Public Enemies makes Michael Mann a busy boy!
May 6th, 2008 by EoinIn recent years there hasn’t been much disappointed me like the work of director Michael Mann.
Heat didn’t live up to the hype, The Insider was too long and slow, and Ali didn’t really go anywhere as a story. Collateral was alright, but again was built up too much. Miami Vice was an unforgivable mess of a film, and the hype-driven expectations that caused my disappointment with the other films, was blown out of the water by how much I hated watching it.
That being said Mann is back with a series of interesting films for the years ahead. Top of that list is Public Enemies, but more on that later.
Empire staring Will Smith, is a story about a contemporary global media mogul written by The Aviator’s John Logan.
Frankie Machine, re-teams Mann and Robert De Niro for a screen adaptation of Don Winslow’s novel The Winter of Frankie Machine.
One I would like to see, despite it staring Leonardo DiCaprio, is Hollywood Noir. Since the article says shooting in February and it is now May without any sign of them shooting I’m guessing this one isn’t going to happen any time soon. Pity.
Then there are films about Alexander Litvinenko, an ex-KGB agent who was poisoned with polonium in November 2006. At first it seemed Johnny Depp and Michael Mann were developing rival projects, but now it seems they have teamed up for one film.
One film the pair are filming together is Public Enemies!
Depp will be joined by Christian Bale and Billy Crudup in this 1930’s story of FBI Agent, Melvin Purvis’s (Bale) hunt of Gangsters John Dillinger (Depp) and Baby Face Nelson. Crudup will be playing J. Edgar Hoover.
Mann will unfotunately be writing the screenplay but it’s based on Bryan Burrough’s book Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34 so it mightn’t be as bad as his Miami Vice script.
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May 6th, 2008 at 10:07 am
I have read the script and the book Public Enemies by Bryan Burroughs. I was disappointed with the script as it fictionalises too many parts of the truthful events. If you are a history enthusiast about these events you will be scratching your head during this one. To leave out the Barker Boys and Bonnie and Clyde, its seems as if it should be called Dillinger Vice. Mann has stretched the truth so much he is doing a good a job as Hoover did with his fanciful untruths. I am however, looking forward to a great ensemble cast with strong acting.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:59 am
I always feel that Michael Mann should stick to directing and let others do the writing.
May 6th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Actually he’s not the principal writer there are about three others credited, but he obviously had a hand in it. Most Mann purists will say its not a doco it’s a film, but this day and age, when so much is known about the Dillinger/crime wave of the 30s, it’s like leaving out the grassy knoll in the JFK story.
May 6th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I like Heat a lot, and I love the Insider… the Insider is up there in my top films somewhere… top thirty or so I’d say. Can’t beat his earlier stuff though… except he always has really cheesy soundtracks…
May 6th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I don’t know much about Dillinger so I’ll just be judging Public Enemies as a film. I have a good feeling about it too.
Heat was good but at 3hrs I won’t be watching it too often. Don’t think it needed to be 3hrs and it’s not the masterpiece or classic some would have you believe. Still enjoyable though.
Can’t agree with you on The Insider Frank. It’s not that I think it’s bad, it just didn’t do it for me. It’s one of those films where it depends on my mood. To me the great movies can be watched whatever mood I’m in.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
We disagree there alright - some of what I consider to be the best films ever are fairly depressing and I wouldn’t watch them a lot of the time…
Like yesterday - I opted to watch Troy and Minority Report again, rather than say Taxi Driver & Raging Bull - but I think the latter two are the better films…
Still though, it was a good evening eating popcorn and watching fun films.
May 6th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I don’t know how anyone could sit through Troy more than once. Minority Report I liked though.