Parcher

Alert! The thread will contain "spoilers". - not as in "everyone dies from a nuclear bomb" but just minor plot giveaways. So don't read if you don't want them....

Yes, a thread dedicated to my favorite movie...

Anyhow, what's everyone else's opinion of this movie?
To me, every part of it is stunning, especially the script.

The characters are just perfectly developed, there aren't any "fillers", they all have depth. Also, they were loosely based on real people, eg. Jon Voight based on Eddie Bunker (look at imdb.com)

The cinematography was cool, so was the action and the sounds.

But also what really takes this movie somewhere is the music. Remember in the opening scene with the train coming in, that music? Remember it also plays somewhat near the ending when Neil talks with Nate on the phone, the "take it easy dialogue" and "home free". I love how this music is used, how everything has just changed perspective.

Any other Heat lovers?

jfoobar

"She's got a GREAT ASS! And you've got your head...ALL THE WAY UP IT!"

Rypro 525

For some reason, the parts I watched, it was except for the big gun fight the dvd is way too soft.

ipkevin

The gunfight is a masterclass in direction, editing, and sound design. As far as more realistic cinema shootouts are concerned, I think it may be the best ever.

Dubya

An absolute travesty that this film was not nominated for Academy Awards, especially considering the weak year it was eligible (Apollo 13, Babe, Braveheart, etc.)

Geofferson

One of the most powerful movies of the 90s. IMO, it is the quintessential cops & robbers movie. I saw this 3 times in the theater back in '95 and countless times on DVD since. Even without the gunfight (which is one of cinema's finest examples), it is still a wonderful film - its sleek, industrial portrayal of L.A., powerful score, beautiful set pieces and character study of a master thief and a determined cop.

C Roberts

I found this movie to be very boring overall. The acting was really bad, but I blame a lot of that on the script. DeNiro came off in the end as a total idiot and Pacino was just horrible in every scene.
Sorry, but the gunfight didn't impress me either. Maybe because I've seen too much John Woo or some of the dozens of better (or same quality) gunfights in movies.
My roommate bought the DVD blind. He hated the movie so much he gave tried giving the DVD away. Nobody wanted it even for free. I was thinking of using it as a coaster because I'd never waste my time watching this movie again. Unless maybe if I was having insomnia and needed something both boring and bad enough that it won't make me want to watch it.

Pants

In real life Eddie Bunker doesn't seem as bright as the Jon Voight character clearly is. In the reservoir dogs suplement he comes off as a dangerous dumby.

Face/Off

William Petersen (of CSI fame) said he was in talks about doing Heat when Michael Mann thought he'd be better in Manhunter. Since this was the 80's, I'm assuming Petersen was talking about what became the TV movie "LA Takedown."

Also, did anyone find Kilmer's getaway at the end kind of stupid. Sure he had a fake ID, but wouldn't the cops have pictures of him, especially since they had his wife?

inVectiVe

In addition to the "great ass!" line, this flick has Pacino at his most quotable:

• "Gimme all ya got! Gimme all ya got!!!"
• "Don't waste mah muthaf***in' time!"
• "I am......over-f***in'-whelmed!" / "I'm Donald Duck."
• "You could get killed walkin' yer doggie!"
• "I gotta hold on to my angst. I preserve it. Because I need it. It keeps me sharp, on the edge - where I gotta be!" (which I often use as my sig)
• "...postmodernistic, bullsh** house..."
• "The 'M.O.' is......they're good!"
• "This look like gangbangers workin' the local 7-11 to you?!"

Better stop there.

Pants

"Don't waste mah muthaf***in' time!"

My favorite. I use this all the time.

KingSmoth

First saw it about two months ago, and it has become one of my favorite movies ever. The gunfight is quite possibly the best I've seen. I'm actually going to buy the DVD today, since I'm writing a paper over the movie.

FalconH10

I'm pretty sure most people on this board have seen much of John Woo's work. If you went into Heat expecting that kind of firefight then you were way off. It was meant to be a much more realistic style of gunfight. A better tomorrow, the killer, hard-boiled etc... are much more surreal and almost comic book like. But still are amazing movies.

I love this movie, like many said it is a travesty that it isn't better recognized. Man I gotta go watch it again.

SPiRAL

Heat was tv the other day and it was a 2 hr. version. Vincent and Neal are having coffee within the first 10 minutes. I changed the channel , I figured the massive editing would make it unwatchable.

Parcher

King will you let me see the paper when it's finished?


Not that those who dislike the movie many not post here, but I'd prefer for the aficionados to discuss it.

I just can't comprehend the genius of Michael Mann.

To those of you who have the DVD, go to the scene with Neil speaking with Nate. With Neil in the car, the "home free" dialogue.

Just let the beauty of this masterpiece stimulate you.


Also, awesome editing is the noise scene with Al Pacino monitoring Robert Deniro with the precious metal thing. The way they look at each other through the camera. Almost as if Neil can see him.

I felt Chris Shiherlis was a very complete character. Fills the screen a lot in a way, but he isn't in it THAT much.

Sure, I love the shoot out. There are also so many awesome details, like how Neil has no furniture and Chris has the gambling problem.

SPOILER

das Monkey

I don't have anything profound to add ... just dropping in to say that it's one of my favorite two or three films as well (note: "favorite" is different from "best"). It works on so many different levels, and while the gunfight is great, it's far from my favorite aspect of the film. The crime-drama plot and intriguing character study would stand fine on their own, but when you add the beautiful visuals and a stunning score, we're left with a near perfect film. Each scene seems put together with the same painstaking detail I'd expect from a guy like Kubrick, and I'm drawn completely into the film every time I see it.

Heat is one of those few films that I fall more in love with each time I see it.

das

Dr. DVD

I smells a troll amongst us boys!



I also rank this as one of my favorite films and it is one of the ten DVDs I would take with me should I only have ten to take. The scene with Pacino and DeNiro was magical IMO, and the way all the stories tie into one large story puts Magnolia to shame. I don't know why it didn't even get any noms, as I seem to recall critics raving about how good it was when it was released. Maybe it was too late to be remembered, or maybe it was overlooked because of its lackluster financial performance. Either way it was ripped!

Tarantino

The shootout is one of my favs. Sometimes I'll pop in Heat just to watch that scene. Wow.

Gunshy

It's interesting how popular the shootout scene is. I like it too and yes its part the choreography and realism but think about it, it's really lots of cops getting bagged and us hoping (for some strange reason) that the bad guys do get away. I sort of like how it puts the viewer in that position. I like how the director made the violence a grab, a cool, popular thing, even though its really crazy, a really bad thing.

Anyone remember seeing that edition of Cops(?) with the two guys in flak jackets, armed to the teeth doing a Heat style shootout in the burbs of LA shot from a police helicopter? I couldn't believe it was real, looked like Heat, like a movie. Life imitating film, imitating life...?

-Gunshy

Alien Redrum

I think one of the reasons why I liked the shoot out scene so much is because is was so intense. Mann, as good as he is with music, chose not to use any score in that scene and it brought it to another level.

Heat is one of my all time favorite flicks.

The cast is superb.
The script is superb.
The look and feel of the movie is superb.

A damn near perfect movie for my tastes.

Fanboy

The first DVD I bought. Knew that VHS would never be able to adequately capture that gunfight.

Wonderful movie, and "You could get killed walking your doggie." is such a great Pachinoism.

Groucho

As a matter of fact, FX just ran a tv movie based on this: 44 Minutes. The bank robbers were inspired by Heat, although considering how the robbery went in that movie, it seems that they didn't think things through. Still, they did get away with quite a bit of money before they were eventually killed.

Parcher

That was the north hollywood bank robbery....

The two guys were supposedly obsesses with Heay...

Any of you guys know where I can find pics or vids of that bank robbery?

Dubya

Yeah I read a Rolling Stone article where it said they had watched the bank shootout scene hundreds of times. MSNBC used to show a news special on it quite frequently but I haven't noticed it on there in awhile.

There was a good article about Heat in Vanity Fair a couple of months ago which lavished praise on the film, saying it was an overlooked classic, etc.

Dr. DVD

I hope that in due time people will realize its brilliance and we get a smokin two disc set!