The Silver Screen Oasis

Good afternoon all,

Tonight at 8PM EDT, TNT is airing the 1995 crime drama "HEAT." Amazingly, they're showing a film with a 171 minute run time in a 180 minute time frame, meaning that there will be only 9 minutes of commercial interruption. They did the same thing with "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima" and in all honesty, it was more than tolerable. This particular movie, according to IMDb.com, is the first onscreen pairing of Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro. It also features Val Kilmer and Jon Voight among others. I've never seen this movie, and I don't know that I've ever seen either actor in a real stinker, so I plan to watch. My guess is that it will have been worth the investment. The competition (as it were) on TCM tonight is "JAWS" which runs from 8 until 10:15PM EDT. Whichever you watch, if either, enjoy!

As always,

Hollis

Hey, Hollis!
I caught Michael Mann's Heat when it was first out, on a big screen, and I felt it was one evening, and $5.50 (local theatre on Vashon Island, in Washington State), that I'd spent very well.
Although the dialogue and settings is mid-90's mean-streets-modern, its framework is very 50's crime-drama in structure, in a style that I tend to think of as "reverse-noir", which works very well for L.A.: instead of long, moody shadows, and murky midnights, rather think peeling, parched sunbaked boulevards, with everything nearly whiting-out from merciless, numbing sunlight - David Lynch has taken us there, on occasion, as has Percy Adlon, and Wim Wender, and our Mr. Mann started his use of it back in his To Live & Die in L.A. . . but he pumps this one up with more muscle, more raw character depth, and more nihilistic nerve.
Tom Sizemore gives one of his best performances here, sandwiched in between the "big" names, with an urban-feral edge that's hard to describe, and hard to take your eyes off.
Look sharp for well-crafted cameos from Wes Studi, Jeremy Piven & Hank Azaria.
Long story short: I really think it'll prove worth your time, Bro!

I really remember the big shoot out. It resonated so much because it seemed like that infamous real shoout out in Los Angeles. I think the real one came first. I thought that part was quite exciting.

Thanx Gents,

With the two of you recommending it, there's no doubt in my mind that I'll enjoy it. I'll let you know after I've seen it.

As always,

Hollis

Hokey smoke, Hollis! I love your new avatar!!

I liked "Heat" a lot when I saw it on its first release.

Then several years later, I saw "Armored Car Robbery," and it seemed like it was the inspiration for much of "Heat." When Klondike said "Heat" had a 1950s structure, the comparison of "Heat" and "Armored Car Robbery" came back to me.

Klondike quipped: "...and our Mr. Mann started his use of it back in his To Live & Die in L.A. . ."

That would have been William "Hurricane Billy" Friedkin's film, TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA. An easy mistake to make, though, and none of us here will hold it against you!

Dewey1960 wrote:Klondike quipped: "...and our Mr. Mann started his use of it back in his To Live & Die in L.A. . ."

That would have been William "Hurricane Billy" Friedkin's film, TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA. An easy mistake to make, though, and none of us here will hold it against you!

O W T C H H!

Gall'darn it, Dewey, this "being right" thing is gettin' to be a habit with you!
But, indeed, right is what you are!
I think the source of my error might have to do with crossing-up To Live & Die in L.A. in my memory with Mann's production of Band of the Hand.
And the less said about that movie, the better.
(No disrespect, but I doubt that even Mikey's Mom enjoyed it!)
As for anybody holding anything against me, that right is reserved exclusively for Diana Krall.
(Just don't mention that to Elvis Costello . . or my wife!)

Boy, the mere mention of TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. sends me into a delirious neo-noir frenzy. I don't know how many of you out there have seen this incendiary 1985 film, but if you're in the mood for an edgy, visually brilliant joy ride of a film, give it a tumble. Friedkin, who delivered a dandy chase scene in THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971) truly outdoes himself in this film.

I always thought William Petersen would have been top-drawer after LIVE & DIE and MANHUNTER because he delivered some fairly atomic performances in those. Powerhouse films, both.

Evening all,

Thanks Judith, "I got a million of 'em!"

As far as "HEAT" is concerned, They must have cut a lot of the film because there was close to an hour's worth of commercials during the broadcast. Status quo at TNT. Rather than watch it through in its' "discontinuity," I simply added it to my NetFlix queue and switched over to TCM to watch "Spielberg on Spielberg."

Pat - Commander McBragg was about 90 seconds in length and featured a squat, older gentleman in a pith helmet bragging (and exaggerating grossly) to his friends at the Explorers Club about his exploits during safaris and the like. Probably the most easily forgettable segment of the entire show. I always liked Rocky and Bullwinkle and their endless struggles with Boris and Natasha.

As always,

Hollis

Hollis wrote: I always liked Rocky and Bullwinkle and their endless struggles with Boris and Natasha.

As always,

Hollis

One of my most cherished (remembered) exchanges from "Rocky & Bullwinkle":

Natasha Fatale: ""Great! We are locked in hotel room. Now what we do to pass time, Moose?!"
[Pause as Bullwinkle rolls his eyes]
Bullwinkle J. Moose: "Oh come on, it's a kid's show!!"

Hey there Klondike,

The show was simply light years ahead of its' time. It aired in prime time when the kiddies were nestled all snug in their beds with visions of - wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Oh well, at least all that Cold War tension was good for something! (No disrespect intended Mr Kubrick, "Dr Strangelove" was a fine movie!) How many lines can you recall from any other animated series? Few if any I'll wager. And how many so-called "kids shows" were never intended for the "kids" at all?

As always,

Hollis