In 1980, the release of an ambitious Western epic triggered a financial disaster that shuttered a major Hollywood studio. This project remains a textbook example of how unchecked creative vision can lead to complete industry upheaval.
This quiz focuses on the production’s massive budget overruns, the director’s specific filming methods, and the ripple effects the box office failure had on the film industry at large. You will see questions about the crew, the historical context, and the project’s reputation.
Once finished, look at our other collections on troubled film productions, the New Hollywood era, or the history of classic western films.
Which director became the face of a massive production failure following the release of his 1980 Western epic?
Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
William Friedkin
William Friedkin
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Michael Cimino
Michael Cimino
What is the name of the film infamous for its production problems, which effectively ended the ‘New Hollywood’ era?
The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter
The Last Waltz
The Last Waltz
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Heaven’s Gate
Heaven’s Gate
Which major studio suffered a devastating financial collapse largely due to the ballooning budget of this specific film?
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
MGM
MGM
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
United Artists
United Artists
What particular obsession was often cited as a cause for the production’s extreme budget overruns?
Setting fire to props
Setting fire to props
Rehearsing actors for months without filming
Rehearsing actors for months without filming
Buying an entire town to use as a set
Buying an entire town to use as a set
Demanding multiple takes for simple actions
Demanding multiple takes for simple actions
In which U.S. state was much of the controversial film’s outdoor location shooting conducted?
Montana
Montana
Texas
Texas
Wyoming
Wyoming
Colorado
Colorado
Approximately how much did the production cost, which was considered an astronomical figure in 1980?
$28 million
$28 million
$12 million
$12 million
$7 million
$7 million
$44 million
$44 million
What was the runtime of the original edit of the film that was infamously pulled from theaters almost immediately after its premiere?
Three hours flat
Three hours flat
Four hours and 10 minutes
Four hours and 10 minutes
Three hours and 39 minutes
Three hours and 39 minutes
Two hours and 15 minutes
Two hours and 15 minutes
Who played the lead role of Averill in the story set during the Johnson County War?
Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
John Hurt
John Hurt
Who famously wrote, ‘It is something quite 13th-century, an unqualified disaster,’ regarding the film’s premiere?
The film critic Roger Ebert
The film critic Roger Ebert
The film critic Gene Siskel
The film critic Gene Siskel
The film critic Pauline Kael
The film critic Pauline Kael
The New York Times film critic Vincent Canby
The New York Times film critic Vincent Canby
The film’s plot is loosely based on which historical conflict between cattle barons and immigrant settlers?
The Johnson County War
The Johnson County War
The Sand Creek Massacre
The Sand Creek Massacre
The Battle of the Little Bighorn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn
The Wounded Knee Massacre
The Wounded Knee Massacre
Which scene, featuring a large number of extras, is often cited by the director as proof of his dedication to aesthetic beauty?
A gunfight in a muddy street
A gunfight in a muddy street
A campfire debate regarding labor rights
A campfire debate regarding labor rights
A train ride across the frontier
A train ride across the frontier
A roller skating waltz sequence
A roller skating waltz sequence
Which of these facts represents the immediate commercial fallout of the film in late 1980?
It was pulled from distribution after one week of release
It was pulled from distribution after one week of release
It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes
It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes
It was nominated for seven Academy Awards
It was nominated for seven Academy Awards
It was directed by a first-time filmmaker
It was directed by a first-time filmmaker
How did the industry change significantly following the failure of this production?
Directors began producing their own films independently as a standard practice
Directors began producing their own films independently as a standard practice
The studio directors gained full artistic autonomy
The studio directors gained full artistic autonomy
Studios tightened control over directors and budgets
Studios tightened control over directors and budgets
The studio system became entirely decentralized
The studio system became entirely decentralized
What characterized the director’s career profile in the decades immediately following his fall from grace?
He left the film industry entirely to pursue law in France
He left the film industry entirely to pursue law in France
He directed a string of small, critically panned films over the following two decades
He directed a string of small, critically panned films over the following two decades
He immediately moved into television production to pay off debts
He immediately moved into television production to pay off debts
He directed two more major blockbusters before retiring
He directed two more major blockbusters before retiring
What is the modern legacy status of the film within film history circles?
It was officially re-evaluated as an unappreciated masterpiece years later by some critics
It was officially re-evaluated as an unappreciated masterpiece years later by some critics
It remains consistently rated as the worst film ever made by every major film critic organization
It remains consistently rated as the worst film ever made by every major film critic organization
All original prints were ordered to be destroyed by the studio head
All original prints were ordered to be destroyed by the studio head
The studio eventually released a sequel in the mid-1990s to recoup losses
The studio eventually released a sequel in the mid-1990s to recoup losses
Cimino often justified his massive budget overruns by highlighting his commitment to which specific aspect of filmmaking?
Editing choices
Editing choices
Authenticity and historical period detail
Authenticity and historical period detail
The choice of lens filters to create a sepia tone
The choice of lens filters to create a sepia tone
The hiring of thousands of extras for static shots
The hiring of thousands of extras for static shots
Which major corporate event was directly accelerated by the financial ruin brought about by the film?
The bankruptcy of major theater chains in the early 1980s
The bankruptcy of major theater chains in the early 1980s
The death of the studio moguls who pioneered the system
The death of the studio moguls who pioneered the system
MGM merger with United Artists
MGM merger with United Artists
The rise of the home video market as a primary revenue source
The rise of the home video market as a primary revenue source
What was the psychological root cause often attributed to the director’s inability to reign in the production’s scope?
His refusal to use professional screenwriters
His refusal to use professional screenwriters
His obsession with perfectionism and total artistic control
His obsession with perfectionism and total artistic control
His lack of experience in period drama films
His lack of experience in period drama films
His inability to communicate with his lead actors
His inability to communicate with his lead actors
Which French actress played the lead female love interest in the film?
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton
Shelley Duvall
Shelley Duvall
Isabelle Huppert
Isabelle Huppert
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
What notable event refreshed public interest in the film in the early 21st century?
The film was never released on home video formats to protect its prestige
The film was never released on home video formats to protect its prestige
The 2012 Criterion Collection restored version brought the film new critical attention
The 2012 Criterion Collection restored version brought the film new critical attention
The film was only available in black and white until the year 2000
The film was only available in black and white until the year 2000
A director’s cut was never produced or authorized by the estate
A director’s cut was never produced or authorized by the estate
Which anecdote highlights the extreme, often unseen, perfectionism displayed by the director?
Thousands of dollars were spent on authentic period furniture that was never filmed clearly
Thousands of dollars were spent on authentic period furniture that was never filmed clearly
The director insisted on shipping in special sand from California for the desert scenes
The director insisted on shipping in special sand from California for the desert scenes
The production was filmed largely in post-production studios instead of on-location sets
The production was filmed largely in post-production studios instead of on-location sets
The director insisted on using period-accurate gunpowder which frequently malfunctioned
The director insisted on using period-accurate gunpowder which frequently malfunctioned
What describes the director’s public persona during his decades of late-life obscurity?
He became a recluse known for rumors of plastic surgery and disappearing from public life
He became a recluse known for rumors of plastic surgery and disappearing from public life
He taught film theory at a prestigious university until his death
He taught film theory at a prestigious university until his death
He successfully transitioned into a stable career as a film studio executive for Warner Bros
He successfully transitioned into a stable career as a film studio executive for Warner Bros
He became a prominent television personality in the 1990s
He became a prominent television personality in the 1990s
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If you enjoyed this look at historical film flops, check out our insights on notable box office disasters, browse our index of famous film directors, or study war movie history.
