Died director of “The Deer Hunter” by Michael Cimino – BBC

About the death of Michael Cimino in his Twitter said the program director of the Cannes Film Festival Thierry Fremaux. “Cimino died peacefully surrounded by family”, – wrote Fremaux

Michael Cimino was born in 1939 in New York.. After graduating from Yale University, where he studied architecture and dramatic arts, he came to the movies, where he started as a director of documentaries and director of advertising. His guide in the world of feature films was the Clint Eastwood, whose first Cimino wrote the script picture “Higher Power”, and then put his Western debut “Thunder and runner.” Who was then at the peak of popularity Eastwood really gave a start in life is a talented director, who has the following picture earned their own big name, –

this film was the legendary “The Deer Hunter” <. / span>

From the original story about a group of friends traveling to Vegas to play Russian roulette, Cimino made a real epic about the consequences of the Vietnam war. The main roles of soldiers – natives of Russian emigre families played by Robert De Niro, John Savage and Christopher Walken, an award for his role as Nick Chebotarevicha award “Oscar”. Cimino also received an award as best director and picture won in the category “Best Film”. Everything pointed to the fact that in the heyday of the “New Hollywood”, who gave moviegoers Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and many other outstanding authors, Cimino was to become the next star.

However, like-minded way were very different and not all of them managed to achieve this success. Defeat befell Cimino.

His next film “Gates of Paradise” received a $ 44 million budget, but the tragic history of European immigrant farmers who have entered into a confrontation with the local landowners, did not like the United Artists studio. Film producers was reduced by almost half and received a hostile reception by critics and the public. As a result, the next step to the status of a classic director turned to crushing failure. But even then, in 1981, “Gates of Paradise” received “Palme d’Or”, and in 2012, justice was restored. Cimino released director’s cut, and its premiere at the 69th Venice Film Festival was a triumph. But it was getting late, and 35 years ago, hardly begun the director’s career was almost buried.

In 1985, Cimino, however, he returned to film with excellent crime drama “Year of the Dragon” about police captain by Mickey Rourke, who enters into a confrontation with the Chinese “Triad».

The film was positively received, but not too successfully performed at the box office.

Two years later, he was “Sicilian” on the novel by the author of “the Godfather” by Mario Puzo with Christopher Lambert, who suffered the same fate. In the 1990s, Cimino shot the last two pictures – brilliant “Hours despair” with Mickey Rourke and “sun catcher”, which, despite the artistic merit, and have not returned it lost positions. The last work of Michael Cimino was the short film anthology of “To Each His Own Cinema” entitled “Translation is not required».