Heaven’s Gate (1980)

This epic Western drama, directed by Michael Cimino and starring Kris Kirstofferson, Christopher Walken, Sam Waterston, and Jeff Bridges dramatizes the real-life Johnson County War of the 1890s in Wyoming. It follows a Harvard-educated marshal, James Averill (Kris Kristofferson), as he attempts to protect European immigrant settlers from wealthy cattle barons and their hired mercenaries. Although a financial failure when it was originally released, the general assessment of the movie has become more favorable over time. In 2015, BBC Culture ranked Heaven’s Gate 98^th on its list of the 100 greatest American films of all time.  

Kevin Sandler will introduce the film.

Kevin Sandler is Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at Arizona State University. He is a specialist in American media industries, with a focus on censorship and animation. He is author and editor of numerous books including The Naked Truth: Why Hollywood Doesn’t Make X-Rated Movies and Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation.

Rating: R

Length: 3h 39m