Michael Cimino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Cimino
Cimino in 2003
Born	Michael Antonio Cimino (1939-02-03)February 3, 1939 New York City, U.S.
Died	July 2, 2016(2016-07-02) (aged 77) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Education	Michigan State University (BA Graphic Arts, 1959) Yale University (BFA Painting, 1961; MFA Painting, 1963)
Occupation	Film director · Producer Screenwriter · Author
Years active	1972–2007
Notable work	The Deer Hunter
Spouse(s)	Joann Carelli

Michael Antonio Cimino (born February 3, 1939 – died July 2, 2016) was an American filmmaker. He was known as one of the "New Hollywood" directors. Cimino became famous for his movie The Deer Hunter (1978). This film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Born in New York City, Cimino started his career making commercials. In 1971, he moved to Los Angeles to become a screenwriter. He helped write the scripts for Silent Running (1972) and Magnum Force (1973). Then, he wrote the first script for Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974). This film was his first time directing, and it became one of the highest-earning movies that year.

After the success of The Deer Hunter in 1978, Cimino was given a lot of freedom for his next film, Heaven's Gate (1980). This movie did not do well with critics and lost a lot of money. Its failure led Hollywood studios to focus more on big, popular movies instead of director-led films. However, in recent years, Heaven's Gate has been seen in a new light. Some critics now call it one of the greatest American films ever made. His last movie was The Sunchaser, released in 1996. He continued to work on new film ideas until he passed away.

Early Life and Education

Michael Cimino was born in New York City on February 3, 1939. He grew up in Westbury, New York, on Long Island, with his brothers. His family was Italian-American. Michael was considered very smart at the private schools he attended.

His father was a music publisher. His mother designed costumes. She once told him she knew he was famous because his name appeared in The New York Times crossword puzzle.

Cimino finished Westbury High School in 1956. He then went to Michigan State University. There, he studied graphic arts and graduated with honors in 1959. He also became the art director for the school's humor magazine.

After Michigan State, Cimino studied painting, architecture, and art history at Yale University. He also got involved in school plays. In 1962, while at Yale, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve. He trained for several months. Cimino earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1961 and his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1963, both in painting.

Career in Filmmaking

Starting in Advertising

After college, Cimino moved to Manhattan. He started working in advertising on Madison Avenue. He became a successful director of TV commercials. He made ads for well-known brands like United Airlines and Pepsi. Cimino once said that he quickly became a commercial director.

His commercials were known for their exciting visuals and detailed sets. One example is a 1967 United Airlines commercial called "Take Me Along." It featured women singing to men, asking them to take them on a flight. Charles Okun, who worked with Cimino, said his visuals were amazing. However, he also noted that Michael took a very long time because he was so careful. During this time, Cimino met Joann Carelli, who worked with commercial directors. They had a long relationship.

Moving to Hollywood

In 1971, Cimino moved to Los Angeles to become a screenwriter. He said Joann Carelli encouraged him to try writing. He started writing screenplays because he needed a way to direct films. He learned that if a star wanted to make a script you wrote, you might get a chance to direct it. This is what happened with Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.

Cimino's script for Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was shown to Clint Eastwood. Eastwood liked it and bought it for his company, Malpaso. He also let Cimino direct the film. Before this, Cimino helped write two other movie scripts: the science fiction film Silent Running and Eastwood's Magnum Force.

Directing Success

Cimino's first movie as a director was Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974). It starred Clint Eastwood as "Thunderbolt" and Jeff Bridges as "Lightfoot." They are two friends who plan one last big heist. Eastwood was originally going to direct it himself, but Cimino impressed him. The film was a success, earning $25 million on a $4 million budget. Jeff Bridges was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Cimino later said he owed everything to Clint Eastwood for his start in movies.

After Thunderbolt and Lightfoot did well, Cimino received many offers. He decided to wait for a project he truly wanted to do. In 1976, he pitched a film about the Vietnam War to EMI executives. To his surprise, they accepted it. Cimino then co-wrote, co-produced, and directed The Deer Hunter (1978). This film starred Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and John Savage. They played three friends from a steel mill town in Pennsylvania who go to fight in Vietnam. The movie went over its planned schedule and budget. However, it became a huge success with critics and audiences. It won five Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture for Cimino.

Later Films

Because of his success with The Deer Hunter, Cimino was given a lot of creative freedom for his next film, Heaven's Gate (1980). This movie went way over budget. When it was released, it lost so much money that it almost bankrupted the studio, United Artists. This film's failure is often seen as the end of the "New Hollywood" era, where directors had a lot of control.

After Heaven's Gate, many people's opinions of Cimino's work changed. Most of his later films did not become popular or receive good reviews. However, years later, a longer version of Heaven's Gate was shown and received much better reviews. It was even released on DVD and Blu-ray by the Criterion Collection.

Cimino directed Year of the Dragon in 1985, a crime drama he co-wrote with Oliver Stone. This film was criticized by some for how it showed Chinese Americans. In 1987, he directed The Sicilian, which also did not do well at the box office.

In 1990, Cimino directed a remake of The Desperate Hours, starring Anthony Hopkins and Mickey Rourke. This film also struggled at the box office. His last full-length movie was The Sunchaser in 1996. It was nominated for an award at the Cannes Film Festival but was released directly to video.

Later Years

In 2001, Cimino published his first novel, Big Jane. Later that year, he received an award from the French Minister of Culture. He also wrote a book called Conversations en miroir in 2003.

In 2007, Cimino directed a short 3-minute film segment for a movie called To Each His Own Cinema. Filmmakers were asked to show their feelings about movie theaters. Throughout the 2010s, Cimino continued to write screenplays, but he found it hard to get them made into films.

In 2012, Cimino attended the premiere of a new version of Heaven's Gate at the Venice Film Festival. It received a standing ovation and was praised by film critics. In 2015, Cimino received a special award at the Locarno Film Festival.

Death and Legacy

Michael Cimino passed away on July 2, 2016, at his home in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 77. The cause of his death was not shared with the public. Many directors, actors, and other famous people shared their respect for him after he died.

His work has been praised by other famous filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick and Quentin Tarantino. Oliver Stone, who worked with Cimino, said he enjoyed working with him and learned a lot.

Unrealized Projects

Throughout his career, Cimino was involved in many film projects that were never made. Sometimes, these projects fell apart before filming began. Other times, they were stopped because of his reputation after Heaven's Gate.

Cimino's biggest dream project was to make a movie based on Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead. He wrote the script for this film between Thunderbolt and Lightfoot and The Deer Hunter. He hoped Clint Eastwood would play the main character. Cimino continued to hope to film this story until he died in 2016.

Film Style and Influences

Influences

Cimino greatly admired directors like Luchino Visconti, John Ford, and Akira Kurosawa, calling them "The Holy Trinity of movies." He also liked the films of Sam Peckinpah. For books, he was influenced by writers such as Vladimir Nabokov and Leo Tolstoy.

In 1992, Cimino shared his top ten favorite films for a Sight & Sound poll. These included:

• The Leopard (Italy, 1963)
• They Were Expendable (USA, 1945)
• Ludwig (Italy/France, 1973)
• The Searchers (USA, 1956)
• La Strada (Italy, 1954)
• Children of Paradise (France, 1945)
• My Darling Clementine (USA, 1946)
• La Dolce Vita (Italy, 1960)
• Rocco and His Brothers (Italy, 1960)
• Seven Samurai (Japan, 1954)

Themes and Visual Style

Cimino's films often explored serious topics and had a strong visual style. He often filmed in Widescreen and used beautiful, painterly shots. He also used moving camera shots and wide establishing shots that showed off landscapes and nature. His films often had a slow pace, focusing more on the characters and setting than just the plot.

Many of his films looked at parts of U.S. history and culture. They often showed disappointment with the American Dream. Other common elements in his movies included love triangles between main characters. There were also sudden bursts of violence in calm settings. He sometimes cast people who were not professional actors in smaller roles.

Images for kids

• 

  A still from Cimino's "Take Me Along" commercial

Filmography

As Director

As Writer

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Michael Cimino para niños