Michael Mann first tried out digital cameras on some scenes in 2001’s “Ali” before shooting the majority of “Collateral”, “Miami Vice,” “Public Enemies,” and “Blackhat” digitally.
BFI has described Mann as digital’s “poet of nighttime”, using the advancing technology to capture the nocturnal atmospherics of Los Angeles and Miami in “ways beyond the capabilities of traditional film”.
However, for his next film, Mann is hinting at going back to his cinematic roots and shooting “Heat 2” in film. That’s what he said last night at a post-screening Q&A for his 1995 classic, “Heat.” Mann hasn’t shot a feature entirely on film since 1999’s “The Insider.”
Mann is a digital trailblazer, he proved how alive photo-realistic digital imagery could be in a major studio film. In his last film, “Ferrari,” Mann used a Sony Venice digital cinema camera, which has become pretty common practice these days in moviemaking. Maybe he no longer sees any sort of point in continuing digitally.
As far as “Heat 2” is concerned, reader WillMunny made an excellent point regarding a key figure that could “glue” both films together: bring back original DP Dante Spinotti and the “bluish, metallic cityscapes” of the original.
“Heat” was as much a visual feast as it was a visceral experience. Spinotti’s imprint has been all over Mann’s filmography, having worked with Mann on such classics as “Manhunter” and “The Insider.” Their last collaboration together was 2009’s “Public Enemies.”
Spinotti is 80 years old, but he’s still actively working. Mann should make it a priority to bring him back.