Michael Cimino began his short mainstream Hollywood career as a fairly successful screenwriter for the film Magnum Force(1973) and Thunderbolt and Lightfoot(1974)(which he also directed making it his first.) So, somehow (probably because of his educational achievements and semi-successes in his screenwriting abilities) he writes and directs The Deer Hunter(1978). Upon doing this, the film wins 5 Oscars including 2 for Mr. Cimino with Best Director and Best Picture. With this film launching him into the pantheon of great directors of that time, less than two years later he is awarded with the freedom of making the film Heaven's Gate(1980) however the fuck he wants. United Artist fronts him $7.5 million originally, which would stretch into $44 million eventually due to the demands of Mr. Cimino. Well, the film pulls in less than $2 million total. So, doing the math, United Artist made negative $42 million plus change. In 1980, that's a shitload. It almost bankrupted poor United Artist and ruined the promising acting career of Kris Kristofferson(ok, not really. He wasn't promising hardely at all) Michael made films such as Year of the Dragon(1985), The Sicilian(1987), Desparate Hours(1990), and Sunchaser(1996) with little success after the Heaven's Gate waterloo. This brings me to this point: Can you name an actor, producer, actress, director, writer, or even stagehand with a bigger uprising and callapse in a shorter frame than 2 years? You can't. It's astonishingly remarkable that he was chewed up and spit out faster than a porn actor. His stint in Hollywood was here than gone as soon as it came. I don't get it. If this stiff can stay in his buisness three times as long, it makes you think doesn't it? I personally loved The Deerhunter, but found Heaven's Gate(which is declared the worst film of all time according to this source.) and all his other rubbish not good. I think he has to be one of the most disappointing directors of all time but also one of the most misunderstood. Anyway, I certainly hope the two years of fame he had was worth it to him. I'd take it.
