“Heat – A Los Angeles Crime Saga”
This 1995 Michael Mann film is a modern classic, one of the greatest action thrillers of the era, and also remembered for making motion picture history:
Amazingly, “Heat” was the first film to ever feature both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino acting together! They both starred in “The Godfather: Part II” in 1974, but their roles were for different eras in the family. When “Heat” was released in 1995, it was promoted as the film to offer the first De Niro/Pacino “showdown!”
Here is the trailer for Michael Mann’s film – with an incredible ensemble including Pacino and DeNiro, along with Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman:
Bravo To the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences!
The Academy just put on a great night with the creative team in front of and behind the camera of “Heat” – including a reunion of DeNiro and Pacino!
On September 7, 2016 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, a great discussion of the film was moderated by Christopher Nolan, the Director of “Interstellar” and the “Batman” trilogy!
Here is a clip from the event, where they discuss the famous “showdown” scene, which was shot at the legendary restaurant Kate Mantellini’s restaurant just blocks away from the event.
HEAT US 1995 AL PACINO ROBERT DE NIRO Date 1995, Photo by: Mary Evans/WARNER BROS / REGENCY ENTERPRISES/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection(10372929)
According to IMDB, Pacino revealed that for the scene in the restaurant between Hanna and McCauley, Robert De Niro felt that the scene should not be rehearsed so that the unfamiliarity between the two characters would seem more genuine. Michael Mann agreed, and shot the scene with no practice rehearsals.
Here is a great conversation between Pacino, DeNiro and Director Michael Mann where they discuss filming this iconic movie moment:
Posted by “Oscars” on YouTube – bravo! You can see more of these moments from he event as well – a great way to re-discover this classic film!
Oscar Snub!
Shockingly, “Heat” wasn’t even nominated for Best Picture in 1995….among the other snubs that year were “Dead Man Walking”, “Leaving Las Vegas”, “The Usual Suspects” and “Se7en”!
Here were the Best Picture Nominees: Apollo 13, Babe, Il Postino, Sense and Sensibility
The Best Picture Winner: Braveheart
Wow! Well, twenty+ years on, “Heat” is a classic, and the restaurant scene is a moment for movie history.
Al Pacino is one of my favorite Actors: of course, everyone knows him for this role:
Aside from “The Godfather” and “Scarface”, Pacino has made an incredible impression of cinema…including this masterpiece from the early 70’s:
Check out this great film also starring Gene Hackman – click on my story here:
Of course, DeNiro was also in “The Godfather Part II” – but since he played the early Don Corleone, he and Pacino never worked together in the film:
DeNiro has created many iconic movie characters, but perhaps no one more mesmerizing than “Taxi Driver” Travis Bickle:
Here are some of my favorite movies starring DeNiro:
Bravo once again to the Motion Picture Academy for putting on this great event – go to their YouTube channel to see more of the conversation!
