Saturday 21 January 2012

Michael Mann's TV History Interview

Michael Mann spoke to @kentucker about his history in TV, with particularly interesting backgrounds to shows such as the Jericho Mile. Good interview.

http://watching-tv.ew.com/2012/01/21/michael-mann-interview-luck-hbo/

Friday 13 January 2012

Return to the Scene of the Crime - Heat Bonus Feature

I came across this YouTube footage that is on the Heat DVD as a bonus feature. Ten years after the film was made cameras follow the original location scouts for Heat as they provide a guided tour of some of the key shooting locations for Heat around LA. One of the most interesting is where they discuss the final airport scene and Mann's inch by inch detail in planning the final shoot out. For those who haven't seen this bonus feature you will enjoy it.





Reports from HBO Luck Q&A session

An article today from the Hollywood reporter decided to take a negative angle on a press presentation of HBO's Luck, having been given access for a Q&A with Michael Mann, David Milch, Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte. The report said the event had "exceptionally awkward and amusing moments." The PR team for HBO were apparently not on the ball as according to the report they organised Mann and Milch's seats at opposite ends to each other, to the notice of some entertainment writers looking for media fodder, following previous news of discontent between the two men. The creative giants of screen sat up front were perhaps thinking that the event was about the exciting launch of some superb new entertainment, but some writers saw their main news story of what happened behind the scenes.

Nick Nolte was reported to have given quirky personal opinions on 3D TV warning of its negative health effects.  I don't entirely disagree. It wouldn't surprise me that if 3D catches on more than it already has, that health reports will undermine any technological advancements in this area. I saw Puss in Boots (with my kids!) in 3D and I had a headache and felt sick the rest of the day! I enjoy the sense of depth and involvement of 3D, but Nolte is right. It isn't a natural function of our eye. My opinion is that holographic cinema in about 50 years will be the replacement media of the future. 2D is not going to disappear yet. But 3D? I applaud the efforts to introduce a new experience for the viewer, but think it falls into the laps of TV makers wanting new features to lure customers into buying replacement TV sets, hence their hype of the technology. TV makers should make less of 3D (if they want to avoid litigation for screwing up the eyes of our children!), and realise that the true potential of TV is in the Smart TV revolution - turning our iPhone into a giant screen and hooked to the internet for movie streaming and social interaction. To this end TV makers have been distinctly lazy and without vision. Apple are forcing the agenda with their rumoured iTV set to launch this year. Finally, the best screen estate in our homes gets intelligent.

I digress. Rather than read my twaddle, see the most recent articles about Luck on these links below:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tca-luck-nick-nolte-dustin-hoffman-david-milch-michael-mann-281559

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/13/idUS53236655420120113

You can also access the full HBO airing schedule for Luck in the US:

Debut:  SUNDAY, JAN. 29 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates:  Jan. 29 (10:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 30 (9:00 p.m.) and 31 (11:00 p.m.), and Feb. 1 (10:00 p.m.), 4 (12:45 a.m. ET/9:45 p.m. PT), 7 (10:00 p.m.), 8 (9:00 p.m.) and 11 (10:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Jan. 30 (8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) and Feb. 2 (midnight), 3 (9:00 p.m.), 5 (2:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 16 (8:00 p.m.)

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/01/13/luck-debuts-sunday-january-29-on-hbo/116418/





Monday 9 January 2012

The Study of Mann Interview

Michael Mann has returned to the interview table for the Directors Guild of America with F.X Feeney, who originally interviewed Mann for his wonderful published book "Michael Mann" published by Taschen (which I own). Mann obviously seems very comfortable talking to Feeney, because Mann's replies to often short questions are some of his most revealing to date. It is for this reason that this interview is a must read, with a wealth of new revelations about Mann's methodology in film and his relationship with the actors and crew he works with.

We have been left very short of Michael Mann information of late, and this occasional Michael Mann blogger has been left dry of "Mann Water" for a long time. It is therefore a tease when he gives more uncertain clues as to what his next major movie project will be. I wonder if the conversation he has with F.X Feeney next week will be made public? Read the end of the interview to see what I am talking about!

Full interview here

In the meantime, I have now bought a new plasma, a Panasonic G30 42" (THX calibration option) in readiness for Luck.