Michael Mann and Final Cuts
While Ridley Scott is the king of director’s cuts, this year saw Michael Mann also attempt to make the definitive versions of his movies Manhunter and Miami Vice. Manhunter: The Final Cut was released in limited showings during late summer and Miami Vice‘s Director’s Final Cut has been screened at Beyond Fest and is set for a 4K UHD and Blu-ray release later this year. This isn’t the first time Mann has gone back to change Miami Vice and the upcoming physical media release will even feature four different cuts of the film.
Why Mann wanted to make changes
The Playlist is reporting on Mann’s at a Q&A session at Beyond Fest after the screening of his Final Cut. For his vision, Mann talked about how he wanted the movie to “hijack” the viewer. His “hijacking” of the audience put them smack dab in the middle of the story without the usual exposition. For Mann, doing so was something he’s regretted and one of the reasons he changed the opening of the movie.
Mann stated, “The change in the beginning has got a very technical term called a mistake. The movie always should have begun” the way he starts it now.
At the time, Mann had been experimenting with budding digital technology when he gave Collateral a different feeling from most traditionally shot films. He used the technology again for Miami Vice. He talked about how he wanted to use story, atmosphere, sound, and image to “hijack” the audience so that the world of the film would feel physically real rather than just observed through a movie screen.
With this new cut, Mann also talked about the emotional backbone of the film being Farrell’s Crockett going so far undercover that he loses himself, especially with complicated romantic feelings that he feels for Gong Li’s Isabella. Mann wanted to explore how the fabricated criminal identity established while undercover can give Crockett a personal freedom that he doesn’t normally feel and it becomes “truly like a drug.” Mann explained how the mindset could take a hold of you, “There are no red lights. There are no yellow lights. There are no green lights. There are no lights.”
Reactions from Beyond Fest
Unfortunately, Mann’s latest cut isn’t being received as well as he may have hoped. His reworking of the opening and ending are proving to be controversial as many took issue with the new ending.
“Saw Miami Vice: The Director’s Final Cut at Beyond Fest tonight & with the exception of the very end, I didn’t notice anything too different from the Unrated Extended Cut. BUT this version doesn’t use the cover of ‘In the Air Tonight’ at all despite being listed in the credits,” said @JimVejoda.
“You will not believe how bad Mann fucked up the ending of MIAMI VICE in this new cut. I’m in shock,” @JimJarmuschHair on X.
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