November 16, 1943 - He was born in New York City, New York (according to his professional biography). 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 (1978). The picture became a massive critical and commercial success, and won a number of Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture. On the basis of this track record, he was given free rein by United Artists for his next film, Heaven's Gate (1980). The film came in several times over budget; the result not only was a financial disaster that nearly bankrupted the studio, but Heaven's Gate 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. Transamerica Corporation, the owner of United Artists, lost confidence in the film company and its management. Transamerica soon sold the company. Heaven's Gate was such a devastating box office and critical bomb that public perception of Cimino's work was almost irretrievably tainted in its wake; none of his subsequent films achieved popular or critical success. 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. Paramount fired Cimino and finalized the deal with Herbert Ross to direct the picture, as had originally been intended. (www.wikipedia.org)

Michael Cimino est un réalisateur américain né le 3 février 1939 à New York. Cimino débuta dans le cinéma en tant que scénariste. On lui doit en particulier les scénarios de Silent Running de Douglas Trumbull et du deuxième volet de la saga de l'Inspecteur Harry Magnum Force. Il passa à la réalisation avec le film le Canardeur, avec Clint Eastwood. Son second film, Voyage au bout de l'enfer, rencontra un immense succès critique et commercial et valu à Michael Cimino l'Oscar du meilleur réalisateur. Fort de ce succès, Cimino obtint de United Artists le contrôle total pour son film suivant, La Porte du paradis. Le film fut un fiasco financier et conduisit United Artists à la banqueroute, mais est néanmoins considéré aujourd'hui comme un film culte. (www.wikipedia.org)

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