Heat is a 1995 American crime film written and directed by Michael Mann. It features an ensemble cast led by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, with Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, and Val Kilmer in supporting roles. The film follows the conflict between an LAPD detective, played by Pacino, and a career thief, played by De Niro, while also depicting its effect on their professional relationships and personal lives.
Mann wrote the original script for Heat in 1979, basing it on Chicago police officer Chuck Adamson’s pursuit of criminal Neil McCauley, after whom De Niro’s character is named. The script was first used for a television pilot developed by Mann, which became the 1989 television film L.A. Takedown after the pilot did not receive a series order. In 1994, Mann revisited the script to turn it into a feature film, co-producing the project with Art Linson. The film marks De Niro and Pacino’s first on-screen appearance together following a period of acclaimed performances from both. Due to their esteemed reputations, promotion centered on their involvement.
De Niro was the first cast member to receive the film script, showing it to Pacino, who also wanted to be a part of the film. De Niro believed that Heat was a “very good story, had a particular feel to it, a reality and authenticity.” In 2016, Pacino revealed that he viewed his character as having been under the influence of cocaine throughout the whole film. Mann took Kilmer, Sizemore, and De Niro to Folsom State Prison to interview actual career criminals to prepare for their roles. While researching her role, Judd met several former prostitutes who became housewives.
Principal photography for Heat lasted 107 days during the summer of 1995. All of the shooting was done on location, in and around Los Angeles, due to Mann’s decision not to use a soundstage. Among the key filming locations were the Citigroup Center, where the bank heist and police shootout took place, and the Kate Mantilini restaurant, which served as the location of the meeting over coffee between Pacino and De Niro’s characters.
The film’s cinematographer, Dante Spinotti, used a combination of natural and practical lighting to capture grittiness and realism for the film. The film’s visual style also captured the vastness of Los Angeles and the isolation of its characters within the urban sprawl. Mann and Spinotti often used wide shots and long takes to create a sense of scale and immersion.
Both Al Pacino and Robert De Niro prepared extensively for their roles. They spent time with real detectives and criminals to understand their characters in depth. The diner scene between Pacino and De Niro was shot with minimal rehearsals to maintain the spontaneity and intensity of their interaction. Mann used multiple cameras to capture the scene from different angles, focusing on close-ups to highlight the tension and subtleties of each actor’s performance.
Heat was released by Warner Bros. Pictures on December 15, 1995, to critical and commercial success. It grossed $187 million on a $60 million budget, while receiving positive reviews for Mann’s direction and the performances of Pacino and De Niro. The film is regarded as one of the most influential films of its genre and has inspired several other works.
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