20 Things You Didn't Know About Heat

12. Michael Mann Disowned The TV Edit Of The Movie

Heat Al Pacino Robert De Niro Val Kilmer
Warner Bros.

When NBC decided to assemble a cut of the movie for TV in 1998, Mann offered to restore 17 minutes of cut footage in order for the film to fit a four-hour TV slot.

The network refused his offer and instead decided to cut a staggering 40 minutes from the 170-minute runtime, in turn allowing it to fit a three-hour slot with commercials.

Mann responded by disowning the TV cut of the film and insisting that it be credited to the pseudonym Alan Smithee instead, ensuring his name was kept off the televised butchery of his expansive vision.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.