You have to assume there are quite a few film fans that include a film by Michael Mann in their lists of favorite movies. Personally, I’d probably include “Heat” in my list. So, if Mann himself is a master filmmaker, it would be interesting to know what his favorite movies are, right? Thankfully, Mann created a Letterboxd account and listed his favorite films. So, let’s take a look.
READ MORE: Michael Mann Says ‘Heat 2’ Will Shoot In 2024 & Is A “Prequel & Sequel”
Mann’s list is about as eclectic as they come. Quite a few international films and release dates that span the history of cinema. There are some fairly obvious ones, such as “Dr. Strangelove” and “Raging Bull.” But there are also quite a few surprises—such as last year’s “Poor Things.” The only real question that remains after seeing his list of movies is which version of “Apocalypse Now” does he recommend?
Here’s a full list of the films Mann said are his favorites:
Sergei Eisenstein’s “Battleship Potemkin”
Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove”
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s “Biutiful”
Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull”
Denis Villeneuve’s “Incendies”
Masahiro Shinoda’s “Pale Flower”
Jean Vigo’s “L’Atalante”
John Huston’s “The Asphalt Jungle”
Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things”
Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now”
Alexander Mackendrick’s “Sweet Smell of Success”
Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker”
Jacques Tourneur’s “Out of the Past”
Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth”
That’s a quality list, huh? What else would we expect from a filmmaker like Mann? It’s also important to mention that these films are in no particular order, except for one— “Battleship Potemkin,” which was placed in the first slot. Apparently, if you ever wondered which film Mann would say is his favorite, you now have an answer.
If you want to follow Mann through his Letterboxd journey, you can follow him now.