacAvin

Costume Design by
J. Allen Highfill		(as Allen Highfill)

Makeup Department
Thomas R. Burman	....	special makeup effects artist (as Tom Burman)
Verne Caruso	....	hair stylist (as Vern Caruso)
Ken Chase	....	makeup artist
Tom Hoerber	....	makeup artist (as Thomas A. Hoerber)
Mary Keats	....	hair stylist
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Jerry O'Dell	....	makeup artist (as Gerald W. O'Dell)
Ken Diaz	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Robert Grand	....	production manager (as Bob Grand)
Denis O'Dell	....	production manager (as Dennis O'Dell)
Charles Okun	....	production manager
Peter Price	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andy Armstrong	....	second assistant director
Dennis Capps	....	second assistant director
Brian W. Cook	....	assistant director (as Brian Cook)
Richard Graves	....	second assistant director
Michael Grillo	....	assistant director
Terry Needham	....	second assistant director
Michael Stevenson	....	second assistant director
Ken Tuohy	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ragnar Antonsen	....	drapery foreman
Gus Basso	....	greensman
Joseph D. Brady	....	construction foreman
Jaymes Hinkle	....	sign painter (as Jimmy J. Hinkle)
Tom Jung	....	poster designer
Maurice Larson	....	sign painter gang boss
Nancy Mickelberry	....	set designer
James F. Orendorff	....	construction coordinator (as James Orendorff)
David Q. Quick	....	assistant property master (as David Quick)
Rudy Reachi	....	assistant property master (as Rodolfo Reachi)
Bob Sherwood	....	stand-by propman
Alan Sims	....	assistant property master
Alan Sims	....	lead man
Robert J. Visciglia Sr.	....	property master (as Robert Visciglia)
James T. Woods	....	painter gang boss
William Ladd Skinner	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard Adams	....	sound editor (as Richard W. Adams)
Donald L. Bolger	....	boom operator (as Don Bolger)
Charles J. Bond	....	cable person (as Charles Bond)
Arthur Carelli	....	cable person
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Michael Jablow	....	assistant sound editor
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
James J. Klinger	....	supervising sound editor
Jas. Klinger	....	assistant sound editor
C. Darin Knight	....	sound mixer (as Darin Knight)
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Buzz Knudsen)
Skip MacDonald	....	assistant sound editor
Don MacDougall	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Don Mac Dougall)
Tom C. McCarthy	....	sound editor (as Tom McCarthy)
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (2004 5.1 update)
Winston Ryder	....	sound editor
Curt Schulkey	....	sound editor
Jonathan Andrews	....	sound liason (uncredited)
Malcolm Davies	....	sound (uncredited)
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
James Camomile	....	special effects (as Jim Camomile)
Stan Parks	....	special effects
Ken Pepiot	....	special effects
Samuel E. Price	....	special effects (as Sam Price)
Kevin Quibell	....	special effects
Paul Stewart	....	special effects

Stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator
William H. Burton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hank Calia	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Finnegan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alan Gibbs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Hart	....	stunts (uncredited)
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Leroy Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Randles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Walter Scott	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Waters	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Tony Cridlin	....	key grip
Dick Deats	....	key grip (as Richard Deats)
Ray De La Motte	....	camera operator
Doug DiGioia	....	camera operator (as Doug DiGoia)
Eric Engler	....	assistant camera
Jeff Gershman	....	camera operator (as Jeff Gerhsman)
Michael Gershman	....	assistant camera
Paul Gilbert	....	camera operator
Ernst Haas	....	still photographer
John Harris	....	camera operator
Lee Heckler	....	gaffer
John Hull	....	grip
Jan Kiesser	....	camera operator
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	grip
Ken Miller	....	best boy grip
Louis Niemeyer	....	assistant camera
Ken Nishino	....	assistant camera
Kelvin Pike	....	camera operator
Paul M. Pollard	....	camera operator (as Paul Pollard)
László Regos	....	camera operator (as Laszlo Regos)
Joseph D. Steuben	....	camera operator (as Joseph Steuben)
Jenny Thomson	....	camera operator: "b" camera, second unit

Casting Department
Pam Caper	....	casting associate
Jim Comfort	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beth Alexander	....	costumer
Sandy Berke Jordan	....	costumer: women (as Sandy Berke)
James P. Cullen	....	costumer
Barry Francis Delaney	....	costumer (as Barry Delaney)
Claudia Everett	....	wardrobe assistant
Frimi Okun	....	costumer
Laurie Riley	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Mellissa Bretherton	....	assistant editor
Neil Farrell	....	assistant editor
Aubrey Head	....	color timer
Harry Peck Bolles	....	apprentice editor
Michael E. Polakow	....	assistant editor
Michael Ripps	....	assistant editor
Ralph Sandler	....	assistant film editor
Penelope Shaw	....	assistant editor
José Antonio Torres	....	assistant film editor (as Jose Torres)

Music Department
Joann Carelli	....	music supervisor
William Saracino	....	music editor (as Bill Saracino)

Transportation Department
Gene R. Johnson	....	transportation coordinator (as Gene Johnson)

Other crew
Ted Albert	....	unit publicist
Bryan Buchanan	....	lead stand-in
Kim Burke	....	wrangler
Alan B. Curtiss	....	location manager
Eleanor Fazan	....	choreographer
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Sally Jones	....	script supervisor
Lynda Karjola	....	production coordinator
Alex Matcham	....	assistant accountant
Patty Nelson	....	secretary: Mr. Cimino
Gene O'Brien	....	wrangler (as Gene O'Brian)
Fred O'Dell	....	wrangler (as Freddie O'Dell)
Betty Owens	....	assistant production accountant
Sally Pardo	....	production assistant
Ellen Ribner	....	researcher
June Samson	....	script supervisor
Dominic Santarone	....	caterer
Ruth Santarone	....	caterer
B. Thomas Seidman	....	assistant trainee (as Thomas Seidman)
Nanette Siegert	....	production coordinator
William Snyder	....	production assistant
Joe Stanley	....	location manager
Tad Tadlock	....	additional choreographer
Ann Tait	....	production controller (as Anne M. Tait)
Bill Twaddle	....	wrangler
Rudy Ugland	....	boss wrangler
Robert Weinstein	....	researcher
Jerry Young	....	wrangler

Production Companies

• Partisan Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1980) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1981) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical) (extended version)
• Tobis (1985) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (2004) (Australia) (theatrical) (re-release director's cut new 35mm print)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate (USA) (complete title)
The Johnson County Wars (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

149 min (re-cut) | 219 min (original cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Singapore:M18 | UK:X (original rating) | West Germany:16 (f) | Australia:M | Germany:12 (video rating) | Brazil:14 | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana, USA

Company:

Partisan Productions

Trivia:

The rollerskating violinist is actually David Mansfield, the composer of the sound track.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The opening scenes and epilogue are supposed to take place at Harvard, but were shot in Oxford, England. Therefore, the exteriors are architecturally incorrect; Oxford buildings are Gothic, while Harvard buildings are Georgian.

Quotes:

John L. Bridges: It's getting dangerous to be poor in this country.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

An der schönen, blauen Donau (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), Op. 314

A wasted opportunity.

HEAVEN'S GATE will always be remembered for at least three things: destroying United Artists, wrecking director Michael Cimino's career, and ending the last golden age of Hollywood, when the directors could make the types of films they wanted to make. To this day we are still living through the effects from HEAVEN'S GATE. Although the film was made for only $36 million, back in 1980 that was a fortune. Many films since have lost more money, but this one wrecked a respected studio. There is no question as to where all the money went, for it is on the screen to see. Everything was carefully detailed exquisitely down the extras' clothing. An entire town was built in a remote area of Montana. The film opens with a graduation sequence that takes place at Harvard in 1870, which is nicely shot and choreographed, but is completely unnecessary. Many such scenes are scattered throughout, and the film is more than halfway over before the plot finally starts to move forward. The actors all play characters who are one-dimensional and/or irrelevant, especially the John Hurt character. Why Cimino needed so many extras to play the immigrants is unclear, because we never get to know any of them and they are so annoying when they gather together to plot strategies against the rich bad guys who want to kill them off. The editing is pretty bad, but that's to be expected because there really isn't much of a story here, just a series of vignettes. Vilmos Zsigmond's photography is good, but too often there is too much dust and smoke everywhere that obscures the characters and locations. Also, the colors in the film are all washed out; it looks like the filmstock was left out in sun. For example, in the middle of the roller-skating scene, the color simply vanishes, leaving only light brown and black! Granted, there are a few things in the film that I admire, like David Mansfield's score. Isabelle Huppert always looks sexy even without makeup. The battle scenes are pretty exciting, although I could swear that I saw one particular wagon blow up four times. The film has a rather odd denoument that takes place on board a ship, but everything else in this movie is pretty odd. Why the studio didn't bring in another writer or two to rewrite the script is a mystery because inside this mess there was a good movie trying to get out. It's a shame that Michael Cimino still hasn't recovered from this debacle. I sure hope he makes a comeback.