Charles Elton Libri

The first biography of filmmaker Michael Cimino offers a reevaluation of the infamous film that derailed his career. Known for the powerful Vietnam movie The Deer Hunter, which won Best Picture in 1979, Cimino is also infamous for Heaven’s Gate, a film that became a notorious bomb. Originally budgeted at $11 million, the western spiraled out of control in production, ultimately costing over $40 million. Upon its release, Heaven’s Gate was a critical and commercial failure, leading to the collapse of United Artists and signaling the end of Hollywood’s auteur era. Author Charles Elton provides a fresh perspective on the making and fallout of Heaven’s Gate, challenging the narrative established by Steven Bach, an executive involved with the film who criticized Cimino in his own book. Elton’s biography presents a detailed account of Cimino's life, drawing from extensive interviews with peers, collaborators, and critics, many of whom have remained silent until now. This work unravels the myths and complexities surrounding Cimino, illuminating his extraordinary career and the intricate interplay of art and ambition in Hollywood. It is a compelling exploration of the costs of creativity, both financial and personal.

Examines and re-evaluates the life and career of the director of the critically acclaimed film "The Deer Hunter," as well as 1980's "Heaven's Gate," the most notorious cinematic bomb of all time

And out of the Darkwood Mr Toppit comes, and he comes not for you, or for me, but for all of us. When The Hayseed Chronicles, an obscure series of children's books, become world-famous millions of readers debate the significance of that enigmatic last line and the shadowy figure of Mr Toppit who dominates the books. The author, Arthur Hayman, an unsuccessful screenwriter mown down by a concrete truck in Soho, never reaps the benefits of the books' success. The legacy passes to his widow, Martha, and her children - the fragile Rachel, and Luke, reluctantly immortalised as Luke Hayseed, the central character of his father's books. But others want their share, particularly Laurie, the overweight stranger from California, who comforts Arthur as he lies dying, and has a mysterious aganda of her own that changes all their lives. For buried deep in the books lie secrets which threaten to be revealed as the family begins to crumble under the heavy burden of their inheritance. Spanning several decades, from the heyday of the British film industry after the war to the cut-throat world of show business in Los Angeles, Mr Toppit is a riveting tale of the unexpected effects of sudden fame and fortune. Not since Jonathan Coe's What a Carve Up! has a novel managed to capture a family and a society to such wonderfully funny and painful effect.