Michael Cimino

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Michael Cimino (born February 3, 1939, New York City) is an American film director. His last name is pronounced "Cha-Mee-Noe."

He was born in New York City, New York on either November 16, 1943 (according to his professional biography) or February 3, 1939 (which is more plausible in light of the dates of his degrees). He graduated from Yale University, receiving his undergraduate degree in 1961, and his master's in 1963.

Contents

[edit] Early career

Cimino's biography is an example of several meteoric rises and falls that were seen in Hollywood in the 1970s. With two writing credits to his name (the science fiction film Silent Running and the second Dirty Harry film, Magnum Force), Cimino moved up to directing when his spec script, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, was purchased by Clint Eastwood's production company, Malpaso, with Eastwood originally slated to direct it himself. However, Cimino convinced him to allow him to direct the film, which became a solid box office success at the time, and which enjoys a minor cult status today. With the success of Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Cimino was able to secure a stellar cast and freedom from studio interference for his second film, The Deer Hunter. The picture became a massive critical and commercial success, and won a number of Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture.

[edit] Heaven's Gate

On the basis of this track record, he was given free rein by United Artists for his next film, Heaven's Gate. The result not only was a financial disaster that nearly bankrupted the studio, but the film became the lightning rod for the industry perception of the out-of-control state of Hollywood at that time. The film marked the end of the so-called New Hollywood era.

The film was such a devastating box office bomb that public perception of Cimino's work was almost irretrievably tainted in the wake of Heaven's Gate; none of his subsequent films achieved popular or critical success. Many critics who had originally praised The Deer Hunter became far more reserved about the picture and about Cimino after Heaven's Gate.

[edit] Footloose

In 1984, after being unable to finalize a deal with director Herbert Ross, surprisingly, Paramount Pictures offered the job of directing Footloose to Cimino. According to screenwriter Dean Pitchford[1], Cimino was at the helm of Footloose for four months, making more and more extravagant demands in terms of set construction and overall production. Finally, Paramount realized that it potentially had another Heaven's Gate on its hands. So Paramount fired Cimino and finalized the deal with Herbert Ross to direct the picture, as had originally been intended.

This episode, though seemingly trivial, had far-reaching effects for Cimino's career. After the Footloose episode, within the film industry, Cimino was perceived as someone who had not learned his lesson with Heaven's Gate. In fact, executives came to the conclusion that, given the chance, Cimino would again make extravagant demands that might ultimately lead to another debacle. Therefore, Hollywood turned its back on Cimino after the Footloose episode. All his subsequent films would be financed independently, and not as part of a studio.

[edit] Later career

Cimino's "cops and crooks" epic Year of the Dragon, adapted by himself and Oliver Stone from Robert Daley's novel, fared much better. In fact, due to its success, Cimino was made an honorary Colonel in the Royal Thai Air Force.

In 2001 Cimino published his first novel, Big Jane. Later that year the French Minister of Culture decorated him "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres."

[edit] Interviews

Interviews with Cimino are rare, and he gives his part in the Heaven's Gate very little discussion. George Hickenlooper's book Reel Interviews and Peter Biskind's highly critical book Easy Riders, Raging Bulls deal almost exclusively with the film and resulting scandal. Hickenlooper's book includes one of the few candid discussions with Cimino; Biskind focuses on events during and after the production.

The European DVD release of The Deer Hunter contains an audio commentary with Cimino, as does the American one of Year of the Dragon.

[edit] Filmography

Director:

Preceded by
Woody Allen
for Annie Hall		 Academy Award for Best Director
1978
for The Deer Hunter		 Succeeded by
Robert Benton
for Kramer vs. Kramer

[edit] External links

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