Heat useless trivia

Kevin Gage, who played Waingro, spent two years in prison in 2003 for growing marijuana despite having a licence. Whilst there, he was referred to as Waingro by both fellow inmates and guards.

Robert DeNiro's grey suit for McCauley was deliberately chosen by Michael Mann to ensure that he didn't stand out. The starch collar was a nod to his time in prison as inmate clothing was starched.

Ted Levine, who played Det. Bosko, was originally offered the role of Waingro. He turned it down as he felt was being typecast as a serial killer having played one in 'Silence Of The Lambs'.

Hank Azaria's look of shock in this scene is genuine. According to Azaria, they had done many takes of the scene - with Pacino only opting to shout in the final take, causing Azaria to look shocked.

Robert DeNiro signed on to do 'Heat' off the back of the coffee scene. Both actors went into the scene without rehearsing to give it a more authentic feel. Not only that...

The coffee scene was based on Chicago PD detective Chuck Adamson, who met an armed robber in a coffee shop and told him he would kill him the next time they met. The robber's name? Neil McCauley.

The warehouse sting, which is interrupted after a police officer inadvertently makes a noise and tips off McCauley and his crew, was also a real-life incident that happened to Chuck Adamson.

Dennis Farina was a technical adviser on 'Heat'. Before becoming an actor, he spent 18 years working as a detective in Chicago PD's robbery / homicide division.

This shot was inspired by 'Pacific', a painting by Canadian artist Alex Colville. Colville's art was influenced by the American Precisionist Movement, which features heavily in Mann's movies.

Michael Mann insisted on using extra-loud rounds and recording the audio as it happened during the final shoot-out instead of dubbing in the gunfire noises in editing, as is the industry norm.

When Neil McCauley talks about "running out on anyone in 30 seconds flat when you spot the heat", he starts to run precisely 30 seconds after seeing Vincent Hanna coming for him in the hotel car park.

Elliot Goldenthal wrote music for the end credits, however Mann opted for a track by Moby instead. Goldenthal would later use the same piece of music for the end credits to 'Michael Collins'.