Days of Heaven is One of the Most Beautiful Movies Ever Made

Néstor Almendros's cinematography got an Oscar and the film easily recovered its $3m investment. But a few observers – I was one of them – said, wait a minute, this extraordinary talent might be headed for prettification.

Winner of the 1978 Academy Award for Cinematography, Days of Heaven has been acclaimed by critics as one of the most visually stunning films ever made.

Its natural-light photography was widely praised, although a small number of critics considered only this aspect to be worthy of high praise. It was not a significant commercial success, but did win an Academy Award for Best Cinematography along with three nominations for the score, costume ...

Richard Gere, a fugitive from the slums of Chicago, finds himself pitted against a shy, rich Texan (Sam Shepard) for the love of Abby (Brooke Adams). Winning an Oscar for Best Cinematography, the film’s painterly compositions, shot mostly during the golden hour, are breathtaking.

Winner of Best Cinematography at the 1979 Academy Awards, and one of the most critically-acclaimed films of all time, Days of Heaven (1978) is a moving story about two men who love the same woman.

Furthermore, cinematographer Néstor Almendros had to leave halfway through the process, and a replacement had to be called, which immediately put the film’s visual consistency into question. Finally, after principal photography was finished, it took two years for Malick to wrap up the editing, even though he could count on the services of the great editor Billy Weber. But all the hard labor finally paid off, as Days of Heaven turned out to be one of the most beautiful films ever to be featured on the silver screen, earning Malick the highest recognition in Cannes.

British Society of Cinematographers (1) Cannes Film Festival (2) David di Donatello Awards (2) Golden Globes, USA (2) Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (1) National Board of Review, USA (2) National Film Preservation Board, USA (1) National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA (3) New York Film Critics Circle Awards (2) Venice Film Festival (1) Writers Guild of America, USA (1) International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA) (1) The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards (2) 13 wins & 13 nominations ·

On the other hand, one can argue that Days of Heaven is far more beautiful but also less thought-provoking. At first glance, is seems, quite deceptively, a very naïve film (as naïve painters such as Douanier Rousseau) and many praise its pastoral ...

Days of Heaven is too self-consciously beautiful to support its narrative framework. Intentionally or not, the wonders and horrors of nature dwarf the characters to such an extent that they are rendered insignificant and often boring by contrast.