Heat is one of my favorite movies. Besides stars like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, and others, the story is packed with intense tension. What stuck me most were Al Pacino’s exaggerated expressions and Robert De Niro’s cold, calm performance.
There’s a famous restaurant scene where a cop and a criminal share a table and eat together. Apparently, this really happened in real life. And Neil McCauley was a real person too!1
I do what I do best, I take scores. You do what you do best, trying to stop guys like me.
You know, we’re sitting here… you and I, like a couple of regular fellows. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do.
Of course, the most iconic part is the legendary shootout scene. All the main actors underwent three months of firearms training. Rumor has it that this gunfight sequence was even shown to U.S. Marine Corps trainees—though no one’s quite sure how true that is.2
Val Kilmer passed away in early April, and it was mentioned on local Hong Kong Radio 903 and Facebook. I just found out that the 1995 movie Heat actually had an earlier version back in 1989 called L.A. Takedown.
Back then, it was released as a one-off TV movie in the US. Surprisingly, you can still watch it on YouTube.
L.A. Takedown is basically a condensed version of Heat. The story and plot are largely the same, with lots of the same terms like “score,” “heat,” and even characters like Vincent, Neil, Michael Cerrito, and Waingro. Many of the dialogues are identical as well. Or one may say L.A Take Down was the original of “Heat”.
Probably due to the limitations of being a TV movie, the 1.5-hour L.A. Takedown couldn’t cover many details. In contrast, Heat offers a much more original and in-depth story, explaining a lot of character relationships that L.A. Takedown didn’t touch on. The 2.5-hour Heat dives into the backgrounds and inner journeys of several characters. For example, it shows how Vincent and his wife are drifting apart because of work (chasing guys like Neil, “baby in a microwave,” and sharing). It also adds new storylines, like Vincent’s stepdaughter.
In L.A. Takedown, Neil’s partner Chris is barely a character, but in Heat, Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Chris has a lot more screen time, making the whole story feel much more complete.
Besides the deeper character development, the firearms used in Heat are also more realistic and appropriate compared to those in L.A. Takedown.
In L.A. Takedown, Neil McCauley uses an MP5K for the bank robbery. The MP5K, nicknamed the “K gun,” has a short barrel (11.5 cm) and no stock, giving it an effective range of about 100-150 meters. Its high rate of fire (900 rounds per minute) greatly reduces accuracy, and it fires 9x19mm handgun rounds. While the compact size makes it easy to carry, unless it’s used in CQB (Close Quarter Battle) situations indoors, during the bank shootout its actual deterrent effect is more psychological than practical.
But credit where it’s due — Neil McCauley and Michael Cheritto’s MP5Ks both use dual magazines, which is super realistic and pretty rare to see in movies.
As for the LAPD weapons, besides handguns, they use this SPAS-12 automatic shotgun. Honestly, how likely is it for police to use a shotgun out in the streets and alleys? Are they aiming to shoot the criminals or accidentally hit bystanders?
In Heat, the weapons were more powerful and were overall more realistic and appropriate for the situations shown.
Neil and Chris both use the Colt M733, while Michael Cheritto carries the IMI Galil assault rifle. Both fire 5.56mm NATO rounds, giving them significantly greater range and stopping power compared to the MP5K.
As for the LAPD in Heat, Vincent uses an FN FNC assault rifle, which also fires NATO 5.56mm rounds. Other officers are equipped with M16A2 rifles and Mossberg 500 shotguns.
In the child hostage rescue scene, L.A. Takedown’s Vincent takes a single headshot with a handgun, while in Heat, Vincent (Al Pacino) uses the same FN FNC rifle to take down Michael Cheritto with one precise shot.
I think using a rifle with a stock feels much more convincing than a single headshot with a handgun. It adds to the realism and impact of the scene.
I don’t recognize any of the actors from L.A. Takedown either. The two leads are Alex McArthur and Scott Plank. Sadly, Scott Plank passed away in a car accident in 2002 at just 43 years old.
If you’re a fan of Heat, I definitely recommend checking out L.A. Takedown as well!
Photo credit: IMDb, IMFDb, Breachbangclear
