44 Minutes

[Gohron]

I saw this come on the other day and watched it. It was about the two bank robbers who battled it out with the police force in LA after robbing a bank in 1997. I thought it was pretty decent for a TV movie, it was presented in a documentary form but it was done by actors. No violence or language was cut-out. Did anyone else see it?

[MVS]

Seems like a textbook case on how not to rob a bank.

Interesting, but no Heat.

[Gohron]

Seems like a textbook case on how not to rob a bank.

Interesting, but no Heat.

I wouldn't be suprised if they got the idea from Heat. It wasn't the first job they did and their robbery pattern was somewhat similar to the one in the movie. The shootout scene it Heat is better but the fact that this really happened makes it kind of cool (in terms of action). It doesn't really make logical sense that not a single person died with the exception of the two bank robbers. They probably fired around 1000 rounds of ammunition and shot 20 people.

[MVS]

They did watch Heat. It was Emil Matsureanu or something, and the other guy. They were reportedly hoping to do what they just did, which was get into something like in Heat.

I know they were dubbed "The AK47 Bandits" for a while before hand, robbing a few armored cars.

From what I've seen and read, they weren't too bright nor too good at shooting. Why they had Modified CAR15's and AK's, and in essence put more weight for less ammunition, I'll never understand. Spraying full auto with an AK and shooting from the hip looks nice on TV, but it's not going to hit anyone save for blind luck.

I'm fairly certain they didn't really plan to escape, you can see that when they both split up (Which is basically suicide) they are kind of meandering along until the first kills himself (then a sniper shoots him in the head to make sure) and the 2nd spray's and prays.

I'll have to watch it again, what channel was it on?

I also know that someone took the actual soundtrack from that shootout in Heat, and sent it to the police saying it was a recording of the shootout. It was pretty fucked up to see Cops in tears while listening to that, then thinking of them having to do that because someone out there is a complete imbecile.



And here's problem #1:

0900 PST - LAPD receive a bank robbery alarm at the Bank of America branch on Laurel Canyon Boulevard in North Hollywood.

0938 PST - Two heavily armed men wearing ski masks emerge from the bank.

38 Minutes after an alarm and then they go out?

Those dudes were looking for a fight and not to escape.

[Gohron]

It was on FX, I'm assuming they'll show it again sometime soon. I thought it was pretty bad-ass for a TV movie, FX usually has some good stuff on it though (IE: The Shield). I'm gonna try and tape it if I catch it again.