Sunday 26 February 2012

Review: L.A. Takedown

Michael Mann, 1989

When I'm bored of something, usually a film, television show or situation, I often to think aloud that I could be watching Heat at that very moment in question and throughout L.A. Takedown this feeling was constant and magnified. This stems from an episode of Peepshow, where during a stage production of Hamlet, Jeremy whispers to Mark something along the lines of 'We could be at home right now, watching Heat on DVD!'

If you are unfamiliar with L.A. Takedown it is a made for television film, written and directed by Michael Mann, and originally broadcast on NBC in 1989. More to the point, Mann's 1995 film Heat was a remake of this film. Heat is almost a verbatim version of L.A. Takedown, albeit with some differences in the plot. In L.A. Takedown Hanna's stepdaughter is nowhere to be seen, the relationship between Hanna and his wife is less strained, no-one says anything about anyone with a great ass, Shiherlis' gambling addiction is omitted, and several details regarding the film's end are different.

It was like watching Heat, but dated, censored, diluted, and with different actors. The soundtrack is fantastic, with some guilty-pleasure power ballads and tense synthesiser compositions. It is clear that this film was only ever intended for a television broadcast, with its soft focus close-ups of the characters face, and dramatic pauses that fade to black to create commercial break opportunities.

 If you are a fan of Heat, this is definitely worth watching. However, don't expect it to make any kind of serious addition to your feelings regarding the aforementioned film.

6/10

L.A. Takedown @ Amazon

Heat @ Amazon

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