Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate (2004)

Director:

Michael Epstein

Writers:

Steven Bach (book), Michael Epstein

Stars:

Kris Kristofferson, Steven Bach, D.W. Griffith

Cast

Credited cast:
Kris Kristofferson	...	Himself
Steven Bach	...	Himself
D.W. Griffith	...	Himself (archive footage)
Isabelle Huppert	...	(archive footage)
Vilmos Zsigmond	...	Himself
Penelope Shaw	...	Herself
Charles Okun	...	Himself
Mary Pickford	...	Herself (archive footage)
Douglas Fairbanks	...	Himself (archive footage)
Charles Chaplin	...	Himself (archive footage)
David Mansfield	...	Himself
Michael Cimino	...	Himself (archive footage)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeff Bridges	...	Himself
Kathleen Carroll	...	Herself (archive footage)
Willem Dafoe	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

western filmmaking | drama filmmaking

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Final Cut: The Making of 'Heaven's Gate' and the Unmaking of a Studio

Company Credits

Production Co:

Viewfinder Productions, Specialty Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

References One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

User Reviews

Chronicling the making of Cimino's misunderstood masterpiece

An absorbing chronicle of the fabled history of the landmark film, HEAVEN'S GATE. The production is fairly well researched and clever in its technique (particularly the imaginative use of the extensive production stills taken - and most never seen or used before.) The interviews with two of the film's stars (Kristofferson and Bridges) are great in that they are still on good terms with and champion Michael Cimino. Interviews with cinematographer, Vilmos Zsigmond and Penelope Shaw are also wonderful and give you a taste of what it must have been like to work alongside Cimino. Even the interviews with former UA executives, Bach & Field - who hired and later rued the day they hired Cimino are fascinating and surprisingly balanced. One major disappointment is that of the hundreds of hours of film that was shot - and which is talked about and discussed extensively - no actual rushes or outtakes are shown (I assume the filmmakers tried to get access to such footage and met with some sort of roadblock - financial, contractual or otherwise.) Also - it's maddening for a fan of this film to hear Steven Bach speak of the 5+ hour cut that Cimino originally showed him - and that this version is unavailable for screening or study (if it still even exists.) Interestingly, the second cut of the film, released in 1981 is not just shorter but markedly different in many places (placement of scenes - different takes, etc.) and is now very hard to see or get access to (a little known DVD of this version is available in Europe and is well worth tracking down -- the transfer has a very different look and a much clearer dialog mix.)