Heaven’s Gate has a well-known if unfair reputation as the film that killed a major movie studio. As with many folks, I avoided it for years based just on this. But recently, I watched the 3.5 hour version of it, and I was stunned. It is an INCREDIBLE film! The cinematography is breath-taking, the costumes and music and ambiance are sublime.

Yes, it moves slowly, just like Deer Hunter. But if you stick with it, you’ll be transported into a whole other world. Attention to details was on a level I’ve rarely seen in any movie. I am a big movie buff, I’ve seen many masterpieces of the past century, English language or not, and I’m listing Heaven’s Gate among my favorites now.

Very few American films since the 80’s compare. I like Thin Red Line and There Will Be Blood for some poetic similarities, but I don’t think anything during this timeframe matches the epic scale of Heaven’s Gate. As a western, it is also better than Unforgiven, no easy feat there, since I LOVE Unforgiven!

I was a disbeliever, but now I’m a convert. Catch the 3.5 hour version if you can find it, and hope you enjoy it as I do. It’s so seldom nowadays that I discover a truly great film of the past that I haven’t already seen, so it’s such a joy when I do!