Heaven's Gate - November 20, 2012 (Criterion)

Heaven's Gate actually does have a number of things going for it. Like Ishtar and Waterworld, it's nowhere near as bad as legend paints it.

Well, indeed. The critical dogpile on this one was absurd. It may not be a great or even good film (I'll have to see it again) but it's certainly worth revisiting. The rollerskating scene alone was worth the price of admission. The cost overruns and studio anguish don't matter to me.

I had a particularly bitter experience with this in the theater. For unknown reasons a man-hating feminist (and I'm dispassionately accurate here) of our acquaintance joined our little group that night. Although I didn't make the movie or even invite her, I had to take intense blame for the ugly rape and murder scenes. I don't know what I could have said to placate her.

-Bill

I agree with Waterworld

The badly studio-butchered theatrical release was the real problem. The full (director's cut) version is quite good if not a bit over-long at 3.5 hrs. But I place this one pretty high in the genre with McCabe & Mrs Miller and others. Fantastic cinematography. Fingers crossed that the BD release doesn't do it any harm. It would be interesting if they used seamless branching to offer the different cuts of this film.

I was like 5 years old when this came out, and my mom drug(ged) me to see this film. It was the fist time I saw Warren Beatty (sp?)........he was in a sweatshirt and that's all I know.......

Sorry Gentleman, but I thought that this was "Heaven Can WAIT', not heavens GATE lol....must have been the boozzzzzzzzeee

It happens, KB.

I went ahead and preordered this...I'm just curious enough about it as a film to give it a chance.

I think I saw this movie recently (at least a couple years ago) on HDNet or MGM-HD. It was made a big deal of...so I thought I would check it out. I remember it looking really good. Though I read recently much of the original negitive was thrown out...so this restored movie is being made (I'm sure of) the best materials that can be found.

My review and thumbnails here: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1259578/review-films-of-the-1980s-here/150#post_22660527

-Bill