So, you've seen Days of Heaven, too?

(actually, I only lasted through the first 20 minutes)

While The Thin Red Line is fantastic, I share your dislike of Days of Heaven. Lauded as a masterpiece, when I finally watched it I couldn't understand how.

His secret to success was doing nothing for 20 years and letting idiots build him into a genius in the void of anything which would have demonstrated otherwise

I lasted through the film only because of the cinematography, the other parts are overrated.