Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Movie Of The Day - Heat




Heat (1995) d: Michael Mann




One of my all time favorite films. I remember seeing this in the theatre and it was around the time I made a decision in my life which led me back full speed ahead of trying to become a filmmaker. Long story but there were a few things that happened at just the right time in my life and this was one of them. I was in film school at the time but felt I had lost my way. I was becoming a film snob and not a filmmaker and a film fan. Or what we call today a film geek. I lost my geekiness that I had from when I was 4 years old. I got it back thanks to many things. One of them being this film. Not that there is anything geeky about it. It's just a classic cops versus robbers story told in a modern way and I love every minute of it. At the time people complained because Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino really only have one real scene together. I thought it was ballsy to have the film be about these two but they really only meet twice.

I've been a fan of Michael Mann's since I saw 'Manhunter' and of course from TV's 'Miami Vice'. He has a unique style and a way of storytelling that I enjoy. I think some of his films get a bad wrap like the more recent 'Miami Vice' film adaptation which I loved.

'Heat' has influenced me in many ways and some of them will be apparant in some films I make. Even in my last film 'Distortion' I had a few shots that were inspired either directly or indirectly. One shot specificaly was referred to by a friend as my Michael Mann shot. While not intended to be I so see it now.


2 comments:

Jerry said...

I've honestly only seen Heat a couple times but I really want to get the blu-ray.

Hey! Look Behind You! said...

It's one of those movies I know I should see but still haven't. I avoid it when it's on USA because I know it will be edited.