Heaven''s Gate Restoration and Blu-ray!

[cinemad]

I must admit I've never seen the movie but back in December 1980 the Critics ravaged it so much that a week or two after its release they took it off and cut the origional 35mm Panavision negative by 70 mins and re-released it in 1981.
Apparently the 70 mins of deleted footage has diappeared so Criterion has used the 35mm YCM Separations to produce a new version. They scanned the separations at 2K(Would this be sufficient to produce good quality) and under the direction of Michael Cimino got rid of the sepia-type colouring which the original prints had and made it more "Technicolorish" and removed the Intermission.

Michael Cimino has stated that it's very difficult being "infamous" for 33 years.
Many critics are now saying it's a Masterpiece so Critics can be very fickle.

I had intended to see it back in 1981 when it played at Hoyts Centre in Sydney but it was only shown there for a week or two at the most.

Regards,
Peter Mason

[Scott Dorsey]

Apparently the 70 mins of deleted footage has diappeared so Criterion has u=
sed the 35mm YCM Separations to produce a new version. They scanned the sep=
arations at 2K(Would this be sufficient to produce good quality) and under =
the direction of Michael Cimino got rid of the sepia-type colouring which t=
he original prints had and made it more "Technicolorish" and removed the In=
termission.

I have nothing to add here, I just like saying "Heaven's Gate in Wet Gate."
--scott

[cinemad]

AS in Wetgate 70MM Blow-ups from the original Camera Negative I presume?

[g***@hotmail.com]

I was fortunate enough to have seen it in New York at the first day's screening after it's star studded world premiere the previous night.I had yet to read the appalling reviews that the film received in the morning's newspapers but I could hear members of the very very small audience asking each other if they had read the New York Times review that day. Already the studio had decided to let the film screen for two weeks in order to honor the number of advance reservations that the film received.I understand that it was also shown in Los Angeles for two weeks before the film was withdrawn from any further screenings in 70mm. It was later edited and given a wide release in 35mm only - not in 70mm as I had been luckily enough to see it.I found the film to be incredibly tedious and expecially the overlong opening sequence in the University which did nothing to the advance the film's story. The photography was stunning and the cast were impecable however.The only scene in the entire film which stayed in my memory was the finale which I ,at least ,thought was brilliant. I also understand that the film was regarded as a cult film in France.Seeing the film on video many years later,did not improve my liking of the film the second time around.Some films should be best forgotten-this is one of them. It was almost as tedious as another 70mm film THE BIBLE...in the beginning, Now that was truly the very worst and most boring of all the 176 films that I saw in 70mm.

[g***@hotmail.com]

Post by g***@hotmail.com
I was fortunate enough to have seen it in New York at the first day's screening after it's star studded world premiere the previous night.I had yet to read the appalling reviews that the film received in the morning's newspapers but I could hear members of the very very small audience asking each other if they had read the New York Times review that day. Already the studio had decided to let the film screen for two weeks in order to honor the number of advance reservations that the film received.I understand that it was also shown in Los Angeles for two weeks before the film was withdrawn from any further screenings in 70mm. It was later edited and given a wide release in 35mm only - not in 70mm as I had been luckily enough to see it.I found the film to be incredibly tedious and expecially the overlong opening sequence in the University which did nothing to the advance the film's story. The photography was stunning and the cast were impecable however.The only scene in the entire film which stayed in my memory was the finale which I ,at least ,thought was brilliant. I also understand that the film was regarded as a cult film in France.Seeing the film on video many years later,did not improve my liking of the film the second time around.Some films should be best forgotten-this is one of them. It was almost as tedious as another 70mm film THE BIBLE...in the beginning, Now that was truly the very worst and most boring of all the 176 films that I saw in 70mm.

Other 70mm films that were shortened during their initilal release were: 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY; LOST HORIZON;SOUTH PACIFIC ;THE BOY FRIEND;THE ALAMO;IT'S A MAD ,MAD, MAD,MAD WORLD;CLEOPATRA (60mins cut);STAR ;THE SAND PEBBLES; SCENT OF MYSTERY;HAMLET; THE AGONY AND THE ECSTACY and possibly THE RIGHT STUFF (unconfirmed). Many of these films were released on dvd in their original versions but we are getting the shortened versions on bluray. (SAND PEBBLES;IT'S A MAD etc: & LOST HORIZON.) WHY is this so??? Let's not also not forget that Australia had two different endings for the 70mm versions of SWEET CHARITY.(the sad ending in Melbourne and the happy ending in Sydney ,where it ran for 10 months.)This would have to be one of the all time greats in musicals. Hopefully we will see it in bluray eventually.There may have been other 70mm films that were shortened during their original release.Does anyone know of any others? On rare occasions we get longer versions on DVD than when they were origianlly released in 70mm. THE LAST EMPORER and AMADEUS for example.

[cinemad]

I was fortunate enough to have seen it in New York at the first day's screening after it's star studded world premiere the previous night.I had yet to read the appalling reviews that the film received in the morning's newspapers but I could hear members of the very very small audience asking each other if they had read the New York Times review that day. Already the studio had decided to let the film screen for two weeks in order to honor the number of advance reservations that the film received.I understand that it was also shown in Los Angeles for two weeks before the film was withdrawn from any further screenings in 70mm. It was later edited and given a wide release in 35mm only - not in 70mm as I had been luckily enough to see it.I found the film to be incredibly tedious and expecially the overlong opening sequence in the University which did nothing to the advance the film's story. The photography was stunning and the cast were impecable however.The only scene in the entire film which stayed in my memory was the finale which I ,at least ,thought was brilliant.

Apparently the ending on the 70mm prints is different from the endings on the Video--DVD. While the 70mm prints end with a freeze-frame of an indecisive Averil in the doorway of his cabin, the DVD and Video version ends with him standing on the deck of his yacht.

Regards,
Peter M



I also understand that the film was regarded as a cult film in France.Seeing the film on video many years later,did not improve my liking of the film the second time around.Some films should be best forgotten-this is one of them. It was almost as tedious as another 70mm film THE BIBLE...in the beginning, Now that was truly the very worst and most boring of all the 176 films that I saw in 70mm.

[g***@hotmail.com]

HEAVEN'S GATE should have been sent to 'hells gate' and burnt after its dismal boxoffice and reviews.Such a wasted opportunity from the Director of THE DEER HUNTER - one of the greatest films ever to to be projected onto a 70mm screen.

PORGY AND BESS was another 70mm film that was later shortened. The 16mm prints were considerably shorter.All the current dvd copies for sale on the internet were made from a 16mm print by being filmed off a screen. Although it was not a commercially successful film it deserves to have a bluray release as it starred some of the greatest African/American singers/entertainers ever to appear in a single film. For this alone it deserves to be seen again.

[Steve Kraus]

Variety reported on a secret test screening of the cut version at Plitt's
River Oaks Theatres in Calumet City, IL, south of Chicago. If they used
the original big theatre, it would have been shown on the Scope portion of
a big D150 screen. Variety said the print was brought in in cans labeled
"Thief" which is what the invited audience was told they were going to see.
They also commented that this version emphasized the violence. Cimino was
said to be on hand to gauge audience reaction.

Apparently there were test screenings held in several cities.

[g***@hotmail.com]

It has been common for more than half a century to preview films with a test audience in order to guage their reaction.This is why many films return to the editing room after such negative reations from the audiences