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June 1999, Week 3

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From:
"Edward R. O'Neill" <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Thu, 17 Jun 1999 23:58:36 -0700
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The desire to savage _Heaven's Gate_, alas, continues to
this day.

The 220-minute version was supposed to screen at the UCLA
Archive a few years ago, but the version the studio sent
over was:  (a) not the longer version but the release
version and (b) the wrong sound was slapped onto the first
reel so everything was out of synch--by minutes, not
microseconds.

We're talking about the studio itself sending a print to
UCLA Archive:  it was almost as if they didn't want the film
to be seen.

_Heaven's Gate_ is extremely interesting in the context of
the western genre.  Its reflection on questions of community
and the role of violence in American society is sobering and
powerful.  I far prefer it to the vastly overrated
_Deerhunter_, perhaps because the 'message' aspects of _HG_
are mediated through the generic iconography rather than
presented more directly is in _The Deerhunter_.

If the film had succeeded at the box office, we would not
call Cimino arrogant:  he could shout "I'm the king of the
world," and we'd all suppress our collective gag reflex and
go on about our business.

Subsequent films have not supported Cimino's critical
reputation.  Nor have rumors about his transvestitism helped
his career.

Sincerely,
Edward R. O'Neill

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