Regarded as one of the greatest crime films ever made, Michael Mann’s Heat arrives on 4K Ultra HD from 20th Century Studios just as the director makes his publishing debut with a sequel book. With an all-star cast headlined by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, this 1995 classic at long last gave the two acting heavyweights a scene together. A repackaging of the 2017 Director’s Definitive Edition, this Ultimate Collector’s Edition reproduces the 2-disc Blu-Ray set with an added UHD disc featuring the same restoration of the film, but in 4,000 lines of glorious resolution.
"Allow nothing to be in your life that you cannot walk out on in thirty seconds flat if you spot the heat around the corner". That’s the credo of Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino), whose romantic and personal life are in turmoil as he gets caught up in the ultimate game of cat and mouse in an effort to take down Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), one of the most successful thiefs in Los Angeles. Who will win this battle royale between these two opposing forces?
Co-starring Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Danny Trejo, Hank Azaria, and Natalie Portman, Michael Mann’s Heat is a triumph of action moviemaking. With the director-approved restoration available for the first time in 4K, fans can experience every aspect of the film before finding out what the visionary behind it has up his sleeve next in the sequel novel.
Bonus Features
4K Ultra HD and Blu-Ray Disc One
- Director’s Audio Commentary (2:50:17) – Director Michael Mann is the lone voice on this commentary track, which is informative, but contains gaps where he is apparently just watching the film with nothing to say.
Bonus Blu-ray Disc Two
- Filmmaker Panels
- 2016: Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (1:03:23) – Christopher Nolan hosts this Q&A with Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Michael Mann.
- 2015: Toronto International Film Festival (30:27) – In honor of the 25th anniversary, Michael Mann joins Jesse Wente, Director of Film Programs at TIFF, to introduce a screening of the film, followed by a conversation.
- The Making of Heat (59:12) – A three-part making-of documentary produced for the film’s 2005 DVD release.
- Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation (9:58) – The two giants of acting finall get a scene together, which is analyzed in this featurette.
- Return To The Scene Of The Crime (12:05) – The production team explores the real-life locations in Los Angeles where Heat was filmed.
- Additional Footage – Deleted Scenes (9:44) – Accessible with a “Play All” option or individually.
- Scene 5 – Season’s Starting Early
- Scene 42 – Nicest Guy on the Block
- Scene 55 – Albert and Hanna (Alternate Take)
- Scene 62 – Shakedown
- Scene 76 – Murder in C Block
- Scene 96A – Let’s Dance
- Scene 125 – Late Arrival
- Scene 148/147 – Where’s Anna?
- Scene 177B – Double The Worst Trouble
- Scene 191 – Nate Delivers
- Scene 204A – No Response
- Theatrical Trailers (06:48) – Accessible with a “Play All” option or individually.
- Surprise of a Lifetime
- Two Actors Collide
- Closing In
Video
Faithful to the era in which the film was made, the 4K UHD remaster of Heat retains its filmgrain and its aspect ratio of 2.40:1. Employing a fairly muted color palette, the transfer displays black levels very well and the film looks as good as it possibly can in-home. However, it’s not a gigantic improvement over the HD version included on the feature Blu-Ray disc, which appears to be the exact same transfer with more compressed colors and details.
Audio
The packaging actually sells this release short, failing to mention that among the foreign language options on the 4K disc are a German 5.1 mix as well as Italian and Japanese stereo. These join the advertised French 5.1 and Spanish stereo options, both of which are included on the Blu-Ray. The primary track is an English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, which is a highly dynamic and immersive track. Viewers be warned, the film will go from quiet moments where you’re straining to hear dialogue, to overly loud explosions that will make your room shake if you have a surround sound system.
Packaging & Design
Heat comes packaged in a standard black Blu-Ray case with stacked disc holders. The only disc with artwork is the 4K disc, which repeats the same screenshot used on the back of the packaging. A slipcover is included with the initial pressing and the only insert is a code for the included digital copy, redeemable through Movies Anywhere. The same menu is used across all three discs, featuring clips from the film set to score. The two Blu-Ray discs are exact copies of the 2017 release, complete with “20th Century Fox” intros, while all studio branding is hidden on the 4K disc (except the film retains mention of having been initially distributed by Warner Bros.).
Final Thoughts
Diehard fans of Heat likely already own the 2-disc Director’s Definitive Edition released in 2017. The only difference with this repackaging is the inclusion of the film in 4K Ultra HD, which offers upgraded picture quality for fans who enjoy the premium format. Otherwise, all you need is your previous copy of the film to prepare for the sequel novel, now available.
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