Final Cut: Dreams and Disaster in the Making of Heaven's Gate

by Steven Bach

Book Overview

Heaven's Gate is probably the most discussed, least seen film in modern movie history. Its notoriety is so great that its title has become a generic term for disaster, for ego run rampant, for epic... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688043828
• ISBN13: 9780688043827
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

The Big Money Movie Business, Blow By Blow

Wanna detailed blow-by-blow account of the behind-the-scenes business machinations surrounding the production of a big-budget (and bank-breaking) movie at a major Hollywood studio? Look no further than this book! Perhaps "surrounding" isn't the appropriate term since author Steven Bach, who was head of production at United Artists during the time immediately preceding the original publication of this book (its original title was Final Cut: Dreams and Disaster in the Making of Heaven's Gate), really couldn't get his hands around the major film project which was writer/director Michael Cimino's Heaven's Gate. Following the lengthy but fascinating back history of United Artists, Bach presents a matter-of-fact but truly stomach-churning description of how the elusive sense of creative unity in the sincere quest for timeless cinematic art butts heads with the realities of capitalism. Though he rarely dwells on it as such, Bach gives the reader a visceral sense of the ulcer-inducing frustrations that can befall such a project. How is it possible that a film's original budget can balloon so exponentially without a clear sense of the market's need or want for such a project? How is it possible that financial disaster can be predicated on the faith afforded in the talents of a single man whose reputation rests solely on a single well-received film? You'll find out by reading this book. It's perhaps too easy to make Michael Cimino the fall guy in this scenario; there were plenty of corporate politics apart from the Heaven's Gate project, and which Bach thoroughly delineates, which "might" have been circumstantially responsible for UA's downfall. But what Bach rightfully chooses to focus on is that area for which he was ultimately responsible. It's painfully obvious that Cimino's exploits on location in Montana were "allowed" to get out of hand. It was Cimino who formulated the original budget and made certain assurances. It was Cimino who built, destroyed, then rebuilt a large exterior set of late 19th century Casper, Wyoming. It was Cimino who chose to print upwards of fifty takes of scenes. It was Cimino who promised a roughly two-and-a-half hour film that eventually came in at over five hours. These are personal shortcomings which are simply impossible to overlook...up-and-coming Academy Award-winning cinematic genius or not. Granted, Cimino's own account of the happenings on location are not to be found here. Bach does, however, give accounts of the many meetings and conversations he, the producer, and Cimino had during the entire gut-wrenching process. Perhaps one day Cimino will bravely come forward and explain, in writing or in film, his personal culpability and reasoning. That his career in Hollywood took a downward spiral following this escapade is most unfortunate--he is obviously a director with talent and a vision. It's well known and understood that in the world of entertainment, luck and timing can count for an inordinate

Fascinating On Multiple Levels

I purchased this book to learn about the fiasco of Heaven's Gate from the inside perspective of a participant. The book provides this, with a blow-by-blow (dollar-by-dollar) recant of the film's making. This provides much insight into the world of motion-picture production, and of course the mechanics of Hollywood and its egos. The many details provided, from the movie's conception through its distribution, aptly illustrate how difficult a business it is to make film. Today the business side of Hollywood is often condemned for its effect on the artistic process, but this story shows how the two sides must co-exist, and that compromises must be made. Sometimes the result is disastrous to both. The topical matter however is much broader than simply Heaven's Gate. Significant details are provided regarding the merger between Transamerica, an insurance company, and United Artists. Working in the corporate world, and having experienced a merger and the accompanying "culture clash", I found this part of the book to be quite interesting. The author does a terrific job of detailing the various personalities involved and the interplay between two heterogeneous cultures. The book is articulately written.

Watching a Studio Wreck

This is a book I can't put down once I start reading it, and I re-read it every few years. It starts when a new management team takes over United Artists. They have to put together a slate of films. "Heaven's Gate" is one of their choices, and we see how this film moves from one choice among many to the behemoth that wrecks the studio. Contrary to some of the reviewers who say the book doesn't get to "Heaven's Gate" soon enough, I think the book is well-structured.I also like the way Bach displays three different directors: Cimino, Scorsese and Woody Allen. Cimino is obviously the egomaniac out of control. Allen comes across as the "good director," always conscious that he is working with somebody else's money. Scorsese comes out between the two extremes.Hey, if this book were only about "Heaven's Gate," I wouldn't like it so much, but we also get some insight into "Manhattan" and "Raging Bull," two much better movies.

Couldn't put it down - compelling story still relevant

Steven Bach's account of the "Heaven's Gate" fiasco has never been more relevant than now. With weed-like conglomerate corporate growth each day and the Dilbert-like stupidity spawned in most corporate environments, this book should serve as a lesson to many of us. His compelling story of divided responsibility, group thinking and diluted control goes a long way to explaining the excesses of Cimino and the movie. Bach writes beautifully and directly. He covers the machinations of the story from the corporate side only. I wished for more of the on-the-set stories - the book would have been improved with a few chapters by someone who witnessed the on-set story. One hilarious on-set story I heard about "Heaven's Gate" before reading this book described how the director needed more space in the street and wanted sets on both sides of the street destroyed and rebuilt 6 feet back. Someone suggested destroying and rebuilding one side only, 12 feet back, and saving half the cost. Cimino told him that it wouldn't have the same feel, and they commenced destroying and rebuilding the entire set! Although these sorts of on-set anecdotes aren't in the book, many other incredibly good ones from the management side are there.The book describes the history of UA, the history of the skirmish the movie is based on, and the entire before, during and after of the film's development from the viewpoint of Transamerica and UA.I read it cover to cover in just a few days, and laughed often. A great book!

A look at the business of movies and how it can all go wrong

When we sit in a darkened theater, watching pictures flicker and come to life before our eyes, we often forget that the movies are made with one primary purpose in mind, and contrary to popular belief, it's not to entertain us. Film studios are in the business of making money and lots of it, through careful financial and creative planning. They choose the concepts they think we will most like to see, they hire the directors and actors whose work they think we will find most appealing, and then they put a film together for a price they think they can recoup or, even better, make a profit from. Sometimes however, things go wrong. Final Cut tells the story of the making of Heavens Gate, infamous as one of the greatest financial debacles in film history, from an insiders point of view. It shows what can happen to the best laid plans of mice an men and gives a glimpse of a back office Hollywood we rarely see or hear about. Not only is the reader able to discern why the film was so unsuccessful, but how such a movie could even come to be made. Though now a bit dated, this remains a must-read for anyone with an intrest in the process of big-budget film making