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I'm looking for a comprehensive list of movies/documentaries about burglars planning elaborate (or sometimes not so) heists. I thought there were some A&E specials on the subject but I can't find them, and am very interested in the subject at the moment. I want movies or resources more focused on the HOW and everything technical, but any and all heist movie recommendations are appreciated!
(Oceans 11/12/13, The Score, Heat, Inside Man, The Italian Job, Ronin .. all good examples of entertaining heist movies)
I'm looking for a comprehensive list of movies/documentaries about burglars planning elaborate (or sometimes not so) heists. I thought there were some A&E specials on the subject but I can't find them, and am very interested in the subject at the moment. I want movies or resources more focused on the HOW and everything technical, but any and all heist movie recommendations are appreciated!
(Oceans 11/12/13, The Score, Heat, Inside Man, The Italian Job, Ronin .. all good examples of entertaining heist movies)
There's a reality show called Impossible Heists that I watched while planning a heist caper novel. In each episode, contestants have to recreate famous heists and are graded on how well they do. I enjoyed it. No idea if it's Netflixable or if you can find episodes online somewhere.
Only other major source I hit beyond the ones you've mentioned is "Hustle", which is about the long con, not heists per se, but involves some heist activity in certain episodes. I'd at least check out the first season.
You're really unlikely to see a better movie in this genre than Heat, but Dark Knight sort of counts and I'd say that both the original and the remake of the Thomas Crown Affair were pretty sweet.
There's a documentary called The Weather Underground about the Weathermen, the terrorist group from the 60s/70s. There are definite parallels, but it's more about how to understand the mindset of someone who goes underground and gets involved with bombing buildings and living on the run. Not really the same thing, but still pretty cool.
Pheezer on
IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Also: Just about every episode of Mission Impossible(TV, not movie) involves a complex plot where every move is planned and timed, every interaction calculated. Pretty cool, but not as fast paced as modern TV
This is tangential but something you might appreciate:
7 Years ago a German developer released The Sting! PC game through Jowood. Makes it hard to find, so I'm glad I was able to pick it up.
Mixed reviews, but if you're looking for a patient, plan-focused foray into heists this is certainly a relevant game. The art direction is cartoonish but gloomy. Takes place in a large (for its time, at least) 3D city, and gameplay involves collecting supplies, selecting targets, recruiting aids, and planning out heists step by step. What frustrated people was that following the planning, all you could do was watch the burglary enacted rather than control it in real time, so it was important to fine tune your plan to perfection.
I've run it on XP no problem, and it supports resolutions up to 1900x1200. A demo is available.
Point Break? You should watch Point Break. Sexy Beast is a good one. And, umm.... Jackie Brown, while not about a bank heist proper, involves some awesome theft planning.
And along those lines, pretty much all of Elmore Leonard's novels are must-reads for the heist enthusiast. They are plentiful and cheap at most used bookstores.
On the book front, if you're up for reading, I've really enjoyed Westlake's Dortmunder books. They're all heist capers, and they're blue-collar heist capers that let you see how the guys come up with the plans. Very valuable, if you don't mind the reading (and they're generally very funny as well).
This was a surprisingly decent movie. Coincidentally, quite a few of the movies mentioned here are on Hulu.
The Great Train Robbery
starring Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland, Alan Webb, and Lesley-Anne Down
about a mid-1800s train robbery in Britain for gold destined for the Crimean. It involves much of the same planning as movies like Ocean's 11 and Heat (mostly focused on getting the keys to the train car carrying the safe with the gold). It's based on Michael Crichton's The Great Train Robbery, which itself was based off of the first robbery of a moving train under similar circumstances.
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
starring Walther Mathau, James Broderick, Rudy Bond, and Cynthia Belgrave
about a hijacked New York City subway car. The movie focuses far more on the stand-off and troubles on the police side of things, not so much on the planning. Supposedly the movie hijackers' strategy was so well planned that the Metropolitan Transport Authority doesn't let any trains take the callsign Pelham 123 in fear of copycats. As a movie it's more of a mix between Die Hard and a heist movie with less overt action (it's more focused on the hijackers and hostages than the heist plans).
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
starring Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Jason Statham, and an abundance of other people
about a poker game debt and a heist to get the money to pay for it. The film is a bit quirky (some people have trouble with the interconnected plots and the accents), but does include a decent amount of heist planning and execution (not nearly as elaborate as things like Ocean's 11 or Heat, though). Of the three this one is the more action-comedy of the bunch.
This reminds me: the original Die Hard is pretty much a heist movie. It's just not from the bad guys' perspective, but there's an abundance of planning and execution and timing involved. The sequels...not so much.
UltimaGecko on
The facehuggers want to play with you in the AvP LP. Facehuggers also want you to check out the TF2 cards here. View the in-progress RE mansion recreation for L4D here.
An eccentric Frenchman and his ragtag band develop an elaborate scheme to sneak into the Twin Towers, stretch a tight wire between the two, and walk "on the clouds" 1350 feet above Manhattan. And it really happened.
No theft, but it feels like a heist movie, and besides that it's the best movie I've seen in a long time.
I saw a couple episodes of a show called Leverage the other day.
Seemed like an decent show where a bunch of ex-bad guys got together to foil new bad guys.
1966 comedy with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole. My parents like this movie a lot, but I'd say the plan has at least one giant hole in it. So I'd say it doesn't fall in the highly technical category so much as the any and all.
On the book front, if you're up for reading, I've really enjoyed Westlake's Dortmunder books. They're all heist capers, and they're blue-collar heist capers that let you see how the guys come up with the plans. Very valuable, if you don't mind the reading (and they're generally very funny as well).
I was kinda gonna mention this, since The Hot Rock was made into a movie.
Also, how about the original Italian Job?
Additionally,
The Score, Croupier, Entrapment, Kelly's Heroes, Stark Raving Mad, Layer Cake (sort of), Three Kings
embrik on
"Damn you and your Daily Doubles, you brigand!"
I don't believe it - I'm on my THIRD PS3, and my FIRST XBOX360. What the heck?
0
HachfaceNot the Minister Farrakhan you're thinking ofDammit, Shepard!Registered Userregular
Probably the best Nick Nolte film I've seen in quite some time, it's a remake of Bob le flambeur and an excellent heist/robbery flick.
Some other good suggestions made in this thread already too... save for the original Italian Job. The remake was much better. And don't get me started about that horrible Self-Preservation Society song that's played throughout the film. Fucking annoying that one.
Agreed with all of the above.. the only thing that i dont see really is "The Score". This is straight up heist with 3 awesome actors... Brando, DeNiro, and Ed Norton. "Usual Suspects" is another great one with somewhat of a heist theme.
Kevin, Sam and Rob have an unusual hobby: planning foolproof heists, without intending to actually perform them. The game goes wrong when their latest plan is stolen and carried out. Things get even worse when a mysterious man approaches them with an offer: plan a heist for him, or go to jail. As the clock ticks, they find that the risk might be higher than just their freedom.
Posts
The Dark Knight and Reservoir Dogs? Although Reservoir Dogs I guess shows the aftermath more than the actual planning..
The Thomas Crown Affair is another one. The remake had a good heist opening. After that, meh.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252503/
Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, and, uhhh I guess that's it. But still...great movie.
There's a reality show called Impossible Heists that I watched while planning a heist caper novel. In each episode, contestants have to recreate famous heists and are graded on how well they do. I enjoyed it. No idea if it's Netflixable or if you can find episodes online somewhere.
Only other major source I hit beyond the ones you've mentioned is "Hustle", which is about the long con, not heists per se, but involves some heist activity in certain episodes. I'd at least check out the first season.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379632/
There's a documentary called The Weather Underground about the Weathermen, the terrorist group from the 60s/70s. There are definite parallels, but it's more about how to understand the mindset of someone who goes underground and gets involved with bombing buildings and living on the run. Not really the same thing, but still pretty cool.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
I actually worked at work on Saturday. Also I went out on a date with a real life girl.
Can you like, permanently break the forums?
I don't know if it counts, but Clive Owen is fucking awesome.
Oh, also the Matlese Falcon for a True Classic.
7 Years ago a German developer released The Sting! PC game through Jowood. Makes it hard to find, so I'm glad I was able to pick it up.
Mixed reviews, but if you're looking for a patient, plan-focused foray into heists this is certainly a relevant game. The art direction is cartoonish but gloomy. Takes place in a large (for its time, at least) 3D city, and gameplay involves collecting supplies, selecting targets, recruiting aids, and planning out heists step by step. What frustrated people was that following the planning, all you could do was watch the burglary enacted rather than control it in real time, so it was important to fine tune your plan to perfection.
I've run it on XP no problem, and it supports resolutions up to 1900x1200. A demo is available.
Le Circle Rouge
And along those lines, pretty much all of Elmore Leonard's novels are must-reads for the heist enthusiast. They are plentiful and cheap at most used bookstores.
This was a surprisingly decent movie. Coincidentally, quite a few of the movies mentioned here are on Hulu.
The Great Train Robbery
starring Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland, Alan Webb, and Lesley-Anne Down
about a mid-1800s train robbery in Britain for gold destined for the Crimean. It involves much of the same planning as movies like Ocean's 11 and Heat (mostly focused on getting the keys to the train car carrying the safe with the gold). It's based on Michael Crichton's The Great Train Robbery, which itself was based off of the first robbery of a moving train under similar circumstances.
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
starring Walther Mathau, James Broderick, Rudy Bond, and Cynthia Belgrave
about a hijacked New York City subway car. The movie focuses far more on the stand-off and troubles on the police side of things, not so much on the planning. Supposedly the movie hijackers' strategy was so well planned that the Metropolitan Transport Authority doesn't let any trains take the callsign Pelham 123 in fear of copycats. As a movie it's more of a mix between Die Hard and a heist movie with less overt action (it's more focused on the hijackers and hostages than the heist plans).
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
starring Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Jason Statham, and an abundance of other people
about a poker game debt and a heist to get the money to pay for it. The film is a bit quirky (some people have trouble with the interconnected plots and the accents), but does include a decent amount of heist planning and execution (not nearly as elaborate as things like Ocean's 11 or Heat, though). Of the three this one is the more action-comedy of the bunch.
This reminds me: the original Die Hard is pretty much a heist movie. It's just not from the bad guys' perspective, but there's an abundance of planning and execution and timing involved. The sequels...not so much.
An eccentric Frenchman and his ragtag band develop an elaborate scheme to sneak into the Twin Towers, stretch a tight wire between the two, and walk "on the clouds" 1350 feet above Manhattan. And it really happened.
No theft, but it feels like a heist movie, and besides that it's the best movie I've seen in a long time.
Seemed like an decent show where a bunch of ex-bad guys got together to foil new bad guys.
1966 comedy with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole. My parents like this movie a lot, but I'd say the plan has at least one giant hole in it. So I'd say it doesn't fall in the highly technical category so much as the any and all.
I was kinda gonna mention this, since The Hot Rock was made into a movie.
Also, how about the original Italian Job?
Additionally,
The Score, Croupier, Entrapment, Kelly's Heroes, Stark Raving Mad, Layer Cake (sort of), Three Kings
I don't believe it - I'm on my THIRD PS3, and my FIRST XBOX360. What the heck?
Probably the best Nick Nolte film I've seen in quite some time, it's a remake of Bob le flambeur and an excellent heist/robbery flick.
Some other good suggestions made in this thread already too... save for the original Italian Job. The remake was much better. And don't get me started about that horrible Self-Preservation Society song that's played throughout the film. Fucking annoying that one.
Almost forgot Entrapment.
From IMDB:
Harlem Nights
Snatch
The Perfect Score