MovieChat Forums > Heaven's Gate (1981) Discussion > Is the original, theatrical release that...

Is the original, theatrical release that bad?

posted 11 years ago by Eyebrows
2 replies | jump to latest

I've seen the restored version of Heaven's Gate and couldn't fathom why it had been critically panned. It seemed like an exquisitely filmed, elegiac and poetic Western. The pacing didn't bother me; I don't mind relaxing and watching a 'slow' film unfold and I thought the performances were pretty much good across the board. I haven't seen the original cut, however.

I'm glad that with DVD we've had the chance to see it as intended and it does seem as if contemporary critical opinion has changed based on the new cuts. While they're not hailing it as a masterpiece, a lot of people do seem to be coming around to accepting that the film isn't as bad as it's made out to be.

It seems similar to Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid which also suffered from a bastardized theatrical cut. That wasn't as universally panned as Heaven's Gate but it's still a film that has benefited from a restored version, and that restored version is one of my favourite films.

Was the theatrical cut of Heaven's Gate really that bad and what is it about it which differs to the, in my opinion, quality cut of the film that's available to us now.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] askmonroville 11 years ago

I would agree. Overall, I do like the movie.. I just don't love it. It was DEFINITELY too long and needed some more finesse with the editing.

Even so, I still understand why a lot of those scenes involving the dancing were included. In fact, after just watching it a few minutes ago, the only scene I would definitely cut out would be the scene where James goes back to Ella with John, and John and Ella are murdered by Frank Canton. Cimino could have easily ended it with James riding away from the scene of the massacre back towards the mountains, as John wanders aimlessly among the dead. It would have added to the epilogue to the degree that when we see James on the verge of tears, I could have seen it as regret for leaving Ella behind, much less the fact that they established that he was a bit of a coward, and usually intervened only when the damage had already been done.

Regardless, this is nowhere near the disaster everyone makes it out to be. Slow, yes... even boringly so at times... but incomprehensible? Not in the slightest.