L.A. TAKEDOWN

US, 1989, 93 minutes, Colour.
Scott Planck, Alex Mc Arthur.
Directed by Michael Mann.

L.A. Takedown is a tough police story about a young Los Angeles police investigator and a young Los Angeles criminal. They track each other, they meet, they confront each other. The film is an interesting telemovie - what makes it different from the usual police story is the confrontation of the two men as well as the style of writer, producer, director Michael Mann. Mann was responsible for the contents and look of Miami Vice (tough, stylised, colour co-ordinated). Mann's other films include Jericho Mile, Thief, The Keep, Manhunter (which L.A. Takedown resembles). Effective of its kind.

1.Interesting police story? Telemovie?

2.The work of Michael Mann, visual style, crime and the streets, the psychology of the police and the criminal?

3.The look of the film, the use of the streets, the stunts for the crime work? The musical score? Editing and pace?

4.The focus on Vince, his work, personality, collaboration with other police? Relationship with Lilian? His wanting his work to make a little difference? His disgust with the violence, the murder of the teenage prostitutes? His anger with Lilian? The robbery, the deaths of the guards and the police? The informers and his contacts? Tough attitudes with them? The lead on Patrick, following him? Patrick deceiving him? Their meeting, discussion, each side of the fence? The build-up to the robbery, his being deceived? His shrewdness in understanding the contacts, the informants? Waiting for Patrick? The final confrontation? His contribution to L.A. law and justice?

5.Patrick, the initial robbery, the members of the group, the giveaway, the shooting of the guards? His family life and social life? His meeting the girl, her introducing herself, the affair? What motivated him, his friends and their family? The plan for the final robbery? The police on to him, eluding them, misleading them? The meeting with Vince? The build-up to the confrontation? The robbery and its achievement? Deaths? The girlfriend and her disgust? His going after the informant? The violent confrontation, his death?

6.The other members of the gang, their deaths, their skills, things going wrong? Their families? Patrick and his arranging for the money to go to the families? The outsiders, the brutality, the giveaway? These violent criminals, their behaviour and motives, violence?

7.The execution of the robberies, the skills of the police? The life of Los Angeles in terms of crime, investigation and justice?