There was a time when directors were allowed to make daring, original, groundbreaking movies on a huge scale. That ended with the disastrous 1980 opening of Michael Cimino's "Heaven's Gate." Corporate studio honchoes had their knives sharpened. From that point on, original, large scale movies gave way to blunt, imitative, machine-tooled blockbusters. The director of "Heaven's Gate," Michael Cimino, has just gone to that screening room in the sky and no doubt has a few things to talk over with Orson Welles.
Why Welles? Because both hit dizzying heights, then dropped to near oblivion with their next few films. Call it The Day The Auteur Theory Died - times two. "Heaven's Gate" has since been restored, but I haven't watched it. During its original release, I saw it a few days before it was yanked from theatres nationwide. Was it good? I was young. I thought it was gorgeous looking, but - good Lord - so damn long. David Manfield's score is lush and beautifully soulful. It may be the best score for a movie Western that no one will ever see. Because it's still in Cimino's head.
