Michael Mann on THIEF (1981)

Just watched the movie. The slow reload at the end is one of the coolest scenes ever.

Glad Michael Mann didn’t go with the blues sound for the movie. It would have made it more of a Scorsese feel. What makes Michael style unique is capturing the bleakness of the criminal life not the glamour. Blues would have made it feel more fun and bouncy. And Frank was not that character

This interviewer looks like his human skin is malfunctioning.

Really good film making. Has the ability to haunt.

The quintessence of neo-noir.

Watched this movie when I was 13 or 14 years old and was blown away. My mom owned a video store at the time (before chain stores) and I saw plenty of pictures back then. Michael Mann's style and presentation was very unique for the time, and of course, we saw some more of this style years later on Miami Vice. I'm surprised by his comment that he still isn't sure if he made the right choice on having Tangerine Dream do the score. No question that TD added to the way Michael was trying to present the characters and the city. This is still one of the most underrated movies I have ever seen.

I am not a film student, but I was really struct by the character development and scene locations in the 1995 movie Heat. When the movie was released I was no more than 23. I was in my early to mid 30s when I saw it. In my opinion the dialogue between the characters has so much meaning even though for the most part, there was not very much of it between the action scenes.

That color grade made a whole new movie for me. Brilliant as always from Michael. And tagnerine dream was the Best choice for the music.

Thief
Collateral
Heat

my top 3 Mann films

Anyone know the name of the genre(s) of the music in his films? It's like a combo of ambient synthwave..

Brilliant on blu ray!

Michael Mann is the technician of directors. By far my favorite director in Hollywood.

more than fourty years later i listen to the director. in these days james caan passed. he was the only one to play frank.

RIP Jimmy Cann - this movie is one of the all time greats. Really enjoyed this conversation. Mann, we need you back in the director's chair.

A film that I joyfully rewatch every few years. Never gets old.

The language in this film is precise, it has to be. I knew a few ex-con's and they all spoke like that. They thought about what they were going to say, and then they said it. There was no room for misinterpretation, that could get you killed. That is a scary bunch, and many of the guys I worked with did not see it. They could go from zero to sixty before you could blink, and they were always ready for a fight. They would choose their words carefully and then speak clearly and precisely, and you knew what they meant. Mann got that point across.

I could listen to Michael Mann talk about writing and film all day! Thank you for this interview!

This was a great interview. Good editing.

This is one of those movies I saw on basic cable wondering why I never even heard of it before .

Took forever to find the ending song

The Score is brilliant for this film and helps it stand out. He made the right choice.

One of the greatest movies of Michael Mann, the camera work, the dialogue, the story, the ending, the way he portrayed everybody in a very real way, Caan made this part his, that I cannot imagine anyone else doing it

Micheal Mann brought a stylised reality to his movies that are truly bracing. He's kinda loss his touch sadly. Hasn't made anything interesting since Collateral with Cruise in 2004. There is a defiant theme that runs thru his movies. I think he's always asking the question of the individual in society and what exactly are you willing to do to fit in. Albeit a crime story Thief is more akin to movies like Cool Hand Luke and One Flew Over the Cukoos Nest. Movies with men with strong driven personalities who are put into compromising positions. Heat fits this category too with the Neal McCauley character. In the end they all make the same choice. They play out the hand they have been dealt. Or more succinctly to quote Hyman Roth " This is the life we have chosen " and they never apologize for thier choice. One of my favorite films.

Rollerball is my favorite Caan film, this is second but definitely his best acting !

This was very interesting to see as I am a BIG Thief fan. Also love Mann's next film The Keep. I also love Tangerine dream, so was happy he used them in those fims.

I wish they discussed Jim Belushi. He was good in Thief, but how did he get cast? Kind of odd film for him to get into.

Imagine if Michael Mann, Ridley Scott and Christopher Nolan made a movie together. 🎬 The universe would implode.

awesome interview.