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'Miami Vice' Details (1 Viewer)

Kyle_D

Supporting Actor
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Aug 15, 2004
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Kyle Dickinson

I didn't listen to the commentary, but in reviews I've read that Mann mentions that the Unrated Director's Edition isn't necessarily a Director's Cut that he prefers over the theatrical, it's merely an alternate version. I do know that he prefered using In the Air Tonight during the build-up to the shoot-out, but allowed his collaborators to talk him out of it - an act that I gather is rare for Mann. I'm glad both versions are out there and people can make up their own mind.
 

Harpozep

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Sep 22, 2006
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Robert
I did not see the theatrical version, but played the DC two nights back. I loved the low key lighting and grain. Nice to see someone not afraid of film grain.
In a meteorology class I took, it was said Florida is the thunderstorm capital of the world. It was great too see Mann show this so evocatively.

I have never seen even one episode of the television show. I took the Eighties off from watching TV. Actually I gave up TV in 1978 and only started watching again recently, with a few glances along the way ( Trek, B5, Xena and some Q leap ).

Is it me, or is this Mann's version of Bad Boys II? Perhaps there are just so many things one can do with South American drug Lords, Cuba, Ayrian brothers, fast boats, buddy cops, DEA, copters, and such. I dunno. I watched Bad Boys II last week and liked Mann's version better
htf_images_smilies_drum.gif

Hey, I'm not dissin' Mann. he brought us Manhunter with Brian Cox and Wil Petersen. That is a right that can never be applauded enough!:)
 

Nathan V

Supporting Actor
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Jul 16, 2002
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Kyle D, Mann refers to the DC as his "director's expanded edition" on the commentary, while acknowledging that both cuts are "director's cuts" in that neither cut was studio-pressured. The DEE, or whatever we want to call it, is closer to the original script and the result of further editing for an additional two months.

If Cop And 1/2 is for daycare, and Bad Boys II is for high school, Miami Vice is for adults. (I really do enjoy my Michael Bay, but his films are to Mann's as bubble gum wrapper jokes are to Shakespeare)

Regards,
Nathan
 

Brent M

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I watched the DC over the weekend and while I liked the idea of "In the Air Tonight" playing over the sequence before the final shootout, I REALLY wished they would've used the Phil Collins version instead of that godawful remake. I mean, if Mann wanted to use that particular song to make the connection from the old show to the movie I don't see why he didn't just use the origina versionl. I don't know who recorded the remake, but they should never be allowed in a studio again because that is truly a horrible rendition of a classic song. :thumbsdown:
 

Harpozep

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Robert


I'm with you. The remake of In The Air Tonight defies logic, except that I guess Phill is "old" and to tap into the "Youth Market" , a miserable remake was ordered. It is not even worth a listening, never mind it being used in a movie where the REAL version belonged.
I usually shun Phil Collins sound tracks in movies ( Disney's Tarzan, GET RID OF PHIL"S MUSIC), but I digress......
But the relationship to the original TV show should have made Mann bring in the original song. Even I, who have never seen the TV show know this. Silly humans., sigh...............
 

Brent M

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Someone on another board suggested that maybe Mann didn't want to pay for the rights to use the Phil Collins version in the movie which I don't buy for a second. If you're going to make a big budget movie like Miami Vice w/ huge salaries for Foxx and Farrell I don't think paying to use a song is much of an issue. I wish someone could find a quote from him explaining why he chose to use this horrible remake instead of the original version.

By the way, Robert, since you never saw the TV show this is definitely worth checking out:



Anyone who doesn't think that version would've worked better in the movie is legally insane.
 

Tom_Ca

Agent
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Sep 23, 2004
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Amen.
The original version is soooooooooo much better...
=(
Someone please re-edit the DVD and use the original song!!!! =)
 

Harpozep

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Robert


Hey, thanks! That was real nice. I loved the feel. Mann is the, er MAN! Now I kinda want to catch a show or two.
And don't get me wrong from my prior post, I don't mind Phil Collins songs, but for a while they seemed everywhere. In The Air Tonight rates as an all time great pop classic and holds its own to anything done by any pop Brit group I can think of.Yes, to me it is as good as a Beatles song, and as we've stated here, the song did not need the lifeless remake.
I have seen Don Johnson in Nash Bridges. I liked Cheech Marin as his sidekick.

I really did take a long time off from television. I worked third shift for many years, then after getting laid off from the offset printing industry twice, I went to college for five years and got dual Bachelor degrees. No time for TV fun in there, though I saw folks hanging around campus TVs watching Cosby and General hospital. I did however start liking that new thing, the VIDEO store!:laugh:
 

Nathan V

Supporting Actor
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Jul 16, 2002
Messages
960

Mann doesn't. On the commentary, he indicates that he loves the remake, particularly in relation to how it functions with the scene, and that his only trepidation for using it was the fact that the Phil Collins version was used in the pilot, and he was trying to get away from references that would distract from the film's narrative.

Different strokes,
Nathan
 

Jonny P

Supporting Actor
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Sep 5, 2002
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649
Typically, I spend most of my time on the TV forums...

However, I wanted to comment on the film "Miami Vice."

When I heard about this film in 2005, I eagerly anticipated it since I'd been such a fan of the original back in junior high school. I recorded eps on VHS back then, owned the soundtracks, and loved everything "Vice."

I was also excited to learn that series producer -- Michael Mann -- would be at the helm. He's proven to be an incredibly capable and unique director of crime films on the big screen.

Back in July when I saw the film, I was underwhelmed. I thought it plodded and thought the plot was sort of convoluted (and the casting of Gong Li -- an actress who can't speak English -- made it all the harder to decipher what was going on).

At the time, I had said, "like 'Heat,' this will probably become a cult favorite on home video -- flawed, but interesting."

Based on some very positive reviews of the "new version" of the film and the commentary track by Mann (which is particularly good), I purchased this last night on DVD.

I must say, after hearing Mann's exposition in the commentary track, I have a better appreciation for the film and have a clearer understanding what is going on. It now ranks as one of my top 5 for the year.

Obviously, you shouldn't judge a film by its commentary track.

Mann's "Heat" is a modern crime classic. "Vice" isn't quite a classic -- more like a film that has some incredibly compelling elements. However, I think it should be looked upon as a companion piece to "Heat."

Like "Heat," I think this film grows on you over time.

I saw "Heat" when it opened in theaters. To be honest, I had a similar reaction to it that I had when I saw "Miami Vice" last summer -- technically brilliant with gifted performers, but somewhat "bloated" for watching in the theater.

Personally, I think that "Miami Vice" is a better film on DVD (where one can watch the film in segments).

And as a fan of the show, I did have a hard time accepting Colin Farrell (an actor I am not particularly fond of) in a role epitomized by Don Johnson.

However, Mann's commentary has given me a greater appreciation for the performances of both Farrell and Foxx.

I'd recommend the film. There isn't a lot of exposition and what little there is can seemingly get lost in translation. However, strictly as a "mood" and "style" piece, the film is highly effective.

And as I said before, Mann's commentary goes a long way to "filling in the blanks" for viewers.

Honestly, I enjoyed the "Director's Cut" more than I did the theatrical version (although there aren't all that many changes).
 

Brent M

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Well, I have to respectfully disagree with Mann in this case because that remake absolutely SUCKS. I can't imagine why he feels that it would function better in the scene than the original version, but that's his decision to make. I just don't have to agree with it.
 

Nathan V

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Good comments, Jonny P. I too think this is a film that will grow with time- Everybody and their mother's seen Last of the Mohicans, and most everyone's seen Heat; people who have seen Insider like it. It's only a matter of time before his newer stuff gets accepted. Mann's commentary on Collateral made me like that film about 3 times more than I did previously. The level of thought he puts into his work is pretty staggering.

Regards,
Nathan
 

John J Nelson

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Dec 21, 2001
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Has anyone with the DC noticed a problem with the picture at the 1 hr 50 min. mark, when Crockett is using his satellite phone. For a few seconds, there is some horrible horizontal banding interference - they best way I can describe it - visible in the sky. When the camera angle changes, it goes away.

This is definitely on the DVD - when you hit pause, it pauses too!

J.
 

Felix Martinez

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What film?

"Maybe 4 percent of the movie was shot on film — mostly for slow-motion, ramping, speed elements, and for some wider visual effects plates." - co-producer Bryan Carroll
 

ChrisWiggles

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I noticed streaking once in the film in the theater and also on the DVD. I don't recall where it was, it's likely you're referring to the same spot though. I'll have to take a peek again, but regardless it seemed to me to be a camera-type artifact.
 

Brent M

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Thanks for bringing that up because I completely forgot to mention it in my earlier posts. I was wondering what the hell was going on when it popped up and found it to be very distracting. I wonder if that particular anomaly shows up on the HD-DVD as well.
 

BrettGallman

Screenwriter
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Brett
So I finally watched this the other day after having the HD-DVD since last week, and I must say I enjoyed it even more than I did this past summer in theaters. The director's cut is superior, except for the opening, however. I loved how the theatrical version just literally dropped you into the club scene because it contributed to the feeling that Mann is just giving you a peek into a small window of these characters' lives. The DC opening puts too much of a frame around the film, if that makes any sense. From now on, I'll just start the DC from the second scene.

Also, I take Mann's logic regarding "In the Air Tonight" to task because it's still a reference to the TV pilot, and all everyone is talking about is how much cooler the original version of the song is anyway.
 

mike caronia

Second Unit
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Jan 15, 1999
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Did a blind purchase on this yesterday. Gotta say I was pleasantly surprised, and thought this was one slick flick. A great addition to Michael Mann's resume. If you're a fan of his work, don't listen to your friends who said this movie sucked! Glad I read this thread, prompted me to pick it up.
 

Jonny P

Supporting Actor
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Sep 5, 2002
Messages
649

It seems to work better for viewing at home.

I was disappointed with it in the theater, but I enjoyed it quite a lot in my livingroom...

Interesting crime film in Mann's repertoire.
 

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