[SpecialEd]

Well thanks to comments on this forum, I finally got around to watching "Heat." Very intense! It was also nice having the TGZ's background info at hand to identify all the ordnance. The only gun I have to go back and do a freeze frame on is the compact pistol with the white stocks that Pacino uses in the end of the movie. My first guess is some sort of cop S&W but like I said, I have to go back and take a closer look.

Heat is one of those movies where it's sometimes hard to tell the protagonist(s) from the antagonist(s) and you can find yourself routing for the bad guy(s).

I am expecting a VHS copy of "Thief" in the mail any day now so I can finally go back and see all of that flick too.

SO, when is the "Armchair Pistolero" going to find the time to get back in business and make some more reading/viewing recommendations? :wink:

Ed

 

[WaltGraham]

I'll offer a suggestion - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield - one of the best reads I've had in a while. This one cries out for an updated movie treatment. Dean's probably off somewhere spraying gasoline on burning polymerphiles :twisted:

 

[SpecialEd]

I'll offer a suggestion - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield - one of the best reads I've had in a while. This one cries out for an updated movie treatment.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will look that one up.

Dean's probably off somewhere spraying gasoline on burning polymerphiles :twisted:

Mixing up some "Jonestown" Kool-Aide for the Kool-aide drinkers, no doubt. :twisted:

Ed

 

[LIProgun]

I'll offer a suggestion - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield - one of the best reads I've had in a while. This one cries out for an updated movie treatment. Dean's probably off somewhere spraying gasoline on burning polymerphiles :twisted:

I'll second the recommendation of "Gates of Fire," which was recommended to me some years ago by Pat Rogers. As you can probably guess from my "sig" below, the message has resonated with me.

The subject was covered in the 1962 movie "The 300 Spartans," which is a good movie, but hardly as engaging as Pressfield's telling. While I too would like to see an updated movie treatment, I fear that today's Hollywood would do to "Gates of Fire" what they did with other "classic" novels like Heinlein's "Starship Troopers."

 

[csmkersh]

Rob, as near as I could tell, all Gollywood used from RAH's Starship Troopers was the title and bugs. It had waaaay to strong a political message for them.

 

[LIProgun]

You got that right, Top.

Interestingly, Jim Cameron came far closer to capturing the essence of the Mobile Infantry and bug fighting with "Aliens," than Verhoeven did with "Starship Troopers."

One of the few good things I can say about Verhoeven's movie is that it consumed more rounds of ammo than any prior movie.

 

[Dean Speir]

The only gun I have to go back and do a freeze frame on is the compact pistol with the white stocks that Pacino uses in the end of the movie. My first guess is some sort of cop S&W but like I said, I have to go back and take a closer look.

You certainly do if you think it's an S&W! See 2003 Letters.

Glad you caught up with this puppy! It's a dandy, and only troubling in the "last minute switch" Neil makes on his way to the aeropuerto. It's completely antithetical to his character and his credo, and much more consistent with Dustin Hoffman's Max Dembo character in the largely forgotten but still excellent Straight Time.

 

[SpecialEd]

Thanks Dean.

Interestingly the link you provided to "Straight Time" also had the movie "Straw Dogs" on the same page. I've heard that had a pretty intense ending too. Isn't that a Peckinpah movie?

I received Thief today and got to watch the first half or so. So far the only weapon used was James Caan's "Frank" with his High Power. Have to wait for the kids to go to bed again.

Ed

 

[SubSonicSquid]

Rob, as near as I could tell, all Gollywood used from RAH's Starship Troopers was the title and bugs. It had waaaay to strong a political message for them

Whoever their screenwriter was seemed to not even have read a Cliff Notes version of the actual book...where were the suits? What was with the flying Higgins boats instead of the individual "cocoon" drops? When did Diz Flores change genders and become a hottie redhead? (not a bad thing in my book, but still...<g>) And where in Heinlein's book is Boot Camp co-ed??? (My theory there is that somebody filed the serial numbers off another future-war novel, Joe Haldeman's The Forever War, which did have a bunk-sharing co-ed Boot Camp...decent idea if you ask me <g>) And I think Heinlein would be aghast at the Nazi overtones that Veerhoeven put in that movie. Of course, considering what was done to The Puppet Masters about 10 years ago, should we really expecty better?

Dave

 

[LIProgun]

According to an entry under "Trivia" for "Starship Troopers" on IMDB.com, "Director Paul Verhoeven admits to never finishing the novel, claiming he read through the first few chapters and becoming both bored and depressed."

'Nuff said.

 

[SpecialEd]

Starship Troopers, Heat, Thief, etc.

There's always the song by YES...

Anyway, I finished "Thief." Much easier to tell the good guys from the bad guys but another tragic ending. I guess I didn't remember much from the first time I saw it other than the High Power and the explosions and final shootout. Definite similarities to "Heat." My wife was in the other room and she said "You're watching another Michael Mann film aren't you? I can tell by the explosions and the soaring guitars." (Tangerine Dream)

Ed

 

[Fernando Coelho]

Thief is a classic! Michael Mann’s camera angles, choice of music, attention to detail and everything else he did in that film makes it one of my favorites. I remember sitting in a hot and humid apartment in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with director Toby Russell watching Thief over and over again. There were many scenes from that movie that influenced the film we were working on.

 

[SpecialEd]

Thief is a classic!...<SNIPPAGE> There were many scenes from that movie that influenced the film we were working on.

And that would be?

Ed :wink:

 

[Fernando Coelho]

And that would be?

Here is a link to a thread about it.

Now that you got me thinking about Thief, here is one of my favorite lines...

 

[SpecialEd]

Great quote!

Yeah, that pretty much says it all. I wonder how much lattitude James Caan had to improvise? BTW, where did you dig that up or did you record it yourself?

Ed

 

[Fernando Coelho]

I found a bunch of them here.

It's a good thing I don't have the time to record my own. I would need another server just for the soundbites! :lol:

 

[MBaneACP]

Loved that Tangerine Dream soundtrack! When I was seriously racing bicycles I used to sit on my trainer and listen to TD over and over, peddling like some kind of lunatic (now that I'm grown up, I have a DVD player in the basement with my new improved trainer, and I watch GI JANE over and over again peddling like some kind of lunatic).

If I recall correctly, as the Chairman says on IRON CHEF, there was a pretty good interview with Caan--who is (or at least was then) very, very anti-gun--in Rolling Stone on the movie. He said that Michael Mann required him to spend 2 weeks at Gunsite under the Colonel's person tutelage. Caan said something to the effect that it was the creepiest, most-eye-opening thing that had ever happened to him, because he suddenly realized how good a *good* shooter actually was.

Michael B

 

[SpecialEd]

Knowing Michael Mann that wouldn't surprise me at all. I was struck that Caan used the two hand hold throughout the movie. Even though the film was made 25 years ago he seemed to have the "Modern Technique" down. (Statement removed to reflect improving vision!)

It would be cool to find that article again. I found the VHS on Amazon for $1.85 and was thrilled. I went back and searched some more and found the DVD which is on it's way. Maybe there is some comentary on that (I doubt it though). Mann is known for bringing weapons experts in to train his actors, i.e. Andy MaNab.

On another note has anybody seen the DVD of "The Directors" that features Michael Mann? I was wondering if it was any good. It is part of a series that is available on Amazon also.

Best,

Ed

 

[SpecialEd]

Rolling Stone

I just located an issue of RS from May of 1981 that features:

Inside the Gun - The National Rifle Association. James Caan, The Who

I would bet thats the one Bane was talking about. It seems like the theme of the whole issue is gun control (shortly after John Lennon was killed). I just may have to spring for it.

Ed

 

[Fernando Coelho]

On the “Thief” DVD there is an option for commentary from Michael Mann and James Caan. During the scene where Caan goes to kill Leo, Mann said that Jeff Cooper taught them “sweeping”, and James Caan refers to the “ready position” he was taught and “semi-circle, semi-circle, semi-circle” that they used in that scene. They also referred to both of them going through a live fire house. Earlier in the film when Caan and Belushi rolled up to the plating company, Caan press checked his 1911 and Mann referred to practical combat handgun techniques and knowing your “tools”. The commentary gives some good insight into the making of the film. It’s definitely worth having the DVD version.

Now if only Michael Mann would use Jan Hammer for the soundtrack for the new Miami Vice film and bring back Phillip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson!!