Review: "Cimino's Defeat" Is the Audience's Victory
Cimino's Defeat Written by Eric Faris Co-directed by Sam Cini and Ryan Czerwonko Presented by Adult Film at Torn Page 435 W 22nd St., Manhattan, NYC January 20-February 14, 2026 Gia Bonello and Tad D'Agostino. Photo by GEVE. It's no great insight to observe that many (overwhelmingly male) "geniuses" in the arts are controlling perfectionists prone to mistreating those around them, including their collaborators. In the history of modern cinema, Stanley Kubrick arguably represents the most prominent example of this type. Michael Cimino, director and co-writer of 1978's The Deer Hunter , is another; and, in 1980, both men released films notoriously produced with an obsessive dedication to their respective directors' visions: The Shining and Heaven's Gate . The former debuted to mixed reviews, while the latter destroyed Cimino's career, although he would direct a handful more films before his death in 2016. While Kubrick's film is now considered ...