This is the second in a five-part series of Moving Image Source video essays on Michael Mann, whose new film, Public Enemies, opened July 1. To read a transcript of the video's narration, click here. To read the author's review of Public Enemies at IFC.com, click here.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Zen Pulp: The World of Michael Mann, Pt. 2—Lifetime subscriptions: Michael Mann's honor-bound individualists
This is the second in a five-part series of Moving Image Source video essays on Michael Mann, whose new film, Public Enemies, opened July 1. To read a transcript of the video's narration, click here. To read the author's review of Public Enemies at IFC.com, click here.
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4 comments:
Have been a huge fan of Mann for years. So thanks for this.
Love Mann – every film he puts out is at least very good, with a few great masterpieces thrown in, which puts him up against any of the top working directors in my book. Heat (along with The Insider and Miami Vice) is one of those supreme accomplishments. However, I would argue that Neil doesn't abandon his "30 seconds flat" motto. He tries to, but as he's feeling the high of escape in that white tunnel, driving away, I don't believe he can allow himself to break out of his self-defined construct of mechanized existence.
Many Mann characters have this fatal flaw, but in different ways. For Sonny in Vice, the highpoint in his life will be meeting this similarly lost soul that he didn't allow himself to hold on to, only to go back on the job to run an endless loop of identity masking. The reasons for this lack of self-awareness – so that these character cannot consciously make the decision to see themselves and break free – is embedded in character subtext, which is different in each film. Among other things, Sonny is uncomfortable in his own skin; Vincent's words (with thanks to Cruise's performance) fly out of his mouth like some sort of self-brainwashing; and Neil won't let anyone in because he doesn't know how. And this nags Neil, even if he can't explain it. He would never settle down. Never "going back" to a society. His revenge trip as he turns off the highway at the end of Heat is merely an excuse. And when the time comes, he does leave on a dime, shaking off the look on his girlfriend's face, only to be gunned down by perhaps the only man in the world that understands him, as Mann so eloquently put it.
Excellent video and essay - and you are very fortunate to have the perfect voice for narrating the kinds of videos you make. I really enjoy watching AND listening to them. May I ask you what technology you use to capture the images and edit them?
Richly engrossing for Mann lovers like me. Amazing to see much needed appreciation for Mann's work.
Thanks for the video and articles.
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