When I saw that scene in the theater the first time, it left me shaking in my seat. It's still powerful today.

Watching Val Kilmer's facial expression change at that start. "At the drop of a hat, these guys will rock 'n roll."

I'm one in, I imagine, a very small group. But I find Mann's "Miami Vice" to be one of my favorite films of his. It's the most dangerous movie I've ever seen, it (almost) never lets up. Even the sex was dangerous. Heck, the ROSES were dangerous.

The minor nemesis Neptune is one of the scariest characters I've seen, and we only see a glimpse of him. And John Ortiz' Jose Yero. Sheesh. "I'm a disco guy."

The Heat gunfight scene is intense, the audio is amazing. A late friend of mine was in downtown LA during one of the shooting days, and relayed what it was like.

But MV is intense throughout the whole movie. Just never lets up.

Miami Vice has acquired a pretty substantial cult following in recent years, and among the people i know who are "into" Mann, it pretty commonly ranks as their favorite as well.

For me it's still Thief (or Heat) but MV is very close

Curious what you think of The Gray Man (2022).

I'm halfway through it right at this moment.

It's dreadful. Well made, nice locations, acting is as good as it could be, but the story and the attitudes of the various characters are just 'off-the-shelf' clichéd garbage.

Nonstop action though. Also not sure MV’s story and characters really clear the hurdle you’re setting for gray man, it’s only saving grace perhaps being that it’s cousin to a TV show that filled out many cliches in full prime time glory 35 years ago or so.

I can think of dozens of great scenes.

the elevator scene in Usual Suspects https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyCSU9yG63Q&t=57s

Carlito's way station scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzzxbe1IsiI

Miller's Crossing shooting scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgz-CKRzs-4

Basic Instinct's Sharon Stone first scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-t9QZgbDwU

Pirates's island scene (I can only find a dubbed version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYLNrnsqoqY

Children of men car scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVg66ndzfpU

Hudsucker proxy board scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FPuyMHo2N8

Wow the Carlito's Way scene is just great

Your talk of audio reminds me of how the climax of The Last of the Mohicans (1992) is so powerful because of its restrained sound. The silence of Chingachgook's inaudible wail makes me want to weep. The slicing of knives and reports from rifles are second to the score:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BxDpOu3cD0&t=320

(It won the Oscar for Best Sound that year.)

I just (re)watched Heat last night and when I saw this article/thread I immediately thought of that scene! BTW there’s a sequel novel coming out in couple of weeks https://www.amazon.com/Heat-2-Novel-Michael-Mann/dp/00626533...

Heat (1995) is actually a remake. The original movie is called L.A Takedown and was also written/directed by Michael Mann

While the shootout scene is indeed great, the 2 scenes in Heat that I consistently find myself rewatching on YouTube are the diner scene with De Niro and Pacino, and the final scene in the fields beyond the runways at LAX. The sound and light from the incoming planes mixed with the score is incredible, and I never tire of it.

I was impressed with the the look on King Arthur's face when he walked in on Guinevere and Lancelot in the movie First Knight. I'm not talking about the dialog; I can't even remember it.

Indeed, when first saw (or more appropriately heard) that one, thought "the guy who did this Must have been in a city shootout at one point..."

saw it in theaters for the first time last night. the gunshots are so loud and it’s amazing