MICHAEL CIMINO
Name: Michael Cimino
Born: 3 February 1939 New York City, New York, US
Michael Cimino (born February 3, 1939, New York City) is an American film
director. His last name is pronounced "Cha-Mee-Noe." He is often cited as an
example of several meteoric rises and falls that were seen in Hollywood in the
1970s.
He was born in New York City, New York on either November 16, 1943 (according to
his professional biography) or February 3, 1939 (which is more plausible in
light of the dates of his degrees). He graduated from Yale University, receiving
his undergraduate degree in 1961, and his master's in 1963.
With two writing credits to his name (the science fiction film Silent Running
and the second Dirty Harry film, Magnum Force), Cimino moved up to directing
when his spec script, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, was purchased by Clint Eastwood's
production company, Malpaso, with Eastwood originally slated to direct it
himself. However, Cimino convinced him to allow him to direct the film, which
became a solid box office success at the time, and which enjoys a minor cult
status today.
With the success of Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Cimino was able to secure a
stellar cast and freedom from studio interference for his second film, The Deer
Hunter (1978). The picture became a massive critical and commercial success, and
won a number of Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture.
On the basis of this track record, he was given free rein by United Artists for
his next film, Heaven's Gate (1980). The film came in several times over budget;
the result not only was a financial disaster that nearly bankrupted the studio,
but Heaven's Gate became the lightning rod for the industry perception of the
out-of-control state of Hollywood at that time. The film marked the end of the
so-called New Hollywood era. Transamerica Corporation, the owner of United
Artists, lost confidence in the film company and its management. Transamerica
soon sold the company.
Heaven's Gate was such a devastating box office and critical bomb that public
perception of Cimino's work was almost irretrievably tainted in its wake; none
of his subsequent films achieved popular or critical success. Many critics who
had originally praised The Deer Hunter became far more reserved about the
picture and about Cimino after Heaven's Gate.
Cimino's film was somewhat rehabilitated by an unlikely source. The Z Channel, a
cable pay TV channel that at its peak in the mid-1980s served 100,000 of Los
Angeles's most influential film professionals, was the only network showing
uncut movies on television. After the failed release of the re-edited and
shortened Heaven's Gate, Jerry Harvey, the channel's programmer, decided to play
Cimino's original 219 minute cut. The re-assembled movie received admiring
reviews and coined the term "director's cut."
In 1984, after being unable to finalize a deal with director Herbert Ross,
surprisingly, Paramount Pictures offered the job of directing Footloose to
Cimino. According to screenwriter Dean Pitchford[1], Cimino was at the helm of
Footloose for four months, making more and more extravagant demands in terms of
set construction and overall production. Finally, Paramount realized that it
potentially had another Heaven's Gate on its hands. Paramount fired Cimino and
finalized the deal with Herbert Ross to direct the picture, as had originally
been intended.
This episode, though seemingly trivial, had far-reaching effects for Cimino's
career. After the Footloose episode, within the film industry, Cimino was
perceived as someone who had not learned his lesson with Heaven's Gate. In fact,
executives came to the conclusion that, given the chance, Cimino would again
make extravagant demands that might ultimately lead to another debacle.
Therefore, Hollywood turned its back on Cimino after the Footloose episode. All
his subsequent films would be financed independently, and not as part of a
studio.
Cimino's "cops and crooks" epic Year of the Dragon, which he and Oliver Stone
adapted from Robert Daley's novel, fared much better. In fact, due to it, Cimino
was made an honorary Colonel in the Royal Thai Air Force. However, Year of the
Dragon was also nominated for five Razzie awards, including Worst Director and
Worst Screenplay. The film was also sharply criticized for providing offending
stereotypes about Chinese Americans.
The advertising campaign for Year of the Dragon made frequent references to
Cimino's hit film The Deer Hunter, strongly implying that this was Cimino's most
recent film before Year of the Dragon. Conspicuously absent from the ad campaign
was any mention of Heaven's Gate.
In 2001, Cimino published his first novel, Big Jane. Later that year the French
Minister of Culture decorated him "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres."
Name: Michael Cimino
Born: 3 February 1939 New York City, New York, US
Michael Cimino (born February 3, 1939, New York City) is an American film
director. His last name is pronounced "Cha-Mee-Noe." He is often cited as an
example of several meteoric rises and falls that were seen in Hollywood in the
1970s.
He was born in New York City, New York on either November 16, 1943 (according to
his professional biography) or February 3, 1939 (which is more plausible in
light of the dates of his degrees). He graduated from Yale University, receiving
his undergraduate degree in 1961, and his master's in 1963.
With two writing credits to his name (the science fiction film Silent Running
and the second Dirty Harry film, Magnum Force), Cimino moved up to directing
when his spec script, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, was purchased by Clint Eastwood's
production company, Malpaso, with Eastwood originally slated to direct it
himself. However, Cimino convinced him to allow him to direct the film, which
became a solid box office success at the time, and which enjoys a minor cult
status today.
With the success of Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Cimino was able to secure a
stellar cast and freedom from studio interference for his second film, The Deer
Hunter (1978). The picture became a massive critical and commercial success, and
won a number of Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture.
On the basis of this track record, he was given free rein by United Artists for
his next film, Heaven's Gate (1980). The film came in several times over budget;
the result not only was a financial disaster that nearly bankrupted the studio,
but Heaven's Gate became the lightning rod for the industry perception of the
out-of-control state of Hollywood at that time. The film marked the end of the
so-called New Hollywood era. Transamerica Corporation, the owner of United
Artists, lost confidence in the film company and its management. Transamerica
soon sold the company.
Heaven's Gate was such a devastating box office and critical bomb that public
perception of Cimino's work was almost irretrievably tainted in its wake; none
of his subsequent films achieved popular or critical success. Many critics who
had originally praised The Deer Hunter became far more reserved about the
picture and about Cimino after Heaven's Gate.
Cimino's film was somewhat rehabilitated by an unlikely source. The Z Channel, a
cable pay TV channel that at its peak in the mid-1980s served 100,000 of Los
Angeles's most influential film professionals, was the only network showing
uncut movies on television. After the failed release of the re-edited and
shortened Heaven's Gate, Jerry Harvey, the channel's programmer, decided to play
Cimino's original 219 minute cut. The re-assembled movie received admiring
reviews and coined the term "director's cut."
In 1984, after being unable to finalize a deal with director Herbert Ross,
surprisingly, Paramount Pictures offered the job of directing Footloose to
Cimino. According to screenwriter Dean Pitchford[1], Cimino was at the helm of
Footloose for four months, making more and more extravagant demands in terms of
set construction and overall production. Finally, Paramount realized that it
potentially had another Heaven's Gate on its hands. Paramount fired Cimino and
finalized the deal with Herbert Ross to direct the picture, as had originally
been intended.
This episode, though seemingly trivial, had far-reaching effects for Cimino's
career. After the Footloose episode, within the film industry, Cimino was
perceived as someone who had not learned his lesson with Heaven's Gate. In fact,
executives came to the conclusion that, given the chance, Cimino would again
make extravagant demands that might ultimately lead to another debacle.
Therefore, Hollywood turned its back on Cimino after the Footloose episode. All
his subsequent films would be financed independently, and not as part of a
studio.
Cimino's "cops and crooks" epic Year of the Dragon, which he and Oliver Stone
adapted from Robert Daley's novel, fared much better. In fact, due to it, Cimino
was made an honorary Colonel in the Royal Thai Air Force. However, Year of the
Dragon was also nominated for five Razzie awards, including Worst Director and
Worst Screenplay. The film was also sharply criticized for providing offending
stereotypes about Chinese Americans.
The advertising campaign for Year of the Dragon made frequent references to
Cimino's hit film The Deer Hunter, strongly implying that this was Cimino's most
recent film before Year of the Dragon. Conspicuously absent from the ad campaign
was any mention of Heaven's Gate.
In 2001, Cimino published his first novel, Big Jane. Later that year the French
Minister of Culture decorated him "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres."