Heat [Blu-ray]

HEAT [1995 / 2017] [Director’s Definitive Edition] [2 Blu-ray Discs] Michael Mann Made His Coolest Film Ever! Michael Mann Shows Two Hollywood Heavyweights Burns As Brightly As Ever!Oscar winners Al Pacino and Robert De Niro both drive one of the most powerful and complex crime dramas of all time and four-time Oscar nominees Michael Mann's classic ‘HEAT’ [1995], and arriving in an all-new Director's Definitive Edition from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.In the wake of a precision heist of an armoured van, the crew of a fierce, professional thief [Robert De Niro] and an obsessively driven LAPD detective [Al Pacino] are locked in deadly opposition as they vector towards each other in Mann's dazzling, twilight vision of Los Angeles. As the stakes escalate and their lives begin to unravel, the crew initiates it’s most dangerous and complex heist.Taking inspiration from the late Chicago police detective Chuck Adamson, who killed the actual Neil McCauley in a shootout in 1963. ‘HEAT’ was the culmination of years of research by Michael Mann, resulting in its depth and range of characters and choreography of action. With its epic scale and stunning performances from Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Amy Brenneman, Diane Venora, Natalie Portman and Jon Voight. ‘HEAT’ is as incendiary as it was 20 years ago. ‘HEAT’ sizzles with hard-hitting action and gripping suspense! The Blu-ray release has been sourced from a NEW 4K Re-mastered negative of the film, supervised by director Michael Mann.FILM FACT: To make the long shootout more realistic they hired British ex-Special Air Service Special Forces sergeant Andy McNab as a technical weapons trainer and adviser. Andy McNab designed a weapons training curriculum to train the actors for three months using live ammunition before shooting with blanks for the actual take and worked with training them for the bank robbery. Principal photography for ‘HEAT’ lasted 107 days. All of the shooting was done on location, Michael Mann deciding not to use a soundstage.Cast: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, Natalie Portman, Tom Noonan, Kevin Gage, Hank Azaria, Susan Traylor, Kim Staunton, Danny Trejo, Henry Rollins, Jerry Trimble, Martin Ferrero, Ricky Harris, Tone-Lõc, Begonya Plaza, Hazelle Goodman, Ray Buktenica, Jeremy Piven, Xander Berkeley, Rick Avery, Brad Baldridge, Andrew Camuccio, Brian Camuccio, Max Daniels, Vince Deadrick Jr., Charles Duke, Thomas Elfmont, Kenny Endoso, Kimberly Flynn, Steven Ford, Farrah Forke, Hannes Fritsch, Amanda Graves, Emily Graves, Niki Harris, Ted Harvey, Patricia Healy, Paul Herman, Cindy Katz, Brian Libby, Bill McIntosh, Dan Martin, Rick Marzan, Terry Miller, Paul Moyer, Daniel O'Haco, Mario Roberts, Phillip Robinson, Thomas Rosales Jr., Rainell Saunders, Kai Soremekun, Rey Verdugo, Wendy L. Walsh, Yvonne Zima, Monica Lee Bellais (uncredited), Peter Blackwell (uncredited), Trevor Coppola (uncredited), Bud Cort (uncredited), Michele Edison (uncredited), Mick Gould (uncredited), Mary Kircher (uncredited), David Koseruba (uncredited), Darin Mangan (uncredited), Melissa S. Markess (uncredited), Darren Melton (uncredited), Robert Miranda (uncredited), Manny Perry (uncredited), Iva Franks Singer (uncredited), Jimmy Star (uncredited), Gloria Koehn Straube (uncredited), Viviane Vives (uncredited) and Tim Werner (uncredited)Director: Michael MannProducers: Arnon Milchan, Art Linson, Gusmano Cesaretti, Kathleen M. Shea, Michael Mann and Pieter Jan BruggeScreenplay: Michael MannComposer: Elliot GoldenthalCinematography: Dante Spinotti, A.I.C. (Director of Photography)Image Resolution: 1080p [Technicolor]Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 [Anamorphic]Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French: 5.1 DTS-HD, Spanish [Castilian], German: 5.1 DTS-HD, Português: 5.1 DTS-HD, English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo, Spanish: 2.0 Audio Commentary, French: 2.0 Audio Commentary and German: 2.0 Audio CommentarySubtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Spanish [Castilian], Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Português [Brazilian], Swedish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Mandarin, Português, Romanian and HindiRunning Time: 170 minutesRegion: All RegionsNumber of discs: 2Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment / Regency Enterprises / Warner Bros. / Forward PassAndrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘HEAT’ [1995] is perhaps the ultimate guy bonding type film. Directed by Michael Mann, the film tells the story of two not-so-very-different men. One, an LAPD homicide detective named Lt. Vincent Hanna [Al Pacino], is so consumed by his work that he is failing his third marriage and prowls the streets of Los Angeles like a wolf, stalking those who would do wrong, while his personal life falls into ruin. The other, a professional criminal named Neil McCauley [Robert De Niro] who is simply doing what he knows best, armed robbery and he also lives a lonely existence, making no personal connections that he couldn’t walk out on at a moment’s notice. Neil McCauley and his crew are after one last score a bank heist that could land them more than $12 million. As these two hardened pros go about their business, they gradually become aware of one another predator and prey and each begins to gain a certain respect for the other. But both also know that they’re on a collision course: In the end, only one will be left standing.There are the questions posed by Heat, which uses the predator-versus-prey narrative of expert thief Neil McCauley [Robert De Niro] outrunning dogged Lt. Vincent Hanna [Al Pacino] to explore these remarkably similar archetypes of lone wolf masculinity. Neil McCauley is introspective, self-contained in his “alone but not lonely” universe, a career criminal with a talent for big money scores. He has an allegiance and understanding with his crew, but no room in his life for any lasting connection. As he says repeatedly, he refuses attachment to anything he’s unwilling to walk out on if he feels the heat around the corner.Vincent Hanna, on the other hand, is explosive and spontaneous. His interrogation of a suspect involves him bursting into song, then musing whether the suspect fell in love last night, then shrieking, “Gimme all you got! Gimme all you got!” He’s hungry for the chase and working all hours of day and night while his third wife Justine [Diane Venora] passes him “on the downward slope of a marriage.” Robert De Niro may have the better role, a tragic protagonist whose moral values get pushed to their limit, whereas Al Pacino gets all the best dialogue. But these characters don’t know how to do anything else, and don’t much want to either. It’s a sentiment that lies in the tradition of American individualists. There’s something comforting about applying knowledge to the point where it becomes instinct, and if these guys weren’t cops or robbers we could admire them the way we admire the mechanic who fixes our car when it’s broken down. As Lt. Vincent Hanna and Neil McCauley prove time and again, unless you happen to be working with them and speaking their language.Michael Mann's masterpiece is a 170 minutes crime epic, a love/hate letter the city of Los Angeles, a scathing Balzacian and literary adjective view of a society corrupt from top to bottom, and a vision of the universe as a space contested over by the fractious armies of crime and the law. Opening with a spectacular armoured-car robbery that degenerates into mass murder, and the film ‘HEAT’ follows the consequences of the raid, the plans for its successor, the response of the police, led by detective Vincent Hanna and the consequences of it all for wives, families, girlfriends and innocent bystanders.The cops and the crooks are both constituted like armies, with generals, ranks and special skills assigned and doppelgangers in the opposing team. Michael Mann is less interested in moral questions than in professionalism as a code worth adhering to, no matter which side of the law one finds oneself on. Michael Mann's equal sympathies for both sides are always evident and say he also loves Los Angeles at night, and rarely has it been evoked as beautifully as it is here, as does the film respect the same genre scenario to great effect.HEAT MUSIC TRACK LISTINGALWAYS FOREVER NOW (Music by Passengers) [Performed by Passengers]LATE EVENING IN JERSEY (Written by Brian Eno) [Performed by Brian Eno]LAST NITE (Written by Terje Rypdal) [Performed by Terje Rypdal and The Chasers]FORCE MARKER (Written by Brian Eno) [Performed by Brian Eno]MYSTERY MAN (Written by Terje Rypdal) [Performed by Terje Rypdal]NEW DAWN FADES (Written by Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris) [Performed by Moby]GOD MOVING OVER THE FACE OF THE WATERS (Written by Moby) [Performed by Moby]THE MONKEY KING (Written by William Orbit) [Performed by William Orbit]THE LAST LAGOON (Written by William Orbit) [Performed by William Orbit]GRINGATCHO DEMENTO (Written by William Orbit and Cleo Torez) [Performed by William Orbit]THE MIGHTY LIMPOPO Written by William Orbit) [Performed by William Orbit]ULTRAMARINE (Written by Michael Brook) [Performed by Michael Brook]ARAB AGONY (Written by Timothy Booth), Lawrence Gott, James Glennie and Brian Eno) [Performed by James]LA BAS: SONG OF THE DROWNED (Written by Lisa Gerrard) [Performed by Lisa Gerrard]CELON (Written by Lisa Gerrard) [Performed by Lisa Gerrard]GLORADIN (Written by Lisa Gerrard) [Performed by Lisa Gerrard]IN NOVEMBER (Written by David Darling) [Performed by David Darling]BLACK CLOUD (Written by Steve Roach and Elmar Schulte) [Performed by Solitaire]ARMENIA (Written by Blixa Bargeld, Mark Chung, Alexander Hacke, Jon Caffery, Frank Strauss and Andrew Chudy) [Performed by Einstürzende Neubauten]THE THRILL IS GONE (Written by Roy Hawkins and Rick Darnell) [Performed by B.B. King]WILL GAINES (Written by Eric Clapton) [Performed by Eric Clapton]BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX (Written by Jimmy Webb)TOP O’ THE MORNING TO YA (Written by Eric Schrod, Leon Demant and Willie Dixon) [Performed by House of Pain]CONCERTO FOR VIOLONCELLO AND ORCHESTRA (Written by György Ligeti) [Performed by Jean-Guihen Queyras and The Ensemble InterContemporain] [Conducted by Pierre Boulez]GET UP TO THIS (Written by Derrick Gumbus and Loren Chaney) [Performed by New World Beat]STEEL CELLO LAMENT (Written by Elliot Goldenthal) [Performed by Elliot Goldenthal]Blu-ray Image Quality – 20th Century Fox’s new Blu-ray disc gives us the ultimate and brilliant 1080p image presentation and especially combined with a spectacular 2.39:1 aspect ratio, and has been remastered from a brand new 4K scan and restoration supervised by Michael Mann himself, and definitely improves over the upon Warner Bros. 2009 Blu-ray image in virtually every bit as good. Something that is obvious right from the start is that the colour timing is much improved and is much more richly saturated now and much more natural also, yet still have that just slightly desaturated look that is true to this films image quality. The night sky and shadows are more truly black in some scenes now. Overall image detail exhibits greater refinement, crisp yet clean looking even given the occasional optical softness and the film was shot with anamorphic lenses, and the grain texture is more subtle and refined. This is a very film-like image, with not a hint of digital filtering. I’d love to see how an actual 4K Ultra HD release could improve upon this and it’s too bad there isn’t one. Nevertheless, this is a significant step up visual upgrade.Blu-ray Audio Quality – 20th Century Fox’s new Blu-ray disc, previously offered us a 5.1 Dolby TrueHD mix, but this new edition has instead presented us with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio presentations. The new mix retains the smooth and natural staging of the previous mix, which turns very lively and dramatic in the action and atmospheric scenes, and adds a bit more oomph and sounds much fuller and even more engrossing, which gives the dramatic staging a bit more ambience sound experience. But when it comes to the dialogue scenes when they talk face to face, slightly annoyed me as they talked so quiet I had to crank the sound up a great deal. But when it comes to the surround sound activity it is very satisfying, with a nice mix, and very good all round speaker activity, especially near the end of the film when Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have the cat and mouse shoot out at the airport was totally awesome when the planes come into land, all the speakers are in full swing and you feel the planes are landing in your lounge, it is that realistic and the result is a highly immersive audio presentation and definitely gets a five star rating.Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:Audio Commentary by director Michael Mann: Here Michael man goes straight into talking about the film, and informs us about the first scene we view, which was the Blue line of the Los Angeles MTA [Los Angeles Metro Rail system] and was not open to the public when they shot that scene, and what we witness is actually the end of the line and it was shot two weeks before the official opening of the line. Michael Mann also says that when we start to see the main characters, we get to see an interacting of each character as the film builds up and of course how eventually we see how it all comes together by the end of the film. When we start to see all the criminals coming together at the start of the film, Michael explains that it is all based on real life criminals and their activities. When we first see Jon Voight, Michael mentions why he is called Nate, which relates to a character in the film ‘THIEF’ who was called Nate Grossman and the character of Sam Grossman was based on Nathan Grossman, the grandfather of a friend of Michael Mann, and is homage to someone who passed away a very long time ago. Michael Mann goes into great detail about all the main characters we get to view as the film progresses and also mentions that his daughter got to interview all the real wives of the criminals that have been portrayed in this film and again Michael Mann slowly reveals a much more in-depth histrionics towards all the main characters in the film to make them sound more realistic, even though they are portraying the real people who the film is based on. Michael also goes into great detail about the scene with local police informer and Michael says they never in real life tell the truth, and the scene with Al Pacino being very intimidating, does it to throw the police informer off balance, so it keeps them in check and hopefully will not have the police come back to interrogate them again, to take the heat off. When you see Al Pacino in the helicopter flying over nigh time in Los Angeles seeking out Robert De Niro on the highway, well Michael Mann states that shots of all the lights looks beautiful, well with one shot of inside the helicopter you see a small TV screen Al Pacino is looking at, well Michael informs us that this technology was perfected for the Vietnam War and is called a “FLIR” and means Forward Looking Infrared cameras for night time viewing and is typically used on military and civilian aircraft, use a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation. I personally found Michael Mann’s audio commentary slightly monotonous and boring, especially half way through the film and near the end of the film with the final shootout with Al Pacino and Robert Di Nero where Michael Mann just states the obvious what we are viewing, in thinking we cannot work out for ourselves what is going on in certain scenes we are viewing. I just wish Michael Mann would stop talking for a while and gather his thoughts and speak again when something more interesting appears in the film that he can divulge some more interesting information about the film and the reason he shot a particular scene or the concept of what his audiences wanted to view. Personally I would have to only give a two star rating for this Michael Mann audio commentary.Special Feature: Filmmaker Panels: Here we get to view two very interesting individual special features and they are as follows:01. 2016 Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences Panel [2016] [1080p] [1.78:1] [63:00] The Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater was rocked with the sounds of applause and high-octane action on 7th September, 2016 when the cast and crew of the epic crime film ‘HEAT’ were reunited for a look at the making of this Los Angeles film milestone and they had just all viewed the film ‘HEAT’ and thirteen people are welcomed onto the stage who were all involved with the film and is moderated by Christopher Nolan [Director] who was greeted by a very enthusiastic sold-out crowd. I have no idea why they invited Robert De Niro, as he is the most boring person in the world and most the time he just sits there looking like he wished he had not been invited as he is useless. Unfortunately Val Kilmer had an infected swollen tongue and he had a terrible job trying to speak or to be understood and he sounded like the cartoon character Donald Duck. All in all this was a fascinating watch and very informative, especially from the guests on the stage, but sadly out of the twelve guests on the stage, sadly there were one or two of them did not get asked any questions, which is a shame. But despite this, it was a really interesting and fascinating session. Contributors include: Al Pacino [Actor], Robert De Niro [Actor], Michael Mann [Writer/Director/Producer], Amy Brenneman [Actress], Pieter Jan Brugge [Dutch Film Producer], William Goldenberg [Editor], Val Kilmer [Actor], Art Linson [Producer], Andy Nelson [Re-recording Mixer], Dante Spinotti, A.I.C. [Italian Cinematographer], Diane Venora [Actress] and Mykelti Williamson [Actor].02. 2015 Toronto International Film Festival [2015] [1080p] [1.78:1] [30:27]. One of the most ground-breaking crime dramas of its time, the film ‘HEAT’ celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Toronto International Film Festival with a screening of the film in a new 35mm print followed by a Q&A session with the director Michael Mann [Writer/Director/Producer], and was moderated by Jesse Wente. Michael Mann talks about how the film came about, which related to a real life crime incident in 1963 via one of Michael Mann’s friend Chuck Adamson [Former Chicago Police Officer] about the story of the notorious Neil McCauley criminal. In 1963, detective Chuck Adamson sat down in a Chicago coffee shop with a convicted bank robber. Rail thin and with careworn features, career criminal Neil McCauley had spent some 25 of his 49 years in and out of prison for a string of crimes ranging from theft to murder. But in spite of his repeated brushes with the law, Neil McCauley had no intention of going straight and with meeting with Michael Mann and Chuck Adamson, started the ball rolling that helped to bring us the awesome film ‘HEAT.’ Although this special feature is just over 30 minutes, it sure packs a lot fascinating information about the making of the film and interesting anecdotes from Michael Mann and is well worth viewing.Special Feature: The Making of ‘HEAT’ [2005] [1080i] [1.37:1] [59:12] Here we have the original documentary which is from the original inferior DVD, and it is split into three separate small documentaries on their own merit and they are TRUE CRIME; CRIME STORIES and INTO THE FIRE. A lot of ground is covered in this thorough and fascinating documentary about the making of the film ‘HEAT.’ The origin and fruition of the story and film is explained in great detail, as well as the overall love shared for this project by everyone involved through the many interviews with cast and crew members and we also get to view a plethora of film clips from the film ‘HEAT.’ I really enjoy these kinds of making-of features, so this was right up my alley. Contributors include: Michael Mann [Writer/Director/Producer], Chuck Adamson [Former Chicago Police Officer], Richard Lindberg [Author/Chicago Historian], Dennis Farina [Actor/Former Chicago Police Officer], Al Pacino [Actor/Vincent Hanna], Tom Elfmont [Technical Advisor/L.A.P.D.], Rey Verdugo [Technical Advisor/L.A. Sheriff’s Dept.], Jon Voight [Actor/Nate], Robert De Niro [Actor/Neil McCauley] (archive footage), Val Kilmer [Actor/Chris Shiherlis], Edward Bunker [Author: No Beast So Fierce], Dennis Haysbert [Actor/Breedan], Tom Sizemore [Actor/Michael Cheritto], Michael Waxman [First Assistant Director], Art Linson [Producer], Amy Brenneman [Actress/Eady], Mykelti Williamson [Actor/Drucker], Ami Canaan Mann [Second Unit Director], Bonnie Timmermann [Casting Director], Tom Noonan [Actor/Kelso], Pieter Jan Brugge [Dutch Film Producer], Dante Spinotti, A.I.C. [Italian Cinematographer], Ashley Judd [Actress/Charlene Shiherlis], Diane Venora [Actress/Justine Hanna], Tom Elfmont [Technical Advisor/L.A.P.D.], Andy McNab [Technical Weapons Trainer], Danny Trejo [Actor/Trejo], Michael "Mick" Gould [Technical Weapons Trainer], Neil Spisak [Film Production Designer], Chris Jenkins [Sound Mixer Engineer], Elliot Goldenthal [American Composer] and Moby [American Musician].Special Feature: Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation [2005] [1080i] [1.37:1] [9:59] Here we take a closer look at the diner scene that features the two leading male actors. The ghastly pan-and-scan released version of the film ‘HEAT’ that was originally released on VHS back in the 1990s led some people to think the actors were filmed separately and did not appear together onscreen in this restaurant scene, but thankfully those days of visually butchered films are long gone and this time Michael Mann explains how they filmed that very intense scene and both actors their performance without a rehearsal, as they felt it would be much more natural performance and it is definitely a tour de force performance. Contributors include: Jon Voight [Actor/Nate], Pieter Jan Brugge [Dutch Film Producer], Michael Mann [Writer/Director/Producer], Robert De Niro [Actor/Neil McCauley] (archive footage), Art Linson [Producer], James Wolcott [American Film Critic/Journalist], Al Pacino [Actor/Vincent Hanna], Ashley Judd [Actress/Charlene Shiherlis], Tom Sizemore [Actor/Michael Cheritto] and Dante Spinotti, A.I.C. [Italian Cinematographer].Special Feature: HEAT: Return to the Scene of the Crime [2005] [1080p] [1.78:1] [12:05] Here we take a visit to the Los Angeles locations used in the film ‘HEAT.’ Location manager Janice Polley and associate producer Gusmano Cesaretti helm this absorbing feature in which they discuss the photography and locales that Michael Mann utilised in the film. The pair gushes over Michael Mann's talent, but they also touch on plenty of topics that aren't explored elsewhere on this Blu-ray disc. What was interesting is that they go back to certain locations that were pivotal to the film and why they were used, which got the green light from Michael Mann and with each location we get clips from the film that relates to the modern day locations, but of course a lot of the locations in Los Angeles have changed dramatically since 1995. One aspect of a certain location that I found interesting, where they filmed the final showdown shoot out at the airport, which had to be filmed at midnight and they say what they did could not be filmed today, as there are too many safety issues, especially where Robert De Niro had to run in front of a Jumbo jet that had just landed. Contributors include: Janice Polley [Location Manager/Scout], Gusmano Cesaretti [Associate Producer], Jayne Mazzochi [Resident] and Lisa Glucksmann [Restaurant Worker].Special Feature: Additional Footage: Deleted Scenes [2005] [480p] [1.37:1] [9:44] Here we get to view a total of 11 deleted scenes, and they are as follows: SCENE 5: SEASON’S STARTING EARLY; SCENE 42: NICEST GUY ON THE BLOCK; SCENE 55: ALBERT AND HANNA [ALTERNATE TAKE]; SCENE 62: SHAKEDOWN; SCENE 76: MURDER IN C-BLOCK; SCENE 96A: LET’S DAMCE; SCENE 125: LATE ARIVAL; SCENE 148/147: WHERE’S ANNA; SCENE 177B: DOUBLE THE WORST TROUBLE; SCENE 191: NATE DELIVERS and SCENE 204A: NO RESPONSE. When viewed in the context of the finished product, they offer a nice lesson into how editing shapes a film of this calibre and how little things can have a big impact. Note that the temporary music was used, so they don’t reflect the final score for those scenes, had they been included. As usual, you can either watch each one individually or Play All.Theatrical Trailers [2005 [1080i] [1.37:1] [6:48] Here you get to view three excellent and dramatic Original Theatrical Trailers, that were entitled as follows: SURPRISE OF A LIFETIME; TWO ACTORS COLLIDE and CLOSING IN. As usual, you can either watch each trailer separately or Play All.Finally, if you haven’t picked up ‘HEAT’ before, or you feel you want to upgrade your inferior DVD, this is a totally worthwhile purchase, especially since you can find it very cheap now in lots of outlets. I’ve said it before and it bears repeating: Heat is just a great film that I can’t speak of more highly. I wish this new edition was available in 4K Ultra HD, but even so the restoration is impressive and the hour of added bonus content is a nice treat. If you’ve never seen Heat before, this is absolutely the version you want to buy on Blu-ray. If you’re already a fan and you have the previous edition, my advice is to sell it and upgrade immediately, as it is even more worthwhile upgrading this brilliant action packed film, even for those who have the earlier Blu-ray release. Very Highly Recommended!Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film AficionadoLe Cinema ParadisoUnited Kingdom

Michael Mann's sprawling cops and robbers epic "Heat" was recently released in a 10th Anniversary DVD edition. Let's take another look.Neil McCauley (Robert DeNiro) leads an aggressive crew of robbers, including Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) and Danny. These guys are out for big scores and the film opens with them taking down an armored car in downtown Los Angeles. After they gain access, they search for a specific package and then speed away. Arriving at the scene is Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and his crew, including Sergeant Drucker (Mykleti Williamson), Detective Casals (Wes Studi) and Bosko (Ted Levine). Looking at the detritus, Hanna quickly surmises that it will be a challenge to take down this crew of robbers. He is up to and seems to relish the challenge. So begins this tale of cops and robbers, good and bad, black and white.In the penultimate scene, between Pacino and DeNiro, DeNiro talks about two sides of the coin. Essentially, this is the basis of "Heat". The story follows these two men, and their support crew, as they play a delicate game of cat and mouse. Pacino, as the cop, represents good, or as good as anyone is in the real world. DeNiro represents bad. Most filmmakers would simply end there, and call it done, and we would probably be happy. Michael Mann, who wrote, directed, and co-produced the film, infuses each with subtle shades of gray.Hanna is on his third marriage. He is so obsessed with catching bad guys that he can't devote the time required to make his marriages work. In fact, in his current marriage, he seems to care more about his step-daughter, Lauren (Natalie Portman, in her second film role, following "Leon"), a confused young lady. He loves the idea of companionship, but his job is more exhilarating to him and he devotes every waking moment to it. His wife, Justine (Diane Venora), has problems of her own and takes medication to combat these. She isn't prepared to just sit around and wait for the occasional moment of marital bliss.McCauley is a hardened man and his family is basically his crew. He has taken of the role of father for Chris Shiherlis and helps him through his marital and gambling problems. McCauley states that he doesn't like to form attachments. Someone once told him that you have to be prepared to walk away at a moments notice, with no remorse. As we look at McCauley's home, a beautiful modern home overlooking the ocean, we get a sense of this. There is very little in the home. just the basic necessities. This is why Neil is more than a little uncomfortable helping Neil deal with his wife, Charlene (Ashley Judd) and their young son. But he does, because he has become a guiding force in Chris' life.Again, in the hands of any other filmmaker, this would be more than enough character for any film. Again, as the audience, we would probably leave the theater happy. But Mann creates back stories for each of the members of each crew, creating a vibrant story of the way these two teams work.Scenes of each crew out at dinner with their loved ones mirror each other. We watch McCauley and his team enjoying dinner, as McCauley looks on, enjoying the thought of family. This leads him to lower his defenses a little, when he meets Eady (Amy Brennerman), a graphic artist who works at his favorite bookstore. He and Eady begin a relationship, which causes McCauley to experience both joy and self-doubt because he is going against all of his philosophies; he is building an attachment. We see Cheritto with his wife and learn later that she takes care of his finances. We see Danny with his wife and learn of their attachment. We see Chris and Charlene trying to act like grownups and live a real life. As they leave the restaurant, Hanna and his crew are watching them and Hanna learns about each member.Later, Hanna and his crew take their wives out for dancing. During this brief moment of relationship building, Hanna gets a call and races off to a crime scene. Later, he returns to find Justine still at the bar. It becomes apparent that their relationship will end, it's only a matter of time.There are many other characters that appear throughout the film, playing different roles in the story. Jon Voight plays Nate, McCauley's `agent', who helps him find the next big score. William Finchter plays a crooked bond trader, Roger Van Zant. Henry Rollins plays his bodyguard, Hugh Benny. Hank Azaria plays a small time distributor out of Vegas. Kevin Gage plays the pivotal role of Waingro. Dennis Haysbert has a brief, but moving role as an ex-con. In most films, this character would simply appear at the right time and start participating. Early in the film, we have a brief scene setting up his character. Later, another short scene. Finally, his character and Neil have a reunion. This is the type of attention to detail found throughout "Heat", and the attention to detail that makes the film truly memorable. Every character, no matter how small, has something to do with the story and we learn something about their back-story. This creates an incredibly rich tapestry of good and bad.I first saw "Heat" at the Village Theater in Westwood. This is my favorite theater because it has a huge screen, great sound and a large auditorium. Going into the film, I knew it was almost three hours long and had a bank robbery/ gun battle scene set in downtown Los Angeles. Watching the film the first time, I will never forget the moment that the music started and DeNiro's McCauley walks into the bank wearing a gray suit. Actually, 'walks' is the wrong word. He saunters in. His character is cool and collected. He does the planning. He knows he can carry it off. What really adds to this scene is the music. A grandchild of the music created for "Miami Vice", Mann's first television series, it brilliantly evokes both the place (Los Angeles), the time (heavily synthesized beat) and the mood (underneath everything is an element of suspense, with a steady music beat).Watching the film for the first time, I was awestruck by the gun battle. Not because I am a fan of violence. If it plays an integral part of the story, I feel it is necessary. In "Heat", this scene is very necessary. It drives both teams to the finale. Clearly, it was shot on the streets of LA, with tons of extras and real cars, all of which make it appear very real and life like. Watching this scene at the Village Theater, all of the gunshots ringing throughout in incredible Dolby Digital sound, I felt as though I was actually in the middle. I really felt that this was the climax of the film. In most films, a climax of this sort would have left me feeling very happy. Then, I realized that there was still about 45 minutes of film left. It felt like I received a bonus. How many films can you say that about? That you felt like you were getting more than you deserved.The many times I have seen this film, this scene never fails to thrill me.This is not the only great scene in the film. There are so many, including the penultimate scene between the two stars. At this point in the film, Hanna realizes that McCauley is a difficult person to catch. Frustrated with his marriage, he feels that he has to do something that can bring him some closure. He tracks down McCauley and asks him to have some coffee. They meet on opposite sides of the table and talk about the philosophies of their lives and work. This scene is electric for many reasons. First, it is the first time we get to watch Pacino and DeNiro, on camera, together, ever. Second, they are talking about their philosophies of life, revealing what drives them, and ultimately, the climatic moments of the film.Throughout the film, the action scenes are punctuated with the moments of each characters life. We witness small bits of their lives, getting to know them, making the outcome of all of the action scenes that much more intense. Because we know the characters, good and bad, we care about them more. If someone gets killed, we mourn their loss.Neither of the leads is portrayed as simply good or bad. Hanna is the `hero' of the film, but his character is flawed. He's driven, smart and good at his job. But he is a failure at his marriage. He wants to stop McCauley, but he also seems to admire McCauley at times. Pacino is known for his hamfisted dialogue and in "Heat" he doesn't disappoint. Certain outbursts seem showy ("Give me all ya got!" and, "Because she's got a great ass!," etc.), but given his character, they seem more acceptable. He is a detective and most of these lines of dialogue happen when he is interrogating people. He is trying to keep the other person off balance. It works. It also keeps the audience off balance. McCauley is the `villain', and his character is certainly dark, but he also has a lot of humanity. Where Pacino's character is loud and brash, DeNiro's is quiet and menacing. He cares about each of the people in his team, especially Chris, taking on a parental role in his life. He also yearns, despite his protestations to the contrary, for a relationship. When this appears in his life, in the form of Eady, he becomes even more conflicted.I can't listen to a commentary track for long, because it detracts from the images I am watching. When I watched this 10th Anniversary DVD for the first time, I wanted to hear a little of Mann's commentary. In it, he talks about all of the research he did into these characters. He visited prisons, has a relationship with a well-known detective from Chicago and this detective once hunted an adversary who was named Neil McCauley. It is really fascinating to listen to Mann talk about the film. He clearly put a lot into the making of this film.In all of Mann's films, the production quality is top notch. In "Heat", he and his team filmed at various locations in Los Angeles and Southern California, lending an air of authenticity to the film.Many of the scenes are shot at night and lend Southern California a beauty that many who live here don't realize it has. A scene at McCauley's house overlooking the ocean is permeated with dark blue. Mann talks about how the scene was inspired by a painting. Another scene with McCauley and Eady is played against a clear night sky, the lights of Los Angeles twinkling behind them, giving the setting an ethereal dream quality. Each of the scenes has a look that adds to the underlying tone of the scene. The scene between DeNiro and Pacino takes place in a stark restaurant. A confrontation between Chris and Charlene takes place at their pool, outside, at night.The action scenes are also top notch. In the first scene, the armored car robbery, a small touch adds to the authenticity. After they place a directional explosive charge on the door of the armored truck, they set it off. The truck has previously overturned into a Car Salesman's lot. After the explosive is detonated, there is a brief pause and the windows of the surrounding cars blow out. In most films, the windows would blow out simultaneously, as soon as the special effects guys set them off. It seems more real that the impact of the explosion would take a second to cause more damage. In the gun battle, there is a brief shot of an extra, playing a policeman, reaching from behind the car he is using for shelter, to retrieve his gun. It seems like the scene was probably not rehearsed and the extra's actions seem more like what a real cop would do in the same situation."Heat" is one of my favorites, it's a fantastic, thrilling film.The 10th Anniversary DVD has some added features that are not available on the previous release. The commentary by Michael Mann during the film is new, and very interesting. On the second disc are a number of well-made mini documentaries about the film. Three of these are tied together to present a more complete picture of the making of the film. They feature interviews with Mann, Pacino, Voight, Judd and other actors, as well as the producers, Mann's Chicago cop friend and others. Curiously, they have included interview bits with DeNiro from 1995. Either he wasn't available or didn't want to be involved. Maybe he was too busy making "Hide and Seek".There is a very brief documentary with the location scout and one of the associate producers as they revisit the locations used throughout the film. Interesting and fun to watch.The most interesting thing is the inclusion of 11 deleted scenes. One of these is a different take of Pacino's first interrogation at the chop shop. Many of them are very brief snippets that wouldn't add much to the plot. There are a few that stand out. Two involve Tom Sizemore's character. The first would have been part of the opening montage, when each member of McCauley's team is getting the necessary equipment for the armored car holdup. The second shows Cheritto at home with his wife and kids. These scenes aren't groundbreaking, but they would've added to the plot. Another scene is between DeNiro and Voight and would've come late in the film. It adds a little dimension to McCauley's character and the last few minutes of the film.While playing the second disc, my DVD playing had a little problem with the deleted scenes and the longer Making Of documentary. During the deleted scenes, twice it started playing them in a fragmented way, with no sound. This happened once during the documentary. I solved this by opening and closing the DVD tray. As soon as the DVD was playing again, they played fine.Despite these few technical errors, which may be due to my DVD player, I highly recommend this film to everyone. There is so much going on, and it all makes sense, that you are sure to be entertained every time you watch the film.

What a great movie! I wish Val had more scenes in it. 10 stars!

This one - wow. It's deep. It's very compelling from the start and it captures you right away and I do not know what the so-called "hook" was in the first place but.... wow.The bank robbery shootout scene between the robbers and police is the most intense thing I ever think I ever saw in a movie like this before or since. Just watch it for that alone and be totally stunned and amazed like I was when I first saw this thing. Wow! What a masterpiece!The movie delves into the heart of a bank robber and/or otherwise clever criminal who commits other similar crimes so deeply that in the end it breaks your own heart to see it happen. It really does.The movie makes you wanna cry for the bad guy.I wish there were more films like this. Honestly I do but I don't want to encourage people to do violent crimes and such. I just think it's a good thing film makers like this can show us how maybe the other side of good vs. bad maybe thinks and the whole entire movie is freaking amazing doing that here. I really and truly appreciate it and hope to see more films like this hopefully in the future.