But a few days ago I came across a particular TV ad for Heaven's Gate that I had to share, for reasons that are about to become crystal clear.
First of all, this is the first TV ad for Heaven's Gate that I have ever seen in my life - come to think of it, I don't think I even saw any ads on TV for this on its first go-around! But the more pressing fact as to why this is such an important advertisement stems from one fact alone....
You notice where they say this movie is going to be showing? The Plitt Century Plaza 1 and 2? Those were theaters in Century City - you know; Hollywood, California? Where all the big deal premieres were shown?
Well, this ad came out BEFORE the premieres in New York City, where Heaven's Gate was all but run out of town on a rail, and United Artists had to cough up a bunch of "Engagement Postponed" stickers to put on all of their posters in the theaters way out West.
In other words, this is an ad for a showing that was never to be.
Kind of like the ads NBC showed for their coverage of the 1980 Summer Olympics (go ask your folks about that one).
This is kind of historic, though; to look at this ad, would YOU expect something to happen on the scale of what happened with Heaven's Gate? That is, the 500 mile-wide explosion that left a crater 5 miles deep in the center of United Artists' business, livelihood and reputation?
No, you'd expect something befitting the legacy of "The Academy Award-Winning Director Of The Deer Hunter".
Instead, everybody got the Gate.
Hee-hee.
Dope out.
- TGWD
