CordialCrosby’s review published on Letterboxd:
I can’t buy into the idea that this film is "convoluted and scattered to the point of annoyance", but if there ever was a perfect example of a film being on such a large scale as to be difficult to analyze, this is it.
Heaven’s Gate is an infamous film in Hollywood history. To put it bluntly, it was such a remarkable failure at the box office that it brought not only an entire studio to it’s downfall, but an entire era of film history down crashing and burning, this being the 70s auteur era. Essentially, this is the film to blame for why we get so much soulless nonsense from Hollywood nowadays.
Unlike it’s reputation, the film is actually incredible and chock full of profound moments. Kris Kristofferson brings a stunning performance, it’s especially impressive considering how little dialogue this film has. Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston have a memorable presence as well.
A brilliant creation from Michael Cimino.