Directed by Ted Post and screenplay by John Milius and Michael Cimino from a story by Milius with ideas from Terrence Malick, Magnum Force is the second film in the Dirty Harry series that has Harry Callahan dealing with renegade cops who have taken the law into their own hands seeing his own ideas become distorted. The film is an exploration of vigilante justice and its fallacies as Clint Eastwood reprises his role as Dirty Harry Callahan as someone who has his own methods of justice is trying to make sure it’s done for the right reasons. Also starring Hal Holbrook, Robert Ulrich, David Soul, Mitchell Ryan, Felton Perry, and Tim Matheson. Magnum Force is a thrilling yet eerie film from Ted Post.
Following the death of a mob leader after he was acquitted for a crime he did commit, the film revolves around Harry Callahan trying to investigate these murders as he believes that it’s not in the hand of criminals but rather people in the San Francisco Police Department. Notably as they’ve taken on the idea of vigilante justice which makes Callahan uneasy though others believe the murders are in the hands of rival mobsters and such which is something Callahan doesn’t think is true. The film’s screenplay by John Milius and Michael Cimino doesn’t just explore this wave of vigilante justice that is causing trouble but also Callahan’s own reaction to it as some believe that he started it. Callahan doesn’t get involved in the investigation due to having to work another assignment as he takes a closer look at these killings where he finds himself having to spar with his new superior in Lt. Briggs (Hal Holbrook).
With his new partner Earlington “Early” Smith (Felton Perry) helping him, Callahan doesn’t just try to do his job and take down criminals but he is someone that is aware of his limitations. One of the themes in the film is limitations as the line “man’s got to know his limitations” is something Callahan would often say as it would also refer to Lt. Briggs who tries to maintain some control. The script also play into Callahan’s personal life as he does live alone while also helps out the wife of a fellow officer in Charlie McCoy (Mitchell Ryan) who is becoming unhinged through alcoholism. McCoy is initially a suspect since the script reveals that the killer is a traffic cop often riding a motorcycle but Callahan doesn’t think it’s him as he catches the eye of four new traffic cops who would compete with him in a shootout contest.
Ted Post’s direction does have some elements of style as it starts off with a sequence at San Francisco’s City Hall where a trial had just finished where he uses hand-held cameras to get through the crowd and then follow into this sequence of a mobster in his car with his attorney and two associates as they’re stopped by a traffic cop who kills them. Shot on location in San Francisco and areas nearby, Post’s direction would have him use a lot of wide shots for some of the locations but also in scenes that play into the suspense such as an attack on a pool party or a hit from a penthouse with the cops watching from a building across the street. Yet, he favors more intimate shots in close-ups and medium shots while putting in bits of style such as the low-camera angle shots or high angle shots for some scenes as it relates to the investigation.
The close-ups are a big deal for some of the violence such as the first kill and other kills as it help obscure the identity of the killers. The moments of violence are far more intense as it relate to what the killers are doing in comparison to what Callahan does when he has to deal with criminals. The third act isn’t just about the reveal of who are the vigilante cops but also their ideas of justice which doesn’t sit well with Callahan as it reveal what kind of man he is and why he will always do what is right no matter how much he can disagree with the ideas of the law. Overall, Post creates a chilling yet engaging film about a police investigator dealing with the idea of vigilante justice.
Cinematographer Frank Stanley does excellent work with the film’s colorful cinematography with the look of the daytime exterior scenes as well as the usage of low-key lights for some of the interiors in the day and night. Editor Ferris Webster does some nice work with the editing as it is quite straightforward with some rhythmic cuts for some of the suspense. Art director Jack T. Collis and set decorator John Lamphear do fantastic work with the look of the offices of the police as well as the apartment home of Callahan. The sound work of James R. Alexander is terrific for the way gunfire sounds as well as some of the intense action that is presented. The film’s music by Lalo Schifrin is amazing for its jazz-driven score that help play into the suspense as well as some of the film’s action scenes.
The casting by Nessa Hyams is superb as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Suzanne Somers as a topless pool girl killed in a massacre, Adele Yoshioka as a neighbor of Callahan who flirts with him, Richard Devon as a mob leader who is acquitted and then killed early in the film, Tony Giorgio as a mob leader who is suspected for all of the killings, Christine White as McCoy’s wife, Bob McClurg as a cab driver befriending a hooker who is later confronted by her pimp, Margaret Avery as the hooker, Albert Popwell as the pimp, John Mitchum as Callahan’s fellow inspector Frank “Fatso” DiGiorgio who would stakeout one of the mob targets who would be assassinated, and Mitchell Ryan as Callahan’s troubled traffic cop friend Charlie McCoy who is unraveling through his alcoholism as he becomes a suspect because he’s a motorcycle cop.
The quartet that consists of Kip Nevin, Robert Ulrich, Tim Matheson, and David Soul are fantastic as rookie traffic cops that intrigue Callahan as Soul’s character John Davis is the big standout as someone who is very good with a gun. Felton Perry is excellent as Callahan’s new partner Early Smith as a man who is new to the world of homicide as he is also quite resourceful in getting the job done and handle things under pressure as he is one of the few who sticks with Callahan’s views on what is really going on. Hal Holbrook is brilliant as Lt. Neil Briggs as Callahan’s new superior who tries to instill his own ideas of enforcement where he makes Callahan uneasy but is willing to listen to what Callahan is thinking about. Finally, there’s Clint Eastwood in an incredible performance as Harry Callahan as the no-nonsense investigator whose weapon is a .44 Magnum as he is aware of what is happening but also uses his instincts to know something is off as he believes that the killer or killers aren’t hitmen but rather someone in the police force as it’s Eastwood at his best.
Magnum Force is a sensational from Ted Post that features an iconic Clint Eastwood in one of his defining roles. Along with its strong ensemble cast, a gripping screenplay by John Milius and Michael Cimino, and top-notch action. It’s a film that explore the ideas of justice and how it can be distorted for some forcing Dirty Harry to set things right. In the end, Magnum Force is a remarkable film from Ted Post.
Dirty Harry Films: Dirty Harry - The Enforcer – Sudden Impact – The Dead Pool
© thevoid99 2017
One of the most controversial filmmakers to emerge from the New Hollywood era of auteur-driven films of the 1970s, Michael Cimino is a name that is synonymous with both success and failure. He rose high in the late 70s with the Academy Award-winning Vietnam War film The Deer Hunter, that is often regarded as a classic, only to gain notoriety and become a pariah with Heaven’s Gate a few years later as he was supposedly responsible for bankrupting United Artists. It has been nearly 20 years since he last directed a feature film just as his most infamous film is being re-discovered by a new audience. Known for creating films with striking visuals that paints wide canvas while containing subject matters that are very controversial and provocative. Cimino is a filmmaker who was very fearless as there are those who are wondering if he will ever return and be given one more chance to helm a film without compromise.
While there’s been conflicting background about his real age and collegiate background, it has been notified that Michael Cimino was born on February 3, 1939 in New York City as his father was a music publisher and his mother was a costume designer. While he was considered a prodigy in the private schools he was taught at where he graduated at the Westbury High School in Long Island in 1956. After a three-year period in Michigan State where he graduated with honors, Cimino was transferred to Yale based on his work in Michigan State’s school humor magazine where he continuously studied art and drama where he would get a BFA in 1961 and later a master’s degree two years later. It was during this time that Cimino was becoming interested in films as he was influenced by the films of John Ford, Akira Kurosawa, and Luchino Visconti in terms of their visual language and sprawling approach to storytelling.
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© thevoid99 2014
Written and directed by Michael Cimino, Heaven’s Gate is the story of a Harvard-educated marshal who finds himself in the middle of a conflict between rich and established cattle barons who wage war on a group of poor, European-based immigrants over claims of stealing cattle. A fictional account of the Johnson County War of 1892, the film is scathing look into the world of American Imperialism and the myth of the American dream as a man finds himself battling a friend as they’re both in love with a prostitute who is among the many that cattle barons want killed. Starring Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, Sam Waterston, John Hurt, Jeff Bridges, Brad Dourif, and Joseph Cotten. Heaven’s Gate is a visually-stunning and enthralling film from Michael Cimino.
Based on the real-life events of the Johnson County War in 1892, the film explores a piece of American history where a group of established cattle barons battled against small settling ranchers where these more established men hired killers with the backing of the American government. Yet, the film is a re-interpretation about these events as the cattle barons are portrayed as rich men who want to kill these poor European immigrants for stealing their cattle as they think of them as thieves and anarchists. On the other side is a group of European immigrants who only steal because they’re hungry as they just want to live in America and live the American dream. In the middle of this is the marshal of Johnson County in James Averill (Kris Kristofferson) who wants to smooth out the conflict before it gets more troubling yet he is a man full of complications and contradictions. Especially as he’s in a love-triangle with a bordello madam in Ella Watson (Isabelle Huppert) who is in love with an enforcer in Nate Champion (Christopher Walken) who is a friend of Averill.
The film’s screenplay is quite vast as it starts in 1870 where Averill graduates from Harvard with his friend William Irvine (John Hurt) and ends with an epilogue set in 1903 in Newport, Rhode Island. Yet, much of the story is set in 1890 Wyoming where Averill tries to use his wealth and education to help the people of Johnson County that is full of European immigrants that is this mix of German, Russian, Slavic, Dutch, and other ethnicities who are just trying to live good lives. Averill is inspired by the ideas that is instilled upon him from his Harvard graduation when its speaker the Reverend Doctor (Joseph Cotten) urges the graduates to use their knowledge to help those in need. That moment is mocked by Irvine who later finds himself as a man lost in his role as he becomes a rambling, poetic drunk who has no clue on what to do as he would regret those actions. Irvine is part of this faction known as the Stock Growers Association led by Frank Canton (Sam Waterston) who is a rich cattle baron that has a lot of government connections while being very arrogant about what he does.
It is all part of something that is very complex as well as containing lots of ambiguities as Champion is an enforcer of the Association as he just enforces the law where he does kill an immigrant and later threatening another from stealing as he is just a lawman. He’s also in love with Ella who doesn’t mind being paid either in cash or cattle for prostitution as she is this woman who is in love with both Champion and Averill. Averill wants to take her out of the world of prostitution and protect her from what is coming once he learns about what is going to happen. Yet, she prefers a life that is simpler which is something Champion is offering as he would later question what Canton and the Stock Growers Association is doing. Especially when Ella’s name is in a death list that features many immigrants where Averill tries to figure out what to do as he becomes troubled by his own personal issues and the longing for a life that isn’t complicated. It’s part of that sense of conflict he’s in because of Ella where he would eventually take part in this brutal battle between the Stock Growers Association and the immigrants with very bloody results.
The script does have flaws in some of the characterization as the William Irvine character is an ambiguous figure as he is this rambling, poetic drunk that had the power to make a difference with his wealth and education. Yet, he’s a lost figure who has no clue what he’s doing or why he’s still in the Stock Growers Association as there’s a scene where a character asks why is he even here. Another flaw is its politics where it’s clear that it is one-sided in the way Canton is portrayed as this snobbish and arrogant antagonist while the poor is treated more fairly though there’s aspects of them that are just as flawed where one of them would try to make a bargain only to get his ear shot off. Still, it is a commentary on the idea of American Imperialism where Americans try to infuse their own ideas and such all for something as childish as money.
Michael Cimino’s direction definitely recalls a lot of the visual traits of the western as well as his own fascination with American landscapes as he shoots with such a wide canvas that covers so much of the landscape as it’s largely shot in Montana. There are aspects of the film where Cimino definitely wants to create something that has the attribute of an epic with these massive wide shots that includes this terrifying shot of a large group of horsemen on top of a mountain about to kill someone. Cimino’s approach to the widescreen in its 2:40:1 aspect ratio would showcase some of the lavishness of the film such as the Harvard dance sequence where Averill and Irvine waltz around a tree with a bevy of beautiful women. The Harvard prologue serves as a place where Averill and Irvine are being tasked as men who have the power to make change and help those who are less fortunate. It’s something that would drive Averill to do what is right in Johnson County as he feels the need to do with the power and responsibility he’s given.
The direction is also quite excessive in terms of its attention to detail in the way 1890s Wyoming is portrayed in its buildings and such that would also include this beautiful sequence of people in a roller skating rink to showcase what it was like to have fun in those times. It is in contrast to the sense of terror that would happen as much of the violence is quite graphic and bloody where it would culminate into this very spectacular battle scene that is frenetic at times but also very direct with the cameras being on wagons and such as well as shooting it from multiple perspectives. There’s also some unique ideas in camera angles and crane shots that Cimino uses while he also creates some intimate moments that plays into this love triangle where there’s some humor but also a sense of longing as both Averill and Champion want to have a better future with Ella. Its climax in the battle and its aftermath would lead to not just this understanding over how things are but also the question into what difference Averill made. Especially as he tries to come to terms with his own identity and the responsibilities he has as the film ends with this somber epilogue in 1903 Rhode Island. Overall, Cimino has created a grand yet very visceral film about a dark piece of American history seen through the eyes of a marshal trying to make some kind of difference.
Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does absolutely incredible work with the film‘s rich and evocative cinematography with its approach to sepia lighting for some of the film‘s interiors with its shading and such as well as the colorful exterior settings of Montana in the day time as well as some low-key yet beautiful lighting for some of the film‘s interior scenes. Editors Tom Rolf, William Reynolds, Lisa Fruchtman, and Gerald Greenberg do brilliant work with the editing with its unique approach to rhythms in some of the film‘s dramatic moments along with its frenetic cutting in the battle scenes. Production designer Tambi Larsen, along with set decorators James L. Berkey and Josie MacAvin and art directors Spencer Deverell and Maurice Fowler, does phenomenal work with the set design from the look of the small town of Sweetwater with its cabins and roller skating hall as well as the home of the Stock Growers Association.
Costume designers Allen Highfill does excellent work with the costumes from the suits that the men wear to the period dresses that the women along with the more lavish look in the Harvard dance sequence. Sound editor James J. Klinger does fantastic work with the soundtrack from the way gunfire is presented to the sound of cannons as well as some of the intimate moments as it is quite sprawling in its mixing and editing. The film’s music by David Mansfield is just sublime for its mixture of eerie string arrangements with these rich arrangements of acoustic guitars, mandolins, and balalaikas to play into the film’s Eastern European tone as it features some amazing themes plus reinterpretations of classical pieces and traditional themes as Mansfield’s score is one of the film’s major highlights.
The casting by Cis Corman, Tony Gaznick, and Jane Halloran is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it features some appearances from composer David Mansfield plus T-Bone Burnett and Huey Lewis & the News keyboardist Sean Hopper as the live band in the skating rink, Willem Dafoe as a bar waiter, Anna Levine and Caroline Kava as a couple of young prostitutes, Mary C. Wright as the fiery prostitute Nell, Tom Noonan as an Association hitman who tries to rape Ella, Mickey Rourke as Nate’s friend Nick Ray, Waldemar Kalinkowski as the immigrant photographer, Terry O’Quinn as cavalry leader Captain Minardi, and Roseanne Vela as a beautiful girl that Averill eyed on at the Harvard graduation. Other notable small roles include Geoffrey Lewis as a trapper friend of Nate’s, Ronnie Hawkins as a military leader working with Canton, Paul Koslo role as the town’s cowardly mayor, and Richard Masur as the train station manager Cully who is friends with Averill. Brad Dourif is terrific as the town commerce head Mr. Eggleston who would have this great monologue about what it means to be poor and from another country as he would inspire his fellow immigrants to fight back.
In a small yet crucial role at the Harvard graduation scene, Joseph Cotten is superb as the Reverend Doctor who speaks to the graduates to ensure the weight of responsibility they have for the future of America. John Hurt is wonderful as Averill’s old Harvard classmate William Irvine as this rambling drunk who often spouts poetry though his role is one of most flawed elements of the film. Jeff Bridges is excellent as the town proprietor John L. Bridges who runs the bar and skating rink as he is a friend of the immigrants and becomes one of their leaders in the battlefield. Sam Waterston is brilliant as the smarmy and arrogant Stock Growers Association leader Frank Canton who is a man that is driven by greed as he is someone that is full of himself as Waterston brings this smarmy quality to a character that everyone loves to hate.
Isabelle Huppert is fantastic as Ella Watson as this bordello madam who is caught in a love triangle with two men as she wants to maintain a life that she built for herself while dealing with the reality of what she is facing as her name is on a death list. Christopher Walken is marvelous as Nate Champion as an Association enforcer who is quite prejudiced towards immigrants as he would eventually question his bosses once Ella is targeted as he realizes that they’re breaking the law. Finally, there’s Kris Kristofferson in a remarkable performance as James Averill as a marshal with a very posh and educated background who tries to mediate a deadly situation as he deals with his own personal feelings for Ella while dealing with who he is and what he tries to do to make a difference.
The 2-disc Region 1 DVD/Region A Blu-Ray from the Criterion Collection presents the film in a 2:40:1 theatrical aspect ratio in a widescreen format with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound in a newly-restored transfer supervised by Michael Cimino in a new 216-minute cut where the only scene removed is the film’s intermission scene plus a few slightly-trimmed shots in some sequences. The first disc of the Blu-Ray is the film in its entirety as it is given a much richer transfer while on the DVD version, the film is split into two parts where the split occurs just after James Averill receives the death list.
The film’s second disc features many extras relating to the film and its notorious production starting with a 31-minute illustrated audio interview with Michael Cimino and producer Joann Carelli (which appears as an extra in the DVD‘s first disc). Through various still photos of the film and its production, Cimino and Carelli talk about the film where Cimino dominates much of commentary as he revealed that the version on the Criterion DVD/Blu-Ray is his final version. Cimino and Carelli talked about the research they went through about the actual Johnson County War as Carelli talked about Cimino’s approach to writing and how she discovered David Mansfield during the production. Cimino admits to not using monitors or watch dailies in his approach to directing while commenting on a lot of the things about the film as it’s a very compelling piece that showcased Cimino feeling validated that the film is being given a second chance.
The extras include new interviews with three people involved the film as the first is a nine-minute, twenty-three second interview with actor Kris Kristofferson. Kristofferson talks about what made him do the film as he was interested in the subject matter and working with Cimino. He felt it was a story that needed to be told as he admitted that Cimino was difficult and excessive but only because he wanted to get things right. Kristofferson admitted to being hurt over the film’s reception yet he doesn’t regret doing the film which he is still proud of while he also talks about the political aspects of the film where he felt that it was probably too controversial for audiences to handle.
The nine-minute interview with music composer David Mansfield has him talking about the music and his background as he had been proficient in a lot of string instruments. He was discovered by Joann Carelli who had seen him play with Bob Dylan in the mid-1970s as he was among several real musicians including T-Bone Burnett that were hired to play a band that actually played live music. Through his work and what he was able to do on the set, Cimino hired Mansfield to do the score as Mansfield talked about his approach to the score as well as infusing a lot of Eastern European influences into the music since his father is from a Eastern European background.
The eight-minute interview with second assistant director Michael Stevenson who talked about making the film as he knew what Cimino wanted in terms of scenery and in its attention to detail. Having worked with David Lean, Anthony Mann, and Richard Brooks, Stevenson knew that Cimino had that sense of wanting to get things right where Stevenson also talks about some technical moments in the film. Especially in how close Cimino was with his actors in making sure they would get their performances right as they trusted him as Stevenson would work with Cimino in his next two films. Other minor extras include a two-and-a-half minute restoration demonstration that showcases what had to be done as the film was drenched in sepia as a lot of work through digital scanning had to be made to restore its original color. The extras include a teaser and a TV spot for the film where the latter displayed the sense of controversy about the film.
The DVD/Blu-Ray set includes a booklet that features two pieces of text relating to the film. The first is an essay entitled Western Promises by the New York-based film writer and programmer Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan about the film. Vallan discusses much of what Cimino wanted to say in the film as well as its disastrous screening in November of 1980. Vallan also talks about the film’s politics and some of the aspects of the production as she feels like it is a film that got attacked over what was going on in its production and its cost rather than it was about. Even as it was well-received in Europe who were looking for the kind of films that old masters like John Ford and Howard Hawks used to make while it was getting trashed by American critics just as the film industry was in a state of transition in the age of the blockbuster as it’s a very engaging essay about the film.
The second piece of text is an interview with Michal Cimino for the November 1980 issue of American Cinematographer entitled The Film That Took On a Life of Its Own by the magazine editor Herb Lightman who was a guest camera operator on the film. Cimino talks about what he wanted to say and do with the film as well as his meticulous approach as he needed people who were able to recreate things from the past as he felt it was something that was lost at the time. Cimino also talked about wanting to shoot in certain locations where he said that if he ever found the right location, he would go ahead and shoot somewhere just to capture something that is just magical. Even as he would capture something that was just accidental yet felt right for the story as it is a compelling piece that showcased his perspective on the making of the film before it would have its notorious premiere.
Heaven’s Gate is a tremendously rich and harrowing film from Michael Cimino. Armed with a great ensemble cast plus major technical achievements in its art direction, Vilmos Zsigmond’s photography, and David Mansfield’s score. It’s a film that showcases a man trying to make a difference in a conflict driven by greed and class differences set to a dark piece of American history. While it is a film that is flawed, it has aspects that are thematically provocative as well as visuals that really defines the concept of epic filmmaking. In the end, Heaven’s Gate is a remarkable film from Michael Cimino.
Michael Cimino Films: Thunderbolt & Lightfoot - The Deer Hunter - Year of the Dragon - The Sicilian - Desperate Hours (1990 film) - The Sunchaser - To Each His Own Cinema-No Translation Needed - The Auteurs #35: Michael Cimino
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel by Mario Puzo, The Sicilian is the story of a notorious bandit named Salvatore Giuliano who tried to liberate Sicily from Italy in the late 1940s as he would also defy the Mafia and other forces who would have him killed. Directed by Michael Cimino and screenplay by Steve Shagan with contributions from Gore Vidal, the film is an unconventional bio-pic that plays into the rise and fall of Giuliano as he is played by Christopher Lambert. Also starring John Turturro, Joss Ackland, Barbara Sukowa, Richard Bauer, Ray McNally, and Terence Stamp. The Sicilian is a rich yet gripping film from Michael Cimino.
The film is about the life of Salvatore Giuliano who was considered to be modern-day Robin Hood for the people of Sicily in the 1950s who defied the rich, the Mafia, and others in power. In the course of his journey from being this simple bandit to being the ultimate enemy for Italy, there is this story of a man who had survived death and tragedies but would eventually become his worst enemy as he thinks he is a savior to the people of Sicily. Instead, he ends up angering those with power including a Mafia leader in Don Masino (Joss Ackland), who wants to become an ally, as it would lead to his death in 1950. Yet, Giuliano’s death wouldn’t just happen because of himself but also in how the world works where Giuliano thinks that the people of Sicily wants land but things become more complicated as the people eventually lose faith in him.
The film’s screenplay that is largely re-written by Gore Vidal plays into that world of a man falling for his own myth yet it begins and ends with Giuliano’s mentor in Professor Hector Adonis (Richard Bauer) who would meet the man that killed Giuliano. The first act is about Giuliano’s rise and how he believes he is immortal as he is joined by his cousin Gaspare “Aspanu” Pisciotta (John Turturro) in stealing bread for the poor. Giuliano’s action in being a bandit forces him to realize he has to do more for the people in Sicily as he would take on the Mafia, the rich, and the corrupt world of politics and religion. Giuliano’s actions would get Don Masino’s attention as he wants to meet him through Adonis but Guiliano would often refuse in an act of defiance. The film’s second act is about Giuliano becoming this mythic figure as he would gain some allies as well as detractors in Italian minister Trezza (Ray McNally) as well as the intrigue of Sicily’s Prince Borsa (Terence Stamp) whose wife Camilla, Duchess of Cortone (Barbara Sukowa) would be seduced by Giuliano.
One aspect of the script that is unique is Vidal’s dialogue which is very stylized and direct where it does play into some of the film’s campy tone in some respects though it’s not overly camp. One aspect of the script that doesn’t work involves some of the character development where much of the women characters like Camilla and Giuliano’s girlfriend Giovanna (Giulia Boschi) are underwritten while some of Giuliano’s motivations definitely become one-note as his development isn’t as smooth or as intricately-written as it could’ve been. Fortunately, characters like Adonis, Pisciotta, and Don Masino manage to be fleshed out more as Don Masino is an unconventional antagonist since he admires Giuliano’s determination while wanting to ensure that he doesn’t get harmed where there is this very strange father-son relationship between the two. Yet, it’s a relationship that Giuliano doesn’t want and it would eventually regret it once it becomes clear that Giuliano doesn’t have the power he once had as politicians and religious organizers come together to stop him.
Michael Cimino’s direction is very sprawling in the way he presents the film as an epic of sorts set in Sicily. Shooting on location in the island, much of Cimino’s approach is to go for something that plays to not just his love for epics with his use of the wide shots and shooting on vast locations with a lot of coverage. Some of it is a homage to some of the Italian epics in terms of the compositions and settings that Cimino wanted to create. There’s also some unique close-ups and medium shots that Cimino would use to play into the drama and suspense as some of the violence is quite brutal including some very terrifying execution scenes where Giuliano kills those who betray him. There is a fluidity to not just the tracking shots and hand-held camera shots that Cimino creates throughout the film but also in how it plays into some of these scenes where it is about the situations and the characters involved.
The element of camp isn’t told in a comical manner but rather in a style that is a bit over-the-top in terms of the delivery of some of the film’s dialogue along with a few scenes where there’s some dancing. It’s one of the few aspects of the film that doesn’t work where Cimino wanted to inject something more light-hearted in a film that is often quite grim and operatic. Notably as the tone of the film gets much darker in the third act when Giuliano is tasked to stop Communist party members from voting where his intention was to scare them. Instead, something tragic happens where it plays into Giuliano’s fall as well as the reality of what he’s facing as it becomes clear over who is really in charge and how out of touch he has become with the people he wants to help. All of which would lead to the inevitable as its aftermath would only play into Giuliano’s legend. Overall, Cimino crafts a very engaging and mesmerizing film about a bandit’s rise and fall.
Cinematographer Alex Thomson does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the gorgeous yet naturalistic look of the locations around the Sicilian mountains as well as some stylish usage of lights for some of the nighttime interior/exterior scenes including some of the shots in Palermo. Editor Francoise Bonnot does excellent work with the editing in creating some unique rhythmic cuts to play into its action and suspense as well as some of the drama. Production designer Wolf Kroeger and art director Stefano Maria Ortolani do amazing work with the set pieces from the lavish home of Prince Borsa to the many places in Palermo where many of the characters go to.
Costume designer Wayne A. Finkelman does terrific work with the costumes with most of the rugged look of Giuliano and his men to the more lavish dresses that Camilla wears. Sound editor Fred J. Brown does superb work with the sound from the gunfire sounds from afar as well as some of the chaos that goes on with crowds and also in some of gunfights that occur. The film’s music by David Mansfield is fantastic for its orchestral-driven score that is operatic at times but also somber with some themes that play into Giuliano and Giovanna’s relationship while the soundtrack includes a lot of music of the late 1940s.
The casting by Deborah Brown is great as the cast features some notable small performances from Ramon Bieri as the town mayor Quintana, Andreas Katsulas and Derrick Branche as a couple of Giuliano’s men who were former mob enforcers, Joe Regalbuto as a priest who warns Giuliano of what he is doing, Michael Wincott as an army corporal who joins Giuliano, Barry Miller as a professor who arrogantly defies Don Masino, Stanko Molnar as Giovanna’s Communist brother, Trevor Ray as a barber Giuliano knew as a boy, Justin Clark as a young boy who would become part of Giuliano’s band of brothers, and Ray McNally as a scheming minister who tries to stop Giuliano only to push buttons and eventually take some drastic matters into his own hands. Giulia Boschi is pretty good as Giuliano’s girlfriend Giovanna who tries to cope with his actions while having her own views about the way things work.
Barbara Sukowa is terrific as the Duchess Camilla who is wowed by Giuliano’s determination as she becomes a supporter of sorts for his cause. Richard Bauer is excellent as Giuliano’s mentor Professor Hector Adonis as someone who tries to guide Giuliano into taking a path while dealing with Don Masino as they both realize how crazed Giuliano has become. Terence Stamp is wonderful in a small yet noteworthy role as Prince Borsa as this rich figure in Sicily who often sees everything from afar while getting to know Giuliano where the two strike a deal of their own. Joss Ackland is brilliant as Don Masino as this revered and intimidating Mafia head who has a strange admiration for Giuliano as he tries to protect him from the rich and powerful in Italy only to realize how troubled he’s become. John Turturro is fantastic as Aspanu who is very loyal to his cousin Giuliano while doing all sorts of things only to realize how crazy it’s becoming.
Finally, there’s Christopher Lambert in a superb performance as Salvatore Giuliano as this bandit who wants to rebel against the rich and powerful in Italy to help the people of Sicily only to lose sight of his original intentions. Though it’s a performance that is flawed as Lambert would often be seen as stone-faced for much of the film, he does manage to convey some charisma and determination into the character.
The Sicilian is an excellent film from Michael Cimino. Thanks to a great cast and some amazing visuals, the film is one of Cimino’s finer films though it is quite flawed. Yet, it is a film that captures a world that is quite fascinating in a time period where old Italy is to meet a new world. Especially one that is much more violent and unforgiving as it is shown through Cimino’s eyes in its uncut 146-minute version. In the end, The Sicilian is a superb film from Michael Cimino.
Michael Cimino Films: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot - The Deer Hunter - Heaven’s Gate - Year of the Dragon - Desperate Hours (1990 film) - The Sunchaser - To Each His Own Cinema-No Translation Needed - The Auteurs #35: Michael Cimino
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel and play by Joseph Hayes, Desperate Hours is the story of an escaped criminal who breaks into a house and takes over while terrorizing a family with two of his friends. Directed by Michael Cimino with a screenplay by Hayes, Lawrence Konner, and Mark Rosenthal, the film is a remake of the 1955 film by William Wyler that starred Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March as it’s set in a more modern setting. Starring Mickey Rourke, Anthony Hopkins, Mimi Rogers, Kelly Lynch, Elias Koteas, David Morse, Shawnee Smith, Matt McGrath, Danny Gerard, and Lindsay Crouse. Desperate Hours is an eerie though somewhat uneven film from Michael Cimino.
The film is a home invasion story about an escaped criminal who hides out at the home of a man who has become estranged from his wife as they’re taken hostage at home. Yet, it’s a film about control and trust where the criminal Michael Bosworth (Mickey Rourke) is waiting for his lawyer/lover Nancy Breyers (Kelly Lynch) to be cleared from accusations that she was the one who broke him out of jail as he is being charged for all sorts of crimes. With the help of his brother Wally (Elias Koteas) and an unhinged, half-wit criminal Albert (David Morse), Bosworth would hide out at the home of Nora Cornell (Mimi Rogers) who is selling her home as she and her husband Tim (Anthony Hopkins) are estranged due to Tim’s infidelity with a young woman. Once Bosworth takes control of the Cornell home, he would instill elements of trust where Nora is more likely to trust Bosworth than Tim as it relates to her life and the life of their kids in the 15-year old May (Shawnee Smith) and the eight-year old Zack (Danny Gerard).
The film’s screenplay does take its time to explore a family being invaded by criminals where in control is this sociopath who is trying to make sure everything goes normal until he can flee with his girlfriend and associates with some money. Yet, the actions of Nancy Breyers only gets the attention of a very intelligent and no-nonsense FBI special agent in Brenda Chandler (Lindsay Crouse) who doesn’t buy Nancy’s act and knows where she’s going as she hopes to nab Bosworth. Though the script is pretty uneven as part of it is set at the Cornell home where Tim tries to reconcile with Nora only for things to go wrong with the Bosworth brothers and Albert taking over where Nora has trust issues with Tim. The other part of the script involves Chandler’s pursuit and watching over Nancy where it has this element of the road movie but it never really gels since Nancy is a very underwritten character who is just lovesick over Bosworth and is put into very tense situations. The scenes at the Cornell home is interesting where there is a sense of psychology as the family isn’t sure who to trust as Bosworth doesn’t try to hurt anyone while Tim tries to do something only to get himself into trouble.
Michael Cimino’s direction is pretty engaging for the way he conveys this element of suspense and dread inside a family’s home as it’s taken over by criminals. Especially as he maintains that sense of tense intimacy with some close-ups and unique medium shots where Cimino’s framing is always there to play into the drama as well as some of tension that goes on. The scenes outside of the Cornell home is shot in various locations in Utah where it plays into Cimino’s sensibilities in terms of the mountains, deserts, and such that does have this sense of beauty in the locations where Cimino is able to display them in a wide canvas. Yet, it adds to film’s uneven tone where it does feel like it’s two different films being made in some aspects though it would come together in a very intense third act. Especially as it becomes a battle of wits and trust where the FBI is also involved in Chandler who takes a more cautious but unconventional approach to let the fates play out. Overall despite a few inconsistencies in its tone, Cimino does craft a very captivating and solid thriller about a family’s home invaded by criminals.
Cinematographer Douglas Milsome does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography with the gorgeous lighting for many of the daytime exteriors in the Utah desert/mountain locations to more ominous lighting schemes and such to play into the dramatic tension at the Cornell house. Editors Peter R. Hunt and Christopher Rouse do excellent work with the editing to create some methodical cuts to play into the film‘s suspense along with some rhythmic cuts for some of the car chase scenes involving Nancy and the FBI. Production designer Victoria Paul, with set decorator Crispian Sallis and art director Patricia Klawonn, does nice work with the look of the Cornell house to play into its sense of intimacy and the terror that Bosworth would bring.
Costume Charles DeCaro does terrific work with the costumes from the clothes of the Cornell family that is quite casual to the Armani suits that Bosworth wears. Sound editor James J. Klinger does superb work with the sound from the way the helicopters, planes, and cars sound in the exteriors to the intense atmosphere of the Cornell home as it has this air of terror in the film. The film’s music by David Mansfield is amazing for its soaring orchestral score to play into its suspense and drama along with some low-key pieces to showcase the estrangement between Tim and Nora.
The casting by Mary Colquhoun is wonderful as it features some notable small roles from James Rebhorn as a prosecutor, Matt McGrath as May’s boyfriend Kyle, Gerry Bamman as a real-estates agent, and Dean Norris as Chandler’s FBI associate Maddox. Shawnee Smith is alright as Tim and Nora’s teenage daughter May who tries to antagonize Bosworth and his gang while Danny Gerard is quite good as May’s younger brother Zack who deals with the terror of being taken hostage. Kelly Lynch is pretty terrible as Nancy Breyers where it’s not just the character that is terrible but Lynch never really does anything to make anyone care about her as she spends half the film topless and often be worried. Elias Koteas is terrific as Bosworth’s brother Wally who keeps things in control while trying to make sure that the family has nothing to worry about. David Morse is excellent as the more troubled criminal Albert who becomes anxious as he would later become a liability to the situation.
Lindsay Crouse is amazing as the no-nonsense FBI special agent Brenda Chandler who is this very offbeat character that talks in a Southern accent as she knows how to handle situations and can read people better than her fellow agents. Mimi Rogers is fantastic as Nora Cornell as this woman who becomes aware of the situation as she tries to keep things from not going wrong while being very unsure on who to trust. Anthony Hopkins is superb as the Tim Cornell as a man trying to regain his wife’s trust after cheating on her as he deals with Michael Bosworth’s presence and the situation that is happening as he is goaded to take action only to figure out what to do to not hurt his family. Finally, there’s Mickey Rouke in an incredible performance as Michael Bosworth as this very smart sociopath who takes control of an entire house as he tries to play a game of trust on Nora to turn against her own husband as it’s a very fiery and intense performance from Rourke.
While it is a film with some flaws and an inconsistent tone, Desperate Hours is still a solid film from Michael Cimino. Armed with great performances from Mickey Rourke, Anthony Hopkins, Mimi Rogers, and Lindsay Crouse. It’s a film that plays into the world of home invasion as well as a compelling look into the world of trust and guilt. In the end, Desperate Hours is a pretty good film from Michael Cimino.
Michael Cimino Films: Thunderbolt & Lightfoot - The Deer Hunter - Heaven’s Gate - Year of the Dragon - The Sicilian - The Sunchaser - To Each His Own Cinema: No Translation Needed - The Auteurs #35: Michael Cimino
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel by Robert Daley, Year of the Dragon is the story of a troubled New York City police captain who goes on a personal war against the organized world of Chinese triad gangs. Directed by Michael Cimino and screenplay by Cimino and Oliver Stone, the film is a look into the world of gangs and culture clash as a former Vietnam War veteran turned police captain deals with his own prejudices and the rise of a Chinese crime lord. Starring Mickey Rourke, John Lone, Ariane Koizumi, and Raymond J. Barry. Year of the Dragon is a hard-hitting yet wild film from Michael Cimino.
Set in the Chinatown section in New York City, the film is about a police captain who goes to war with the Chinese triad gang in the hope he can end the chaos that is emerging in the section following the death of a revered triad leader. Yet, Captain Stanley White (Mickey Rourke) is a former Vietnam veteran with some very racist attitudes towards Asians as he wants to hit triads very hard as he also deals with the rising triad boss Joey Tai (John Lone). Tai wants to change things in the way the triads deal with other business ventures as he finds a formidable opponent in Captain White. Tai’s ambitions would eventually alienate the triad elders while Captain White’s determination would also drive away those he cared for such as his wife Connie (Caroline Kava) where he would engage into an affair with the Chinese-American news reporter Tracy Tzu (Ariane Koizumi). It’s not just a film about ambition as well as a new world order taking out the old rules but it’s also a film where a man’s obsession has him lose sight of the good things in the world.
The film’s screenplay by Michael Cimino and Oliver Stone isn’t afraid to be controversial as some of its dialogue includes some very racist words about Asians and other races. Particularly as it Captain White is a man who is a very flawed individual as he often neglects his wife in a marriage that becomes very rocky while he is also very arrogant and confrontational towards his superiors. In some ways, White is a guy that seems to have a death wish about stopping every bad Chinese triad member and everyone till there is no more only to drive away the people who care about him. Once he is confronted by people who work for him or those who care about him, there is a side of White that is very sensitive as he tries to come to terms with his flaws and wants to do what is right. It’s part of the script’s brilliance to showcase this conflict in White as he wants to hold on to those he cares but he also wants to fight the never-ending battle against corruption and evil.
Then there’s Joey Tai as he is a young man with ambition as he realizes that the old ways of the Chinese triads are becoming dated as he wants to expand and evolve much to the dismay of his uncles who have become overwhelmed with the emerging chaos in Chinatown as young gang members kill with no remorse. For Tai, it’s a chance to have the Chinese be the new leaders of the crime underworld and no longer take a backseat to the Italians who often treated the triads as second-class citizens. There is a bit of mutual respect between Tai and White as they’re two men who are very uncompromising in everything they do. They don’t care for rules or what it takes to get things done yet they both stand for different ideas as White is a man of the law and Tai is on the other side where a collision is going to happen. It’s a film that moves back-and-forth into these two men where neither would budge forcing those who had been at their side to watch from the sidelines. Even as those that White had often criticized would fight back with some strong words about not what the Chinese brought to the world but also how they’ve managed to survive no matter what troubles they’ve encountered including prejudice.
Cimino’s direction is truly mesmerizing not just for the use of the 2:35:1 widescreen aspect ratio to capture every attention to detail in the frame. It’s also a film that doesn’t pull punches in terms of its violence and action as it has elements of gangster films and crime dramas of the past. Particularly in the look of its main characters as White sort of models himself as a detective of the 1940s but with the ruggedness of the 1970s while Tai is a man that recalls a more classical look but with a more modern attitude. While it is set largely in New York City, much of the film is shot in Wilmington, North Carolina as it dresses the Chinatown section as a colorful yet troubled world that is teetering on the edge of collapse. Much of Cimino’s compositions includes a lot of medium shots yet he manages to fill in a lot of coverage with the aspect ratio to play into the action and drama.
Some of which include some gazing tracking shot and some dolly shots to play into the drama such as this hypnotic scene where Tracy looks at New York City from her window as she walking slowly to look at the morning view. Some of the scenes set in Thailand has Cimino employ some wide shots that recall some of the epic-scale filmmaking of the 1960s to display Tai’s ambition. The direction gets more intense in the third act when White and Tai go head on as it includes this very gripping climax where the two men finally go to war as it recalls bits of the western and the gangster film all rolled into one. Overall, Cimino crafts a very visceral yet unflinching film about a cop’s ruthless obsession to stop an ambitious man’s rise to the top of the world.
Cinematographer Alex Thomson does excellent work with the film‘s colorful cinematography from the lush look of red in some of the interior scenes set in Chinatown along with exotic lights for the scenes in Tracy‘s apartment while a lot of the exterior scenes set in New York are grimy as Thomson‘s work is among one of the film‘s highlights. Editor Francoise Bonnot, with additional work from Noelle Boisson, does brilliant work with the editing with its unpredictable rhythms to play into some of the film‘s action and violent scenes while keeping things more simple for its dramatic moments. Production designer Wolf Kroeger and art director Victoria Paul do amazing work with the set pieces from some of the look of Chinatown as well as Tracy’s apartment plus some of the places like a restaurant and other places in the film.
Costume designer Marietta Ciriello does fantastic work with the costumes from the clothes the men wear along with the stylish look of Tracy to showcase her somewhat-posh persona. Sound editor James J. Klinger does superb work with the sound from the way some of the crowd scenes are captured to the sound effects of gunplay and such that occurs in the film. The film’s music by David Mansfield is incredible for its eerie orchestral pieces along with some plaintive and somber themes that also include some intense, Asian-based score cuts while the music soundtrack includes a few classical pieces and some Chinese pop songs.
The casting by Joanna Merlin is phenomenal as it features some notable small roles from Eddie Jones as the police captain that White replaces, Leonard Termo as White’s associate during the investigation, Mark Hammer as the police commissioner, Paul Scaglione as an aging Mafia boss, Mei Sheng Fan as a Thai crime boss that Tai meets, Ming C. Lee as the triad boss that is assassinated early in the film, and Joey Chin as the wild assassin Ronnie Yung. Victor Wong is terrific as Tai’s uncle Harry who becomes the new leader only to step down out for Joey as he becomes overwhelmed with the chaos that is emerging. Dennis Dun is excellent as the Chinese rookie cop Herbert Kwong as this young man who reluctantly works for White while having this great monologue about the Chinese and their contributions to the world as a way to put White in his place. Caroline Kava is wonderful as White’s long-suffering wife Connie who becomes frustrated with being neglected as well as his obsession to fight as she ponders about the state of their marriage.
Raymond J. Barry is superb as White’s superior/friend Bukowski as he tries to maintain some peace between the police and the triad as well as to get White to see some sense over the chaos he’s created. Ariane Koizumi is pretty good as news reporter Tracy Tzu as this ambitious woman that covers the chaos of what is happening as she engages into an affair with White while being frustrated over his attitude. John Lone is brilliant as Joey Tai as this ambitious and ruthless young triad boss who wants to create a new world order for the Chinese triad while doing what it takes to survive. Finally, there’s Mickey Rourke in a tremendous performance as Captain Stanley White as this flawed yet determined man who wants to take down the crime underworld at any cost as it’s a performance that is full of charm, wit, and humor as well as be extremely intense and terrifying as Rourke’s scenes with Lone are just exciting to watch.
Year of the Dragon is a remarkable film from Michael Cimino. Thanks to the top-notch performances of Mickey Rourke and John Lone as well as Alex Thomson’s fluid camera work and the hypnotic score of David Mansfield. The film is definitely one of Cimino’s finest films in his otherwise troubled career as it includes a smart and unflinching script co-written with Oliver Stone. It’s also a film that explores the world of prejudices, ambition, and obsession as it isn’t afraid to get down and dirty. In the end, Year of the Dragon is an incredible film from Michael Cimino.
Michael Cimino Films: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot - The Deer Hunter - Heaven’s Gate - The Sicilian - Desperate Hours (1990 film) - The Sunchaser - To Each His Own Cinema-No Translation Needed - The Auteurs #35: Michael Cimino
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Michael Cimino and screenplay by Deric Washburn from a story by Cimino, Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, and Quinn K. Redeker, The Deer Hunter is the story of three steelworkers from Pennsylvania who fight at the Vietnam War where their ideas of heroism has them encounter with the realness of war as one of them comes home changed and lost. The film into the idealism of men upon what they expected in the war as it is told the early years of the war to the Fall of Saigon in 1975. Starring Robert de Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, Meryl Streep, George Dzundza, Chuck Aspergren, Rutanya Alda, and John Cazale. The Deer Hunter is a gripping yet haunting film from Michael Cimino.
The film is about three men who work at the steel mills in Pennsylvania as they come from families of Russian descent as they’re set to leave to serve the Vietnam War. Yet, it’s a film that is a coming-of-age tale of sorts as Michael Vronsky (Robert de Niro), Steven Pushkov (John Savage), and Nick Chevortarevich (Christopher Walken) who all experience three different journeys upon their encounter with war as they don’t just lose their innocence but also themselves. It’s told in three different acts as the film’s screenplay takes it time to establish the characters and what they encounter. The first act is set in Pennsylvania as Steven is marrying his pregnant girlfriend Angela (Rutanya Alda) as Michael, Nick, and friends Stan (John Cazale), Axel (Chuck Aspergren) and John (George Dzundza) embark on a final deer hunt before Michael, Nick, and Steven leave for war.
The characterization of the three men showcase the different ideas of these men as Michael is a man who is no-nonsense as he believes in just one shot in order to kill a deer. Steven is a man who is quite loving and generous with his friends while Nick is the most introspective of the three as he loves hunting and the world of nature. Joined Stan, Axel, and John, they’re men who like to have a good time and such while Nick also has a girlfriend in Linda (Meryl Streep) whom Michael has feelings for. The first act is a look into innocence as well as some foreshadowing of the dark journey Michael, Nick, and Steven would encounter in the form of a drop of wine spilled on Angela’s bridal gown and the encounter with a soldier (Paul D’Amato) whom the three ask about the war as all the soldier says to them is “fuck it”.
The second act is set in Vietnam where Michael, Nick, and Steven not only encounter the horrors of war but also a world that is far more complicated where they’re captured by Vietcong soldiers who force them to play a sick, psychological game of Russian Roulette. The three would survive but the event would have bad repercussions as Nick and Michael would both take separate journeys while Steven becomes severely injured as he is later taken to a veterans hospital in the U.S. Nick would become lost in the dark world of Vietnam while Michael returns to America in its third act as a changed man as he becomes close to Linda while learning about Steven’s whereabouts that led him to learning what Nick’s been doing in Vietnam. It would play into this chilling climax about Nick’s descent as well as Michael trying to come to terms with what he’s lost and what he’s gained from his experience in the war.
Michael Cimino’s direction is definitely sprawling not just for the intimacy that he creates in the scenes at the wedding, its reception, as well as other scenes in the bars in the first act. It’s also these moments set in the mountains and forests where much of Cimino’s direction comes to life as he captures the mountains that were shot in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Washington, and Ohio to create something that feels like a world that is American at its most pure. Even in the small towns where Cimino’s direction has this sense of realism in the way men act towards each other and such as well as how they behave towards women. Some of which weren’t so good but some of it which includes the scenes between Michael and Linda are presented with great tenderness as they both deal with loss.
The direction has sequences that goes on for very long times such as the wedding and such where it establish some key moments for the characters as well as some small details that would occur. The scenes set in Vietnam was shot in Thailand as well as the infamous Russian Roulette sequence that is shot at the River Kwai. The scenes are very unsettling where there is a sense of unpredictability as it would play into the loss of innocence for the three men as Nick would descend further as he would be drawn by the world of Russian Roulette as it leads to this chilling climax during the Fall of Saigon where Michael tries to find him and take him home. It would be followed by this poignant epilogue that isn’t just about loss but how far the characters in the film have gone from the days of innocence in the late 1960s to the American nightmare at the fall of Saigon. Overall, Cimino crafts a very visceral yet touching film about three men and their chilling experience at the Vietnam War.
Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the lush scenery of the mountains in America to the desolate and eerie look of the scenes set in Vietnam as Zsigmond‘s work is a major highlight of the film. Editor Peter Zinner does excellent work with the editing from the news montage of the Fall of Saigon to some methodical cutting in the scenes at the wedding and its reception, the chilling scenes of war, and Michael‘s return to Saigon. Art directors Ron Hobbs and Kim Swados do fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the river-prisons run by the Vietcong as well as the hall for the wedding reception.
The sound work of Richard Portman, William L. McCaughey, Aaron Rochin, and C. Darin Knight is amazing for its sound mixing in the way it captures the chaos of war as well as the craziness in the lively wedding reception sequence. The film’s music by Stanley Myers is exquisite for its orchestral-driven score to play into the sense of war as well as the calmness of small-town America as it includes the theme Catavina performed by classical guitarist John Williams while the film’s music soundtrack includes some traditional Russian folk and funeral music plus Frankie Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and God Bless America.
The casting by Cis Corman is incredible as it features some notable small roles from Paul D’Amato as a war veteran at the wedding reception, Shirley Stoler as Steven’s mother, Pierre Segui as Nick’s French friend at Vietnam Julien, and Rutanya Alda as Steven’s bride Angela who becomes lost following Steven’s disappearance after his injury at the war. Chuck Aspegren is excellent as the very joyful big man Axel as he often says “fuckin’ A” while George Dzundza is superb as the bar owner/friend John who also likes to make sure everyone has fun though he is unable to fight in the war due to his hands. Meryl Streep is amazing as Linda as a woman who shares her sense of loss with Michael over Nick while wondering if he’s still alive as it’s one of Streep’s finest performances.
In his final film performance, John Cazale is great as Stan as this cowardly yet kind man who often gets himself into bad situations while bringing in some humor as it’s a very unforgettable performance from the late actor. John Savage is brilliant as Steven as this young man who gets married in the film’s first act while encountering the horror of war as he would nearly lose his sanity as it’s a mesmerizing one. Christopher Walken is phenomenal as Nick as this introspective man whose encounter with Russian Roulette has him descend into madness as he loses himself as it’s a very chilling performance from Walken. Finally, there’s Robert de Niro in a tremendous performance as Michael as this no-nonsense straight-arrow whose encounter with war has him changed as he tries to deal with what he loses and what he could get back as it’s a very intense and engaging performance from de Niro.
The Deer Hunter is a remarkable film from Michael Cimino. Armed with a great cast led by Robert de Niro along with strong supporting work from Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, John Savage, and the late John Cazale. It’s definitely one of the finest films about war and the myth of the American Dream as a fantasy. Particularly as it’s a film about the Vietnam War and how it affected those who served in that war. In the end, The Deer Hunter is a sensational film from Michael Cimino.
Michael Cimino Films: Thunderbolt & Lightfoot - Heaven‘s Gate - Year of the Dragon - The Sicilian - Desperate Hours (1990 film) - The Sunchaser - To Each His Own Cinema-No Translation Needed - The Auteurs #35: Michael Cimino
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Michael Cimino and written by Charles Leavitt, The Sunchaser is the story of a 16-year old juvenile delinquent, who is suffering from abdominal cancer as he kidnaps a rich doctor and takes him to the Navajo region in the hopes to cure him. The film is an exploration into a man dealing with his lifestyle as he struggles with the role he plays in helping this young man. Starring Woody Harrelson, Jon Seda, Talisa Soto, Alexandra Tydings, and Anne Bancroft. The Sunchaser is a visually-striking but messy film from Michael Cimino.
The film revolves two different men at different points in their life where they go into a journey to the Navajo Nation in the American Southwest. During this journey, a self-absorbed doctor and an angry 16-year old criminal go through changes in the journey as the former is taken hostage by the latter who believes that there’s a sacred mountain that can cure him of the abdominal cancer he’s suffering from as he has very little time to live. While the film does have some very interesting insight into the world of the Navajo and what this young half-Navajo man believes as he takes this rich doctor to the Navajo world. It’s a film that has an interesting concept but doesn’t really do enough to flesh out the characters nor bring any weight to what is at stake.
Charles Leavitt’s script does create some moments in the lead characters in Dr. Michael Reynolds (Woody Harrelson) and Brandon “Blue” Monroe (Jon Seda) where the two eventually bond. The way their relationship starts off from antagonistic to more friendly isn’t as developed where Dr. Reynolds is often more concerned with his reputation as he’s about to get a prestigious job offer so he can buy his wife their dream home. Yet, he would eventually care for Blue despite Blue’s constant threats and antagonism as he also carries a gun. In the course of the narrative as the two become more friendly with one another, Dr. Reynolds reveals into why he’s been so hesitant to be very helpful as it relates to a traumatic experience he had as a kid as Blue would remind him of his brother. The way some of the narrative and character development shift does have some earnest moments but it often feels too rushed or to clumsily scripted.
The direction of Michael Cimino has a lot of the attributes that he’s known in terms of vast visuals with the way he shoots the American Southwest in its canyons, mountains, and deserts. Many of which are just powerful yet he isn’t able to get the story to be more engaging as some of the drama that occurs gets repetitive at times in the way Dr. Reynolds and Blue often spar over their differences. Some of it would feel awkward such as a pivotal scene where Blue tells Dr. Reynolds the story of the Sunchaser while holding a gun to his head as Dr. Reynolds would have these flashbacks about his traumatic moment with his brother. It’s a scene that showcased some of the messiness of the film as there’s scenes where Cimino tries to inject some humor and drama as the latter show scenes of Dr. Reynolds’ wife waiting for word on her husband.
While Cimino is much more free in shooting in the deserts and mountains, it is clear that he wants to infuse a lot of mysticism as it concerns the world of the Navajo. Yet, he is unable to balance that with the drama where he wants to do so much with the story and make it feel personal and important. Even in its third act where the two men reach their destination as the mixture of beautiful imagery and mythology seems to play this idea of Americana that Cimino felt was lost. Yet, it’s a moment in the film that showcases not just what Cimino wasn’t able to do make the story feel whole but also in the fact that it’s a film that struggles with its identity in what it wants to be. Overall, Cimino creates an uneven film that isn’t sure what it wanted to say about two men going into a mystical journey.
Cinematographer Douglas Milsome does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the look of some of the interiors such as the bar Dr. Reynolds and Blue stop at to many of the beautiful images of the canyons and mountains they encounter. Editor Joe d’Augustine does nice work with the editing from the usage of stylish cuts as well as the flashback montages and rhythmic cutting for the action. Production designer Victoria Paul, with art directors Lee Mayman and Edward L. Rubin and set decorator Jackie Carr, does terrific work with the look of the bars and hospitals Dr. Reynolds and Blue go into as well as the posh home of Dr. Reynolds.
Costume designer Christine Peters does some fine work with the costumes from the street clothes of Blue to the look of the Navajo people he and Dr. Reynolds encounter. Sound designer Brian Best does superb work with the sound from the layers of sounds in the way helicopters and highway patrol officers try to find the two men as well as some of stuff that occurs in some of the film‘s locations. The film’s music by Maurice Jarre is good for some of the serene orchestral moments yet some of its bombast tends to drown out some of the drama as some of the placement of the music doesn’t work while the soundtrack includes some hip-hop, R&B, rock, and gospel.
The casting by Terry Liebing is wonderful for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from Andrea Roth as a head nurse, Carmen Dell’Orefice as Dr. Reynolds’ mother, Brooke Ashley as his young daughter, Christopher Kennedy Masterson as his brother in the flashback, John Christian Graas as the young Dr. Reynolds, Victor Aaron as the mysterious medicine man Webster Skyhorse, and Talisa Soto as his granddaughter. Alexandra Tydings is pretty good as Dr. Reynolds’ wife Victoria while Matt Mulhern is alright as Dr. Reynolds’ colleague who often has him wanting to advance his career. Anne Bancroft is fantastic as the eccentric Dr. Renata Baumbauer as a free-spirited woman Dr. Reynolds and Blue meets as she would convey a lot of strange ideas that would frustrate the former and amaze the latter.
Jon Seda is superb as Blue despite the fact that he was too old to play a 16-year old yet he manages to convey the sense of anger and determination of a dying young man who believes in this mystical mountain that he wants to go to. Finally, there’s Woody Harrelson in an excellent performance as Dr. Michael Reynolds as a man who is kidnapped by Blue as he comes to term with his own loss as well as the position he’s in as he tries to help Blue and also regain the courage and care that he has as a doctor and as a man.
The Sunchaser is a very troubled and disappointing film from Michael Cimino. Despite some majestic scenes and the performances of Woody Harrelson and Jon Seda, it’s a film that falls very short due to its script and inconsistency with what it wanted to be. In the end, The Sunchaser is a lukewarm and underwhelming film from Michael Cimino.
Michael Cimino Films: Thunderbolt & Lightfoot - The Deer Hunter - Heaven‘s Gate - Year of the Dragon - The Sicilian - Desperate Hours (1990 film) - To Each His Own Cinema-No Translation Needed - The Auteurs #35: Michael Cimino
© thevoid99 2014
Written and directed by Michael Cimino, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is the story about a Korean war veteran who takes in a young drifter to help him pull off one final heist with some old friends. The film is a genre-bending film that blends the road movie, buddy comedy, and the heist film as it explores the friendship between two very different men. Starring Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, Geoffrey Lewis, and George Kennedy. Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is an incredible debut film from Michael Cimino.
A minister known as Thunderbolt (Clint Eastwood) is evading an assassin who is after him where Thunderbolt runs into a drifter named Lightfoot (Jeff Bridges) who had just stolen a car as Thunderbolt goes into his car as Lightfoot accidentally hits the assassin with the car. The two decide to go on the road where Lightfoot learns who Thunderbolt really is as he was one of the members of a gang who had robbed an armory in Montana. Despite being chased by Thunderbolt’s old friend Red Leary (George Kennedy) and his accomplice Goody (Geoffrey Lewis), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot escape their way through different cars where they arrive in Warsaw, Montana to find the lost loot.
After realizing that the schoolhouse where Thunderbolt stashed the loot in is gone and replaced by a bigger schoolhouse, the duo’s troubles get worse when they’re finally captured by Leary and Goody. After a tussle and the revelation about the schoolhouse, the four men are unsure about what to do until Lightfoot suggests about doing the robbery all over again but with different ideas. Thunderbolt and Goody agree to the idea though Leary has his reservations about Lightfoot as the four decide to get real jobs to fund the heist. After getting an anti-tank gun and other things, the gang gets ready for the heist where Lightfoot plays a key role for the heist. Though everything seems to go well, something goes wrong where things become complicated as well as some big revelations for Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.
The film is essentially the story of two different men who meet by accident where they team up to retrieve stolen money one of them had stashed only for it to be gone as they team up with two other men to plan another heist. Yet, it’s a film that blends all sorts of genre where it’s a buddy comedy, a road film, and a heist film all rolled into one as it’s about the dynamic between these two very different men from different age groups and lifestyles as they team up for this heist. Michael Cimino’s screenplay doesn’t have a lot of plot as it is about the friendship between these two men and how they decide to plan a heist with Thunderbolt’s old friends to settle some old scores yet things become uneasy due to Red Leary’s reservations towards the young Lightfoot.
Cimino’s script also has a great complexity to the characters he creates in not just its titular protagonists as they’re just two different men trying to live their life any way they want. He also creates an interesting characterization in the Red Leary character who is upset over the fact that Thunderbolt seemingly screwed him over their last robbery where the money was as it was never retrieved. Once he decides to team-up with Thunderbolt for a new heist, Leary is still unsure about the idea as he feels threatened by the presence of the more easy-going Lightfoot who is much nicer to everyone else including Leary’s accomplice Goody who doesn’t get treated with much respect by Leary.
Cimino’s direction is definitely vast in terms of the visual style he presents as he shoots the film largely on location in Montana. A lot of which features many wide scenes in exterior locations where Cimino takes advantage of the landscape for a wide depth of field in those shots. Cimino creates a lot of unique compositions to these exterior shots in the way he places the actors in these locations. It’s not just the location setting where Cimino creates unique shots but also in the interiors where he manages to find an intimacy in these settings while using the camera to establish what is going on there. Notably where Cimino will find some idea of humor to these scenes such as Leary riding in a small ice cream truck with Goody who is working as an ice cream man.
Cimino also creates some dazzling sequences in the film’s heist sequence where it’s about a lot that is happening where each character plays a role in the heist. Some of which is comical as it involves some very strange ideas that end up being very funny. It is later followed by some very chilling scenes where it is about what people do in the aftermath of a heist which involves loyalties and such. Overall, Cimino creates a film that is entertaining as well as captivating in the exploration of friendship and loyalty.
Cinematographer Frank Stanley does brilliant work with the film‘s evocative cinematography from the beautiful look of the Montana locations with its mountains and farmland as well as some nighttime shots with stylish lights to set the mood. Editor Ferris Webster does wonderful work with the editing to create some dazzling cuts in the film‘s heist scene as well as some rhythmic cuts for some of its livelier moments. Art director Tambi Larsen and set decorator James L. Berkey do terrific work with the set pieces from the look of the church in the film’s opening scene to some of the interior scenes such as the trailer that the four men lived in to plan the heist.
Sound editor Keith Stafford does nice work with the sound to capture the chaos of some of the more raucous moments of the film while going for an intimacy in the film‘s quieter moments. The film’s music by Dee Barton is excellent for its score as it features a lot of playful country music as well as some brooding, orchestral-driven music for the heist scene as the music also features a song written and performed by Paul Williams.
The casting by Patricia Mock is fantastic for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from Bill McKinney as crazy driver with a raccoon and rabbits, Gregory Walcott as a car salesman duped by Lightfoot, Gary Busey as a carpenter Lightfoot works with, and Catherine Bach as a woman Lightfoot meets early in the film. Geoffrey Lewis is excellent as the often mistreated Goody who proves to be very helpful yet doesn’t get appreciated from the more selfish Leary. George Kennedy is great as the very devious Red Leary who dislikes Lightfoot while being very cruel to those around him making things complicated for the heist.
Finally, there’s the duo of Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges in amazing performances in their respective roles as Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. Both men each provide laidback approaches to their roles with Eastwood as the more grizzled veteran who shows Lightfoot the ropes while Bridges gets to bring a lot of humor to the character of Lightfoot. Notably as Bridges often says funny things that would irk Leary while doing things that just adds to the humor.
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a phenomenal film from Michael Cimino that features superb performances from Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges. The film is definitely one of the most entertaining and visually-astonishing films of the 1970s as well as one of Cimino’s highlight in his career as a filmmaker. It’s also a very unconventional film that plays to all sorts of genres while not being afraid to take itself so seriously. In the end, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a remarkable film from Michael Cimino.
Michael Cimino Films: The Deer Hunter - Heaven's Gate - Year of the Dragon - The Sicilian - Desperate Hours (1990 film) - The Sunchaser - To Each His Own Cinema-No Translation Needed - The Auteurs #35: Michael Cimino
© thevoid99 2013
