Heaven’s Gate
Heaven’s Gate • 3h 37m
Directed by Michael Cimino • 1980 • United States
Starring Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, John Hurt
A breathtaking depiction of the promise and perils of America’s western expansion, HEAVEN’S GATE, directed by Michael Cimino, is among Hollywood’s most ambitious and unorthodox epics. Kris Kristofferson brings his weathered sensuality to the role of a Harvard graduate who relocates to Wyoming as a federal marshal; there, he learns of a government-sanctioned plot by cattle barons to kill the area’s European settlers for their land. The resulting battle is based on the bloody real-life Johnson County War of 1892. Also starring Isabelle Huppert and Christopher Walken, HEAVEN’S GATE is a savage and ravishingly shot take on western movie lore. Presented here is the full director’s cut, allowing viewers to see Cimino’s potent original vision.
Up Next in Heaven’s Gate
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Michael Cimino and Joann Carelli on H...
In this illustrated audio conversation, writer-director Michael Cimino and producer Joann Carelli discuss the production of HEAVEN’S GATE. It was recorded in 2012.
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Kris Kristofferson on HEAVEN’S GATE
In the following interview, conducted in 2012, actor Kris Kiristofferson recalls the challenges involved in making HEAVEN’S GATE, and explains his unwavering support for the film.
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David Mansfield on HEAVEN’S GATE
In this interview, conducted by in 2012, musician David Mansfield discusses his unique role in the production of HEAVEN’S GATE, as both an actor and the arranger and performer of the score.
