Heat (BFI Modern Classics) (Paperback)

~ Nick James (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Robert de Niro and Al Pacino have acted opposite each other only once, and that was in Heat, Michael Mann's operatic 1995 heist thriller. De Niro is Neil McCauley, a skilled professional thief at the center of a tight-knit criminal team; Pacino is Vincent Hanna, the haunted, driven cop determined to hunt him down. Boasting a series of meticulously orchestrated setpieces that underline Mann's sense of scale and architecture, Heat is also a rhapsody to Los Angeles as Hanna closes in on his prey. For Nick James, the pleasures and virtues of Heat are mixed and complex. Its precise compositions and minimalist style are entangled with a particular kind of extravagant bombast. And while its vision of male teamwork is richly compelling, it comes close to glorifying machismo. But these complexities only add to the interest of this hugely ambitious and accomplished film, which confirmed Mann's place in the front rank of American filmmakers. Illustrated

About the Author

Nick James has written for the Guardian, the Observer, and the London Review of Books and was for a time TV Editor at London's City Limits magazine. He has edited Sight and Sound since 1997.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: British Film Institute (January 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0851709389
• ISBN-13: 978-0851709383
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #669,307 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good analysis of a great film, June 26, 2005

By	John S. Harris "The Voice of Reason" (Memphis, TN) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (VINE VOICE)

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Nick James certainly appreciates Michael Mann's body of work, as do a great many of us. His analysis of "Heat" as an ode to the 80's (in part, though made and set in the 1990's), as both celebration and criticism of machismo, and as testimonial of how Mann can be called a "method director" not unlike De Niro's habit of being a "method actor" (pardon the overused and often misplaced term), is as much tribute to Mann as it is a tribute to the art of storytelling on the often expansive canvas of film.

Of the half-dozen or so BFI series books I've read so far, this one ranks near the top of my enjoyment list. James' writing is scholarly without being pretentious [at least one BFI series book I have read cannot make the same claim]. Though perhaps not as enlightening as the BFI book on "Titanic" or as profound as a passage or two in the BFI book on "Jaws" (though that book does have some flaws, hate to say), it is more than compelling enough to keep me hooked on the series.

I will make a point to purchase and read the BFI books on "Crash", "The Right Stuff", "The Thin Red Line" (FOR GOD'S SAKE, EVERYBODY SEE THAT MOVIE!!), and "The Shawshank Redemption". I have the BFI book on "The Thing" in the on-deck circle and will start it tomorrow.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars one of the finest BFI Modern Classics book series!, June 10, 2003

By	Cubist (United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

For such a highly regarded filmmaker, so little has been written about Michael Mann's films in book form. This is a solid look at one of his most popular films. Not so much an anecdotal account (unfortunately), rather a more analytically approach to HEAT. James makes some very insightful observations on the movie and how it fits into Mann's overall body of work. For example, he points out how James Caan's character in THIEF truly embodies HEAT's famous philosophy (do not have anything you can't walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you see the heat coming...) much more successfully that De Niro's character.

While I would have enjoyed more behind-the-scenes stories and information, this is a well-written book that always has something interesting to say. James is clearly a fan of the film and of Mann's but isn't afraid of being critical -- this isn't a fan boy's love letter. His book is definitely required reading for any fan of HEAT or Mann's movies in general. BFI's Modern Classics series comes through again.

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading!, April 28, 2009

By	Gift Cardholder "James Rosevear" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book provides a detailed study of one of the greatest crime films ever made. Heat is Director Michael Mann's greatest masterpiece and this book gives a detailed explanation of the meanings of each scene from the film.
This book won't interest everybody, but Heat is my favourite movie of all time and this book is well worth reading for anybody who has an obsession for the film.