ADDITION: Warner - Region FREE Blu-ray - October09: Heat is one of those films that doesn't benefit as much as other features in the move to high-definition. This Blu-ray presentation is significantly ahead of the DVD counterparts but doesn't exhibit the demonstrative depth and detail that many have come to expect from this new format. I don't fault the 37 Gig transfer which seems to be faithfully reporting what the film may have looked like theatrically. One of the more significant differences is seeing how much the SD transfer was vertically stretched - especially in Pacino's face which seemed abnormally longer and disproportionate on the DVDs. The Blu-ray is darker and shows some grain - skin tones get warmer but more real. You may lose a tad of information in the darkness but the outdoor action sequences looks and sound dramatically superior. The differences are significant in motion.

NOTE: (sent in email by Jake): "I believe the 'New Content' changes supervised by Michael Mann for the blu-ray of Heat may actually refer to a change within the film. At approximately the 1hr 3min mark, during the after dinner party scene between Al Pacino and Dian Verona, her poetic line regarding the 'detritus' has been cut." (Thanks Jake!)

The lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 at 1440 kbps also shows an intense leap beyond the older DVDs. It could probably go a bit further though with some heavier depth and bass response but I won't look a gift-horse in the mouth - effect sounds are crisp piercing out of the rear speakers occasionally leaving center-channel dialogue hushed or drowned-out. The action sequences can shell-shock with guns sounding like canons and it's all brought right into your lap with punchy bullets, explosive car/truck crashes and subtle crowd noises at the airport. There are some foreign language DUBs, subtitle options and my Momitsu tells us that it is a region FREE disc capable of playing on Blu-ray machines worldwide.

I'm still trying to figure out why it says on the box, about the supplements - "New content changes supervised by director Michael Mann". It seems like the same commentary with plenty of gaps but possibly other parts filled with another gentleman talking about the original story/characters, like 'Eady' - I can't recall if this is the 'new'. The featurettes, deleted/alternate scenes and trailers all seem the same - and are still all in SD.

I love this film - it runs like a Greek tragedy of work vs. happiness and it's definitely one of the best action-crime dramas of the 90's. Sure, De Niro and Pacino could carry this - but it's not necessary with excellent supportive performances from Kilmer, Sizemore, Judd, Voight and some of director Mann's best work ever. For the genre - Heat is a masterpiece and it looks and sounds brand new compared to the DVDs. Strongly recommended!     

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ON THE DVDs: These two images are virtually identical. They have the exact same black border around the edge of the image and same chapter stops. Don't listen to other reviewers talking about how incredibly softer the original release is. The bitrate spikes and valleys indicate a similarity with negligible differences. The only difference that is important is that there appears to be a slight difference in aspect ratios (2.33 as opposed to 2.30). The characters on the new SE look thinner than they are in the old release. I have no way of knowing which is more accurate, but to my eye the original figures look more realistic (not elongated). Once the film  is running though you will not notice it or care. the slight difference in total bit-rate (5.44 to 5.55) is probably due to the addition of the Mann commentary (our bitrate chart reads audio) on the new SE.

The only real reason to get the new SE would be for the extras - a screen specific commentary track by director Mann, deleted scenes, and some featurettes including one about the coffee conversation between Pacino and De Niro's respective characters. Obviously it is only worth the upgrade if you want the extras - which are excellent, otherwise your initial release does a fine job. 

 - Gary W. Tooze