Thief (1981)

[dave jenkins]

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Thief-Blu-ray/47071/#Review

Restored in 4K and approved by Michael Mann, the director's cut of Thief looks incredibly beautiful on Blu-ray. In fact, the improvements in image quality are so dramatic that I feel very comfortable stating that those who have previously seen Thief only on the non-anamorphic R1 DVD MGM produced years ago will experience an entirely new film. The nighttime footage, in particular, looks spectacular. The flat and murky visuals from the DVD release are replaced by dark but lush visuals with some hugely atmospheric neon lights that give the film a very stylish neo-noir look.

This seems an essential purchase.

[drinkanddestroy]

I did not like this movie http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=7645.msg159257#msg159257

[dave jenkins]

Your review is mostly how you don't like the score. Anyway, as the reviewer is at pains to make clear, you haven't actually seen the movie.

[Dust Devil]

Yes, I didn't fancy it much myself either.

[drinkanddestroy]

Your review is mostly how you don't like the score. Anyway, as the reviewer is at pains to make clear, you haven't actually seen the movie.

A) I wouldn't call it a review; the thread is called rate the last movie you saw

B) You think  the score is gonna be less annoying on the new transfer?

C) I saw the movie on TCM; I don't know if the "murky visuals" that the reviewer says were on the dvd were also on TCM

D) my problem with the movie had nothing to do with bad image quality. As I've said before – and this is obviously where you and I differ – if you have the greatest photographer in the world with the fanciest camera in the world take the best-quality picture in the world of a pile of horseshit, it's still a pile of horseshit and I still have no interest in looking at a pile of horseshit.
(No, I am certainly not saying that Thief is a horseshit movie... But I am saying that even a great restoration of a movie only interests me if the movie itself interested me. I, for one, don't buy beautiful-looking BRD's of movies I didn't like.)

btw, after this movie is restored, do you think the Film Society of Lincoln Center will include it in their next Tuesday Weld Tribute Week? 

[dave jenkins]

http://mondo-digital.com/thief.html

When Criterion announced the release of Thief as a Blu-ray/DVD combo edition in early 2014, it was a major relief for fans tired of lackluster DVD transfer. The film had aired in HD in the same revised cut a handful of times, so the natural assumption would be that this would be the same source for the Blu-ray, too. Well, surprise! Though billed as a director's cut, this isn't the same version. The extra scene is still there, but thankfully the beach sequence is back to its original length with the music intact, thus creating the longest version we've had to date (about 30 seconds longer than the DVD) and something much closer to the theatrical version overall. The DTS-HD 5.1 track sounds excellent (optional English subs are also included), with the score benefiting in particular from the spacious presentation, while the transfer looks terrific with even the darkest scenes popping through far more clearly than before. It's safe to say you can toss your DVD in the trash bin after grabbing this one.

[dave jenkins]

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/thief_blu-ray.htm

[dave jenkins]

This is interesting. UK Arrow has a blu out of this title with two versions, the current director-approved one and the theatrical version. The theatrical version has a completely different color scheme (see Beaver's comparison caps: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/thief_blu-ray.htm ). I like the new all-blue-all-the-time look of the film, but it's definitely good to also be able to get something resembling what the film actually looked like in the theater in 1981. I applaud this trend (if it IS a trend) and wish, wish, wish it would be applied to the films of a certain Italian filmmaker I admire.

[T.H.]

I don't have any arguments with what you said but I have zero problems with the criterion bluray. It's reference quality and Thief is now one of my favorite 30-50 movies.

[Novecento]

This is interesting. UK Arrow has a blu out of this title with two versions, the current director-approved one and the theatrical version. The theatrical version has a completely different color scheme (see Beaver's comparison caps: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_60/thief_blu-ray.htm ). I like the new all-blue-all-the-time look of the film, but it's definitely good to also be able to get something resembling what the film actually looked like in the theater in 1981. I applaud this trend (if it IS a trend) and wish, wish, wish it would be applied to the films of a certain Italian filmmaker I admire.

Seems the 2 disc edition with both versions is limited to 3000 copies (taking a leaf out of Twilight Time's book). After that it will just be a single disc with the DC.

The whole teal thing does smack of modern revisionism, but then it does seem quite apropos for this film. However, I wonder how accurate a reflection of the original colors the "theatrical release" is?

Interesting article here: http://arrowvideodeck.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/thief-tales-of-three-edits.html

[Moorman]

I recently pretty much ditched what i consider " modern era " movies ( anything made after 1970) for classic movies. ( westerns, hollywood, noir, etc.etc.). I think i'm gonna make a exception for this because of Michael Mann. I got wind of this movie over at Criterion.  I pretty much like anything that Mann does.  I get the impression that its kind of a precusor to his Miami Vice series.  I get the impression that this movie is where it all started.  I think i'm gonna take a flyer based on that and check this movie out.

[Spikeopath]

Another one of Mann's expert stories on film.

You are making big profits from my work, my risk, my sweat.

Thief is written and directed by Michael Mann, who adapts the screenplay form the novel "The Home Invaders" written by Frank Hohimer. It stars James Caan, Tuesday Weld, Robert Prosky, James Belushi and Willie Nelson. Music is by Tangerine Dream and cinematography by Donald Thorin.

Frank (Caan) is a tough ex-con and expert jewel thief. He's working his way out to a normal life, but after being lured to a big job for the mob, he finds plans on both sides severely altered.

For his first full length theatrical feature, Michael Mann announced himself to the film world with some distinction, and in the process showed everyone what style of film making makes him tick. Thief is a film of stylised grit, visually, thematically and narratively. Set and filmed in Chicago, Mann, aided by Thorin, shoots the story through pure neo-noir filters.

At nighttime it is all a beautifully neon drenched haze, where the streets shimmer with dampness, a dampness brought about by the rain and god knows what else! By day there's a sweaty hue, a feeling that the heat is well and truly on, that even in daylight Frank isn't safe, his dreams may be a touch too far to reach. And no matter what the scene or scenario, Tangerine Dream are laying over the top a throbbing pulse beat, it's like The Warriors trying to get back to Coney Island, the music has a sense of dread about it, that danger is at every corner.

This part of Chicago stinks, it's a vile and corrupt place. Dirty cops everywhere, underworld criminals ruling the roost - Hell! You can even buy a baby if you want one. Is it any wonder that Frank just wants to settle down with a wife and child, to walk barefooted in the sea, to have domesticity? But Frank, as smart, tough and savvy as he is, seems to thrive on the edge of things, with Mann giving him earthy and honest dialogue to engage us with, marking him out as an identifiable every man protagonist who just happens to be an exceptional thief.

Mann's attention to detail is on show straight away, none more so than with the two key safe cracking jobs that are undertaken. Using genuine jewel thieves as technical advisers on the film, these sequences ooze realism, from the tools used, the pre-planning and the execution of the takes, it smacks of reality and does justice to the genuine feel of the characterisations brought alive by the superb cast. And finally Mann delivers a finale of ambiguity, a noir shaded piece of abruptness, an ending that perfectly fits the whole production. 9/10

[Moorman]

Thanx for the write up spikeopath... I can't wait to see this...

[moorman]

Michael Mann.  I have to give Criterion credit for making me aware of this film.  Let me back up.  I've been a fan of Michael Mann ever since his production of Miami Vice.  I believe his work for that series (television) undermines in SOME people's views just how good of a FILM director he really is.  How I slept on this film is beyond me ( see my last sentence as a possible reason).  The last film I saw of Mann's is the Miami Vice remake back in 2006.  That film is just now receiving the critical praise that it should've gotten back then. Its a excellent contemporary take on the Miami Vice series.  When i found out about " Thief", I knew it was gonna be good but not THIS good.

The first thing that struck me from the opening credits is the fact that Michael Mann was doing THIS before Miami Vice.  Based in Chicago it could've easily been located in Miami.  The music, cinematography, everything screamed what later would become Mann's signature style. 

The plot.  For those who haven't seen it.  Frank ( James Caan) is a jewel thief in Chicago.  After making a big score, the plot takes him to a meeting with Leo ( Robert Prosky) who wants to recruit Frank to work for him.

I've been a huge fan of gangster and heist films from the early 80s to the present. The stand out heist film from this period to me has always been Mann's film " Heist".  I said HAS because I think Thief is the better film.  There are two major reasons for this.  First, the length of Heist. Its almost 50 more minutes in length than Thief.  This lends itself to a few scenes that dragged the film down, in particular the time spent with the romances of two of the leads in the thief ring.  The second thing that I feel this film has a edge on is the plot itself.  Whereas Heist was more over the top, ala Scarface in its production and plot, Thief was more lean and believable.  Everything about Frank was believable.  The ending was believable.  Its just great writing and production in this one.  I think its Mann's best film.  Heat and even another Mann film,  Collateral,  are both great films, don't get me wrong, but Thief is on another level.  It has immediately jumped among the top of my favorite Heist films category.  Again, HOW did I not know of this film?  I rank it a solid 9.5 out of 10...

[titoli]

I had seen this in the '80's probably. Yes, the nighttime city scenes are beautiful and so the final heist. But the problem is that it aims higher than it should, as the movie doesn't need Weld and Nelson (oh, the adoption stuff: he's preparing the greatest heist of his life and setting up a family at the same time, sure). Also, the finale is unsatisfactory, as Caan and Belushi should expect the counteroffence and Leo shouldn't give Caan a chance for revenge. Also, the over-corrupted cops are too many to play it safe. BTW I don't understand the first scene where a sniper is aiming at whom? Is he a policeman or a Leo's accomplice? And what is he there for? 7/10