Oh dear lord Lavina, apparently Cimino is even worse in HEAVEN'S GATE.....which if I ever get the guts to confront that 3 hours, 39 minute legendary disaster, I'll say if its worse or not then DEER HUNTER.

Actually, THE DEER HUNTER is a really good film, but a great movie? No way. Good work from DeNiro, Walken, Cazael, Streep, and others, but does it equate to the execution brilliance of APOCALYPSE NOW or whatever, but ya I can still see why people love it...I'm just not one of the groupies.

Michael Cimino's THE DEER HUNTER (1978) - ****

P.S. - After HEAVEN'S GATE's bombing, Cimino almost was hired as writer/director of this studio project in the early 80's. What is the movie?

FOOTLOOSE.

Yes, I would have laughed if this was a joke, but no its reality...and I sorta feel bad, of sorts. From Oscar to disaster to FOOTLOOSE.

Neverless, Cimino did a rather good job with YEAR OF THE DRAGON in 1985 with a pre-fucked-up Mickey Rourke. Not a great or perhaps even real remarkable picture, but its a rather mentally-consuming "procedural cop" dramatic exercise.