How he swaps mags between firing the rounds at Farina and Leo’s crony is one of the realest parts about it for me. He looks like he absolutely needs to succeed.
This has to be one of the most effective confrontations ever. The way Caan moves is so believable (moving quietly, how he holds and aims the gun, sweeps the room), combined with the stillness on the soundtrack. When he takes down the guy at the refrigerator, the sound was startlingly real. And then Leo's demise - one of the most disturbing shootings in movies. This is some real fuckin' directing here.
And just putting it out there,The Long Slide 1911A1 that Frank (James Caan) used was made by The late Jim Hoag.As a gunsmith.This man was a genius.He could make a 1911,which is already a good pistol and make it a nail driver.Yeah.He was that good.
Apparently Cann was trained for these scenes , by one of Jeff Cooper's students . For people that don't know Cooper was a legendary firearms , instructor . And former Col. in the military .
Michael Mann really loves his big musical showdowns. There's this scene, the "In a Gadda-da-Vida" scene in Manhunter, and the sequence of events from the Huron sentencing to the (spoiler) death of Magua in Mohicans. Thing is, he does it so damn good that I don't mind him using it over and over.
Same here, AronRa. Michael Mann took sections of Craig Safan and Tangerine Dream’s song and moved them around for this scene. He did the same thing when Watchtower Five made a cover for All Along the WatchTower for Ali (2001).
The final scene of the shooting, is one of the most beautiful scenes ever made in the history of cinema, I saw this film more than 15 years ago, and I saw it again a hundred times, the music and slow motion is perfect, worthy of Sam Pechinpah and Sergio Leone.
Damn this film ruled... Really under-appreciated, I'd never even heard of it until I bought it on a whim because it was directed by Mann. I think it might even be my favourite film of his. This ending's superb.
+Matthew Smith that shot is magnificent. I only wish the slide would lock back on prop guns, I can only think of a few instances where the character actually works the release after reloading.
+Eons I slept He only fired 5 rounds still had one in the pipe and one in the magazine there fore the slide wouldn't lock back it's called a tactical reload
His pistol is not empty. Its a "tactical reload": Putting in a fresh magazine before the pistol shoots dry. It is actually an indication of the amount of detail Mann gets into his characters behaviour.
I remember watching this at home and this movie made a lasting impression on me. I fell in love with Tuesday Weld and the soundtrack. I play this song now to my friends and they all think it's Pink Floyd.
The film is way, way ahead of it's time when it comes to weapon tactics. Jimmy Caan actually seems to kinda know how to move worth a damn with a pistol while breaching a house.
I saw an interview the other day where he said some special agent or ex law enforcement taught him how to sweep rooms. Also ex criminals taught him how to actually break into safes. A lot of the stuff he did was influenced by real professionals which is dope.
Very few things say "I am the coolest mofo on Earth" as vehemently as that last shot where he gets on his feet into the frame with a wounded shoulder and then walks away while there's that upward dollying to give us a panorama shot, and he disappears into the darkness while the coolest rock music is blasting our ears.
one of my favorite movies of all time. One thing Willie Nelson said in the film "lie to no one, if it is somebody you care about a lie will ruin everything and if you don't care who are they that you need to lie" or something like that is so true
James Caan went to Jeff Cooper's school before he began filming this movie. The technique he uses was state of the art in 1980. It's changed in the past thirty-two years, but it still looks good.
In the script Frank lays low and let's his wounds heal but Jessie eventually tracks him down five months later. The script ends on Jessie finding Frank and their first moments together, it's a strong end scene. I wonder if Michael Mann shot it? Overall I think the ending probably works better as it is. Still feels darker and fresh.
+Eons I slept one other thing I loved about the last two episodes of True Detective S2 was the parallels between Vince Vaughn and James Cann's Frank, the way he burned down his businesses and coldly cut off contact with his wife before doing what had to be done. Anybody who enjoys Thief and/or Manhunter has a friend for life in me.
For your information: John Seybold (June 17, 1923 - February 2, 2005), who wrote the book Home Invaders: Confession of a cat burglar under the pen name frank Hoimer, was technical advisor on the Chicago movie set. Seybold was also a Jewelry Thief.
Remember this fantastic film ... tangerine dream really hit the nail on the head... pure escapism .. about 1981... Wonderful to see James Cahn again ... I always remember the significance of Montage in his wallet ... A dream gone very wrong ... did they used to call them Vision boards .... Thr man had a plan ... Thanks for the upload..
Was pleasantly surprised at this movie, expected it to be a mediocre early attempt from Mann, but it turned out damned good. Just finished watching it and had to find this scene to show a friend, so thanks for uploading it!
I remember seeing this movie in the theater with my mom when i was a kid. What stuck out to me was the music by i think Tangerine Dream. I haven't seen this movie for i don't know how long.
@drsangle The muisc is called "Confrontation," and was writen by Craig Safan for the movie. Near the end of post production Michael Mann decided he needed another piece for the ending sequence. Since Tangerine Dream, who did the bulk of the movie soundtrack, were unavailable Mann had Safan compose the needed music.
@mrMikeHawk100 The name of the song is "Confrontation" by the artist Craig Safan who is a composer artist on many rare/obscure soundtracks. It is only available on CD on the Wounded Bird Records hard to find issue/release of this soundtrack. The Virgin Records issue does not have it - all songs on that are by Tangerine Dream.
It's always nice to watch Jim Belushi get brutally slaughtered. (Not in this scene, but still) :) Much love for Robert Prosky and Dennis Farina. And Craig Safan on the finale soundtrack. And James Fucking Caan, the man.
Caan's character in this movie, always has and always will, remind me of my uncle Carmine. My uncle may have made some questionable choices, throughout his life and according the the F.B.I. he was supposedly, involved in jewelry heists and was an official member of a Chicago Outfit burglary/robbery crew. The main reason though, that this movie character reminds me of my uncle Carmine, is because like Caan's character in the movie, he also owned a car dealership and went to jail at a young age.
For me also, one of my fav films ever, all the amazing ambience, one of the finnest tangerine dream works for cinema, all the characters are amazing, so real honest film, and with super ending scene, in my top 10 films always.
Apparently Michael Michael had to ask an LA based guitarist to compose what's called later Confrontation on the record. It had to have playing technique and a TD sound. This was noted in the defunct TD fan newsletter issue #9.
Tangerine Dream finished soundtrack to Thief and moved in a concert tour. Michael Manna grass stated that he still needed the piece for the end and he had to employ somebody else. It's Craig Safan !!!
Johannes Schmoelling: For example, we wrote the ‘Beach Theme,’ which occurs after the big break-in in Los Angeles, the big diamond heist, when the film cuts to Malibu Beach, I think. In any case, you can see the ocean. Something conventional was called for there, of course, the kind of music you’d expect in a scene like that. So I played notes, which we then worked with on electronic instruments, and on a Fender Rhodes as well, and developed melodies. And Edgar played a beautiful guitar solo over it, perhaps foreshadowing the ending sequence a bit, which was to sound more like Pink Floyd. “As an example for the shootout scene, he brought us a piece from Pink Floyd’s The Wall. I think The Wall had just come out. It was this gorgeous, incredible track called ‘Comfortably Numb,’ with an insane guitar solo by David Gilmour. For him that was the music for the ending, the shootout. We knew, of course, that the atmospheric parts wouldn’t be too hard for us, or the emotional sequences either. But for the ending, we knew it would be all but impossible to match the incredible sense of drama Gilmour puts into his solo, and, of course, the composition by Pink Floyd. We certainly could have created music for the ending, and of course we did. But I think Michael Mann wasn’t happy with it and ended up looking elsewhere.
I was in the Army Guard and did a lot of tactics training. His moves in this scene are nearly flawless. Big fan of Mann and Tangerine Dream as well.
How he swaps mags between firing the rounds at Farina and Leo’s crony is one of the realest parts about it for me. He looks like he absolutely needs to succeed.
@@buddhull My mother asked, when I made my parents watch this..."did he win?" I said..he survived..
This has to be one of the most effective confrontations ever. The way Caan moves is so believable (moving quietly, how he holds and aims the gun, sweeps the room), combined with the stillness on the soundtrack. When he takes down the guy at the refrigerator, the sound was startlingly real. And then Leo's demise - one of the most disturbing shootings in movies. This is some real fuckin' directing here.
And just putting it out there,The Long Slide 1911A1 that Frank (James Caan) used was made by The late Jim Hoag.As a gunsmith.This man was a genius.He could make a 1911,which is already a good pistol and make it a nail driver.Yeah.He was that good.
@igor šajinović Yeah.I heard that too.And like I said.Jim Hoag was a pistol genius.
Apparently Cann was trained for these scenes , by one of Jeff Cooper's students . For people that don't know Cooper was a legendary firearms , instructor . And former Col. in the military .
No way to clear a house.
@@clawhammer704 doctrine's probly changed in the 40 years since this was made
It says a lot that this simple shootout has so much more impact than virtually everything put on film today.
Rest in peace Dennis Farina easily one of the coolest character actors of all time
Jamie Price see him in Miami Vice Lombard too
James Price awwww yea! Midnight run? He wa the best!
Hot80s Also as Jack Crawford in Manhunter.
Fucking Cousin 'Avi mate! Snatch!
Born and raised here in a suburb of Chicago RIP Dennis Farina. You are and still missed
Michael Mann really loves his big musical showdowns. There's this scene, the "In a Gadda-da-Vida" scene in Manhunter, and the sequence of events from the Huron sentencing to the (spoiler) death of Magua in Mohicans. Thing is, he does it so damn good that I don't mind him using it over and over.
@Jay Slomine uh you forgot fucking HEAT
Saw that too! 🙂@@893loses
Absolutely fantastic movie. If you haven't seen this watch it right away. One word to describe it: BADASS! James Cann was sensational!!!
This is my favorite movie of all time...
I bought the soundtrack just for this song. I wanted to bitch slap somebody when I realized this song wasn't even on that album.
WTF. Insane!
Same here, AronRa. Michael Mann took sections of Craig Safan and Tangerine Dream’s song and moved them around for this scene. He did the same thing when Watchtower Five made a cover for All Along the WatchTower for Ali (2001).
The final scene of the shooting, is one of the most beautiful scenes ever made in the history of cinema, I saw this film more than 15 years ago, and I saw it again a hundred times, the music and slow motion is perfect, worthy of Sam Pechinpah and Sergio Leone.
Wonderful end track ... absolutely amazing!!!
Damn this film ruled... Really under-appreciated, I'd never even heard of it until I bought it on a whim because it was directed by Mann. I think it might even be my favourite film of his. This ending's superb.
Same it's my favourite of his I appreciate it more with time.
Hey, it's like everyone commenting has forgotten about the LEGENDARY Willie Nelson in this beautiful, sexy, little film :)
He was The Thief
Willie Nelson and beautiful don't belong in the same sentence. Lol! Great movie though!
Love how he drops at clip to reload at 4:50
+Matthew Smith that shot is magnificent. I only wish the slide would lock back on prop guns, I can only think of a few instances where the character actually works the release after reloading.
+Eons I slept He only fired 5 rounds still had one in the pipe and one in the magazine there fore the slide wouldn't lock back it's called a tactical reload
His pistol is not empty. Its a "tactical reload": Putting in a fresh magazine before the pistol shoots dry. It is actually an indication of the amount of detail Mann gets into his characters behaviour.
+LafyaBolloxsov He went to Gun sight for 3 days to learn how to use it
+Eons he already pumped a round into him before reloading.
I remember watching this at home and this movie made a lasting impression on me. I fell in love with Tuesday Weld and the soundtrack.
I play this song now to my friends and they all think it's Pink Floyd.
Reminds me of comfortably numb guitar solo
@@simonboland they actually wanted "Comfortably Numb" for this sequence but couldn't get the rights, so commissioned something in a similar vein.
The only way to deal with a murdering gangster who threatens you and your family. Love James Caan's M1911 in this film.
+Cosmic Dingo - Indeed they did, they used a Jim Hoag longslide and a Colt Gold Cup (the standard length slide handgun you saw).
Yes indeed. Excellent tactical reload by Frank at 4:50. Five shots fired with only 2-3 in the current clip. Bravo, Mr. Caan.
This is one of my favorite movie endings of all time. I remember the first time I saw this I was so jacked I literally threw something.
The film is way, way ahead of it's time when it comes to weapon tactics. Jimmy Caan actually seems to kinda know how to move worth a damn with a pistol while breaching a house.
that's because Man sent Cain to Gun sight for three days to learn how to use a pistol
I saw an interview the other day where he said some special agent or ex law enforcement taught him how to sweep rooms. Also ex criminals taught him how to actually break into safes. A lot of the stuff he did was influenced by real professionals which is dope.
Very few things say "I am the coolest mofo on Earth" as vehemently as that last shot where he gets on his feet into the frame with a wounded shoulder and then walks away while there's that upward dollying to give us a panorama shot, and he disappears into the darkness while the coolest rock music is blasting our ears.
one of my favorite movies of all time. One thing Willie Nelson said in the film "lie to no one, if it is somebody you care about a lie will ruin everything and if you don't care who are they that you need to lie" or something like that is so true
Michael Mann, Tangerine Dream and James Caan - it doesn't get any better than this!
the track used in this is by Craig Safan
Damn good movie, Michael Mann does not get enough credit for his work and James Caan was awesome in that role.
Rest In Peace James Caan 🙏🏾
James Caan went to Jeff Cooper's school before he began filming this movie. The technique he uses was state of the art in 1980. It's changed in the past thirty-two years, but it still looks good.
My fav MM films:
Thief
Heat
Manhunter :)
& LA Takedown, was not really all that bad of a tv movie
Same dude!!
Great film, great actor. Thanks Mr.Caan RIP.
Thief, Heat, Collateral, Vice,....Michael Mann is pure genius.
A few years before Miami Vice (TV show), for which Michael Mann was the executive producer, we see the influence. A very great creator
This movie "Thief" is one of my top five movies in the past 40 yrs!
This is the only Michael Mann film I enjoy, but damn it's a good one! Caan's best role and performance. 10/10
Only Michael Mann could have put a classic like this together. Awesome! Thanks for posting!
Best part of the movie. Saw it in '81. Was 27.
In the script Frank lays low and let's his wounds heal but Jessie eventually tracks him down five months later. The script ends on Jessie finding Frank and their first moments together, it's a strong end scene. I wonder if Michael Mann shot it? Overall I think the ending probably works better as it is. Still feels darker and fresh.
+Eons I slept one other thing I loved about the last two episodes of True Detective S2 was the parallels between Vince Vaughn and James Cann's Frank, the way he burned down his businesses and coldly cut off contact with his wife before doing what had to be done. Anybody who enjoys Thief and/or Manhunter has a friend for life in me.
A Michael Mann ending is a realistic ending, not a happy one.
For your information: John Seybold (June 17, 1923 - February 2, 2005), who wrote the book Home Invaders: Confession of a cat burglar under the pen name frank Hoimer, was technical advisor on the Chicago movie set. Seybold was also a Jewelry Thief.
Love Michael Mann. Love the Pink Floyd.
No surprise therefore I love this scene.
RIP James Caan….this movie was made for you!…. And you did it well!
The music !!! 💪💪
Thief is a Classic Film with the Amazing Music of Tangerine Dream...
Not by TD, this by Craig Safan - but fantastic nevertheless
Remember this fantastic film ...
tangerine dream really hit the nail on the head... pure escapism .. about 1981...
Wonderful to see James Cahn again ... I always remember
the significance of Montage in his wallet ...
A dream gone very wrong ... did they used to call them Vision boards .... Thr man had a plan ... Thanks for the upload..
The fact that it got a razzie award for his soundtrack is beyond me.......
The music was amazing
A bad ass finale to a bad ass film. What more do I need to say?
Was pleasantly surprised at this movie, expected it to be a mediocre early attempt from Mann, but it turned out damned good. Just finished watching it and had to find this scene to show a friend, so thanks for uploading it!
drive will never be this movie, no matter how much it tries.
Definitely influenced
My name is Frank,I am self employed" ,,,,This is a kickass movie
totally underrated movie by his higness director and master of visuality, michael mann
I remember seeing this movie in the theater with my mom when i was a kid. What stuck out to me was the music by i think Tangerine Dream. I haven't seen this movie for i don't know how long.
Whoa, when the music comes in . . . Great soundtrack . . .
Michael Mann makin' his bones here.
I can't believe it's been 40 years since this movies been out
one of the best films ever, i agree with you, one of michael mann`s best movies, one of best movies of 80´ amazing and full of real moments.
@drsangle
The muisc is called "Confrontation," and was writen by Craig Safan for the movie. Near the end of post production Michael Mann decided he needed another piece for the ending sequence. Since Tangerine Dream, who did the bulk of the movie soundtrack, were unavailable Mann had Safan compose the needed music.
"Want some milk? ".... Gotta love it!
Tangerine Dream made this movie as much as the rest of the cast.
Incredible film.
This is a great movie and the music at the end is amazing!
Thief One Of The Greatest Movies EVER!!!!
great michael mann visual style.
enjoyable film
The insider was GR8. Crowe deserved Oscar 4 it.
I cant believe this film still hasn't got a blu-ray transfer its needed one for ages and i can only imagine how awesome the film would look restored.
got this film on vhs video,called violent streets about 30years ago still plays perfectly James caan brilliant actor.classic.
One of the most influential films ever made. Everything today is a copy of this movie.
One of the best ever. Mann is the best
@mrMikeHawk100 The name of the song is "Confrontation" by the artist Craig Safan who is a composer artist on many rare/obscure soundtracks. It is only available on CD on the Wounded Bird Records hard to find issue/release of this soundtrack. The Virgin Records issue does not have it - all songs on that are by Tangerine Dream.
i agree...this movie is one between the best. Ever.
the scene where james belushi covers him from the billboard when frank and leo first meet..same as chris covering Neal in heat
It's always nice to watch Jim Belushi get brutally slaughtered. (Not in this scene, but still) :)
Much love for Robert Prosky and Dennis Farina. And Craig Safan on the finale soundtrack. And James Fucking Caan, the man.
The final song's name: Craig Safan - Confrontation
5 people grew up in the suburbs
Right! Right!!
+Wildcock23 Their suburb living is so far up their ass, they can't see daylight.
Great movie! Very underrated.
this was a post production piece of score by Craig Safan, and yes it is clearly because Mann couldn't afford to clear Comfortably Numb.
Caan's character in this movie, always has and always will, remind me of my uncle Carmine. My uncle may have made some questionable choices, throughout his life and according the the F.B.I. he was supposedly, involved in jewelry heists and was an official member of a Chicago Outfit burglary/robbery crew. The main reason though, that this movie character reminds me of my uncle Carmine, is because like Caan's character in the movie, he also owned a car dealership and went to jail at a young age.
Michael Mann signature with the Mozambique drill
I love the reappearance of the title card at the end right before the end credits. Mann did the same thing again in Miami Vice.
That reload is badass
For me also, one of my fav films ever, all the amazing ambience, one of the finnest tangerine dream works for cinema, all the characters are amazing, so real honest film, and with super ending scene, in my top 10 films always.
One of my very favorite films. Michael Mann is awesome, and superior music by Tangerine Dream.
tangerine dream made all the movies famous with their music.
100% pure class - it was meant to be and no dislike's prove's this is the best of the best :) im sure my fellow youtuber's will agree.....x
Incredible ending.
Funny you said that... I always thought this sounded similar to a Pink Floyd song-that one in particular!!
This is by far Mann's best film. Heat could have been great but Pacino ruined it with his over-the-top "acting." This film though, \s a gem
Tangerine Dream did the soundtrack, but didn't do the end credit tune.
It was composed and performed by Craig Safan.
It is called Confrontation.
Apparently Michael Michael had to ask an LA based guitarist to compose what's called later Confrontation on the record. It had to have playing technique and a TD sound. This was noted in the defunct TD fan newsletter issue #9.
Best badass line in movie history, I'm the last guy in the world that you want to f*** with.
Dennis Farina and that shotgun.........Damn.
Simply the finest.
Fantastic. James Caan deserved an Oscar nom IMHO.
Anybody recognize Dennis Farina here? This was his acting debut.
Holy sh#@! I knew that guy looked familiar, thanks for sharing.
i'm glad someone finally uploaded this onto youtube. this is one of my favourite movie scenes of all time. james caans great in this film.
Don't forget Sgt Urizzi. ...
James Mauzy Sgt. Urizzi ( John Santicci) was an actual diamond thief. He later starred in "Crime Story" with Dennis Farina. He died in 2006
The Cops' position is ambiguous. Were they wanting a cut of his money, or did they want him to be an informant?
@@RagedContinuum . Most likely both
Best ending to a movie I've seen.
Movies? This is in my top ten.
yes !!!! absolutly magic , incredible !!!!!!!!!
I love this movie
Tangerine Dream finished soundtrack to Thief and moved in a concert tour. Michael Manna grass stated that he still needed the piece for the end and he had to employ somebody else. It's Craig Safan !!!
Johannes Schmoelling: For example, we wrote the ‘Beach Theme,’ which occurs after the big break-in in Los Angeles, the big diamond heist, when the film cuts to Malibu Beach, I think. In any case, you can see the ocean. Something conventional was called for there, of course, the kind of music you’d expect in a scene like that. So I played notes, which we then worked with on electronic instruments, and on a Fender Rhodes as well, and developed melodies. And Edgar played a beautiful guitar solo over it, perhaps foreshadowing the ending sequence a bit, which was to sound more like Pink Floyd.
“As an example for the shootout scene, he brought us a piece from Pink Floyd’s The Wall. I think The Wall had just come out. It was this gorgeous, incredible track called ‘Comfortably Numb,’ with an insane guitar solo by David Gilmour. For him that was the music for the ending, the shootout. We knew, of course, that the atmospheric parts wouldn’t be too hard for us, or the emotional sequences either. But for the ending, we knew it would be all but impossible to match the incredible sense of drama Gilmour puts into his solo, and, of course, the composition by Pink Floyd. We certainly could have created music for the ending, and of course we did. But I think Michael Mann wasn’t happy with it and ended up looking elsewhere.
The name of this song is called "The Confrontation".
1:34 Secretary looks away like this is another day on the job haha brilliant .
By the way, Tangerine Dream's soundtrack for this movie makes it so badass! A masterpiece!
Watching this, it's not hard to believe Mann went on to Miami Vice greatness shortly after.
4:50 bad ass reload
Glad I'm not alone in that thought.
all good tunes for a good flick
Actually as noted previously in the comments the finale music was written by Craig Safan when TD weren't available for an extra piece.