7 thoughts on “My Favorite Michael Cimino Films”

1. Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a real gem. So many great lines with Eastwood, Jeff Bridges and George Kennedy at their best.

2. Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was indeed a great starting point for Cimino. Anyway, thanks for dropping by 🙂

3. I love The Deer Hunter. Fantastic film, stunning visually and the script is awesome as is the soundtrack. Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a very skillfully directed, enjoyable action flick. I never saw Heaven’s Gate. It got such a bad rap that I didn’t bother. I know that over the last years it has been praised by some in the film community, like yourself. I may give it a look.

4. Their is a book and documentary about the making of Heaven’s Gate by Steven Bach entitled “Final Cut: Art, Money, and Ego in the Making of Heaven’s Gate, the Film that Sank United Artists” Quite a read. As you can see though, I am indeed a huge fan of Heaven’s Gate and I do actually believe that it is Cimino’s crowning achievement. I read that this was a personal film for Cimino in terms of it’s plot and looking at the film itself, I can only nod in agreement. I mean it is sad what happened to United Artists and I think it was unnecessary for Cimino to tear down sets If their was just a minor inaccuracy and rebuild them again. But overall, this is a film that is pure cinematic brilliance and should not have been trashed by critics like it was on it’s release. Totally deserves a second look. Anyway, thanks for dropping by and keep those comments coming 🙂

5. Yeah, from what I’ve heard about Cimino, he was a real jerk–very egotistical, very abusive so naturally he made a lot of enemies and, perhaps, that played into the trashing of Heaven’s Gate. Lots of piling on.
   By the way, I watched a movie not too long ago that I think you’d like–The Last Exit to Brooklyn. Do you know it? I didn’t like it, it was recommended to me. I appreciate what the director–Edel, I think is his name, he’s German–was trying to do, it’s very stylized, heavy brutal noir. Some people love it–praise it as a work of art–some people hate it. I’m in the latter group, but I don’t hate it because it’s a bad film. I just have a personal, visceral dislike for it.

6. In terms of extravagance, Cimino had reportedly been compared to that of Eric von Stroheim. I did see Last Exit to Brooklyn and I thought it was a very good film. Jennifer Jason Leigh was the standout in a first rate cast. Anyway, thanks for dropping by and keep those comments coming 🙂

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