southwest1

Oh yeah, not sure if you heard but Mann is writing a prequel book to Heat. I wonder if it will focus on the detectives in Hanna's crew since their characters were so properly fleshed out, or maybe it will focus on Hanna as the protagonist. Either way, I am totally buying that book when it comes out. 

"So many times in the world of Mann's work, nothing is resolved in the end and everything looks bleak. Miami Vice was pushed that envelope to the point you came to accept the brooding nihilism of the show."

This is so true because even in his 2006 feature film of Miami Vice with Collin Farrell's character we see how how he loses his moral compass of right & wrong when seducing that Asian money manger lady to get closer to that major drug smuggler. He actually falls in love with her in order to take down his operation, but along the way, he must cut her loose because of the damage his relationship with the money manager unleashed on Trudy, Jamie Fox's woman/his law enforcement partners girlfriend in real life. 

Trudy's quality of life is forever compromised, the kingpin gets away scot free, Crockett wonders if he will ever experience a romantic bond like that money manger ever again, & Tubs is debating retirement in order to keep Trudy safe. Plus, hanging out with drug dealers to bust bad guys as Vice agents changes you in cold ways & emotional detachment behaviors not always for the better. 

"There's a lot of car scenes in Heat that aren't that far off from scenes in Miami Vice and especially the night scenes where it shows the streets and the lights all lit up in the darkness." 

You & I have talked about this before Bogie. Michael Mann understands the intrigue of darkness & night scenes that add another level of sophistication to his brand of film making. You can clearly see what's going on, but hues off of street lights, strobe lights at a dance club,  laptop glows emanating off a flash drive, the reflection of headlights off a wild pair of coyotes eyes; or infrared images of a criminal's face under police survellience all set Mann apart as a director to me. 

He also appreciates the value of low key scenes like Jamie Fox & Tom Cruise talking to his target in the jazz club about Miles Davis, Russel Crow explaining to a 60 minutes producer working for Mike Wallace in his car how cigarette companies lie about the addictive nature of tobacco in 'The Insider,' or criminal John Dillinger in 'Public Enemies' knowing he will die in a spray of bullets rather than marry & live happily ever after with his sweetheart.