44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out
Encyclopedia
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out is a 2003 American
film directed by Yves Simoneau
. The film premiered on the FX Network in June 2003.
, is based on an actual incident which occurred February 28, 1997 known as the North Hollywood shootout
. Homicide detective Frank McGregor (Michael Madsen
) tracks a violent duo of bank robbers: Larry Eugene Phillips, Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu.
The film opens with scenes of police officers getting ready for work in the morning interspersed with scenes of the robbers Phillips and Mătăsăreanu preparing to loot an armoured bank truck. Officer Donnie Anderson (Ron Livingston
) is mourning the death of his policeman father. He displays a lack of attention on his SWAT assignment and is forced by his superior to take time off. Meanwhile, the staff at the North Hollywood branch of Bank of America are preparing for start of business.
Phillips and Mătăsăreanu park outside the branch and wait for the armoured truck. They are frustrated when the truck does not turn up and decide on robbing the branch instead (the bank had altered the delivery schedule). They wear black masks and enter the branch firing at the roof with their AK-47s. An LAPD patrol car happens to pass by at the same time. The officers spot the robbers entering the bank and call it in.
The manager is forced to open the vault and fill a duffel bag with all the cash in the branch. When the robbers are turned away from him the manager places a stack of notes with the dye used for tracking purposes. By the time Phillips and Mătăsăreanu collect all the cash, numerous LAPD patrol cars and officers surround the branch and roadblocks are set up. The robbers spot the officers and exit the branch firing their weapons.
The officers are unable to stop them due to their low-calibre weapons and also since the robbers are wearing bullet-proof vests. Donnie listens to the call on his radio, gathers his SWAT team and races to the shoot-out location. After several minutes of firing and injuries to officers and civilians, Phillips and Mătăsăreanu decide to make a getaway. Mătăsăreanu drives their car while Phillips walks beside the car firing at the officers.
On Archwood Street Phillips separates from Mătăsăreanu and starts firing at the officers following them. While reloading, his rifle malfunctions. He draws his pistol and shoots himself through the chin. At the same instant he is also shot by Frank.
Mătăsăreanu car-jacks a pickup truck after the tires of his getaway car are shot out. However, he is unable to start the truck. The SWAT team corner him and he takes cover behind his car. A close-range gun battle ensues. The SWAT team fires below the cars at Mătăsăreanu's legs since they are unprotected. Finally he goes down and surrenders. It is later shown that he bleeds to death.
The closing scenes are real-life images of LAPD officers receiving medals of valor and the public sending them thank-you notes and flowers in appreciation of their heroic effort.
. All of the scenes that are on the residential streets where the robbers fled were filmed on the actual locations.
. The episode, "Shootout", takes place in the parking lot of an empty building, which serves as "El Camino City Bank" in the fictional suburb of El Camino. Surrounding Valley neighborhoods are used to film scenes in which officers hunt down fleeing robbers.
" is a song by the American
thrash metal
band Megadeth
, which appears on their twelfth studio album, titled Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009, written by frontman Dave Mustaine
. The third song on the album, the song's lyrics portray the events of the North Hollywood shootout
, that occurred in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles
on February 28, 1997. Though never released as a single from the album, the song has been played live by the band on several occasions. The name is derived directly from this film.
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
film directed by Yves Simoneau
Yves Simoneau
Yves Simoneau is a Canadian film and television director.-Recognition:His acclaimed 1987 crime drama Pouvoir intime garnered multiple Genie Awards nominations including best direction at the 8th Genie Awards...
. The film premiered on the FX Network in June 2003.
Plot
The plot, about bank robbers held at bay by the Los Angeles Police DepartmentLos Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
, is based on an actual incident which occurred February 28, 1997 known as the North Hollywood shootout
North Hollywood shootout
The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed bank robbers and officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997...
. Homicide detective Frank McGregor (Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
) tracks a violent duo of bank robbers: Larry Eugene Phillips, Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu.
The film opens with scenes of police officers getting ready for work in the morning interspersed with scenes of the robbers Phillips and Mătăsăreanu preparing to loot an armoured bank truck. Officer Donnie Anderson (Ron Livingston
Ron Livingston
Ronald Joseph "Ron" Livingston is an American film and television actor. His roles include a disaffected corporate employee in the film Office Space, a sardonic writer in a short-term relationship with Carrie Bradshaw in the TV show Sex and the City, and Captain Lewis Nixon in the miniseries...
) is mourning the death of his policeman father. He displays a lack of attention on his SWAT assignment and is forced by his superior to take time off. Meanwhile, the staff at the North Hollywood branch of Bank of America are preparing for start of business.
Phillips and Mătăsăreanu park outside the branch and wait for the armoured truck. They are frustrated when the truck does not turn up and decide on robbing the branch instead (the bank had altered the delivery schedule). They wear black masks and enter the branch firing at the roof with their AK-47s. An LAPD patrol car happens to pass by at the same time. The officers spot the robbers entering the bank and call it in.
The manager is forced to open the vault and fill a duffel bag with all the cash in the branch. When the robbers are turned away from him the manager places a stack of notes with the dye used for tracking purposes. By the time Phillips and Mătăsăreanu collect all the cash, numerous LAPD patrol cars and officers surround the branch and roadblocks are set up. The robbers spot the officers and exit the branch firing their weapons.
The officers are unable to stop them due to their low-calibre weapons and also since the robbers are wearing bullet-proof vests. Donnie listens to the call on his radio, gathers his SWAT team and races to the shoot-out location. After several minutes of firing and injuries to officers and civilians, Phillips and Mătăsăreanu decide to make a getaway. Mătăsăreanu drives their car while Phillips walks beside the car firing at the officers.
On Archwood Street Phillips separates from Mătăsăreanu and starts firing at the officers following them. While reloading, his rifle malfunctions. He draws his pistol and shoots himself through the chin. At the same instant he is also shot by Frank.
Mătăsăreanu car-jacks a pickup truck after the tires of his getaway car are shot out. However, he is unable to start the truck. The SWAT team corner him and he takes cover behind his car. A close-range gun battle ensues. The SWAT team fires below the cars at Mătăsăreanu's legs since they are unprotected. Finally he goes down and surrenders. It is later shown that he bleeds to death.
The closing scenes are real-life images of LAPD officers receiving medals of valor and the public sending them thank-you notes and flowers in appreciation of their heroic effort.
Filming
The building in the actual robbery was in North Hollywood, but the building used in the film was a vacant bank in a strip mall in La Habra, CaliforniaLa Habra, California
La Habra is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239. Its related city, La Habra Heights is located to the north of La Habra, and is in Los Angeles County.-Origin of name:...
. All of the scenes that are on the residential streets where the robbers fled were filmed on the actual locations.
Cast
- Michael MadsenMichael MadsenMichael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
as Detective Frank McGregor - Ron LivingstonRon LivingstonRonald Joseph "Ron" Livingston is an American film and television actor. His roles include a disaffected corporate employee in the film Office Space, a sardonic writer in a short-term relationship with Carrie Bradshaw in the TV show Sex and the City, and Captain Lewis Nixon in the miniseries...
as Officer Donnie Anderson - Ray BakerRay BakerRay Baker may refer to:*Ray Stannard Baker , journalist and author*Ray Baker , country-western music producer* Ray Baker , in such films as The Trip , Total Recall and Without a Paddle...
as Sergeant Jake Harris - Douglas SpainDouglas SpainDouglas Spain is an American film and television actor, director and producer. In 1998 Spain was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in the category of Best Debut Performance for his role in the film Star Maps...
as Officer Bobby Martinez - Andrew BryniarskiAndrew BryniarskiAndrew Bryniarski is an American actor and a former bodybuilder of Russian descent, who is best known for portraying Steve Lattimer in The Program, as well as Leatherface in the remake of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and its prequel and Zangief in the live action Street Fighter movie...
as Larry Eugene Phillips Jr. - Oleg TaktarovOleg TaktarovOleg Nikolaevich Taktarov is a retired Russian mixed martial artist and actor. He is a practitioner of Sambo and Judo and has competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships. Taktarov was the UFC 6 tournament champion and holds notable wins over Marco Ruas and David...
as Emil Mătăsăreanu - Clare CareyClare CareyClare Carey is a film and television actress.-Background:Carey was born at a Catholic mission in Zimbabwe where her father and mother were serving...
as Frank's Wife - Alex MenesesAlex MenesesAlexandra Estella DeAnna "Alex" Meneses is an American television and film actress and model.She was born in Chicago of Mexican American descent on her father's side and Ukrainian American descent on her mother's. Meneses studied acting at Chicago's The Second City Improvisational Theater during...
as Officer Nicole Gomez - Dale DyeDale DyeDale Adam Dye is an American actor, presenter, businessman, and retired U.S. Marine captain who served in combat during the Vietnam War.-Early life & Marine service:...
as SWAT Lieutenant - J. E. FreemanJ. E. FreemanJ.E. Freeman is an American actor, often cast in tough guy roles.His first movie appearance was in the early 80s actioner An Eye for an Eye in which he plays a tow truck driver who minces words with Chuck Norris....
as Police Commander - Mario Van PeeblesMario Van PeeblesMario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
as Officer Henry Jones (Based partly on Officer Stewart Guy, and partly on Officer Martin Whitfield.) - Jay UnderwoodJay UnderwoodJay Underwood is an American actor.In 1983, he attended Moreau Catholic High School for one year in Hayward, California. He is married to Julie Underwood and has three children. His most recognized work includes portraying Ernest Hemingway in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, "Bug" in Uncle...
as Mr. Entertainment - Jullian Dulce Vida as Luis Rivera (Based on John Villigrana)
Miscellaneous
The real gunmen also were nicknamed the 'High Incident Bandits' and the shootout was also the basis for the final episode of the 1996-1997 ABC-TV police drama High IncidentHigh Incident
High Incident is a police drama series produced by DreamWorks Television for the ABC network. The show was created by Steven Spielberg, Michael Pavone, Eric Bogosian and Dave Alan Johnson...
. The episode, "Shootout", takes place in the parking lot of an empty building, which serves as "El Camino City Bank" in the fictional suburb of El Camino. Surrounding Valley neighborhoods are used to film scenes in which officers hunt down fleeing robbers.
In popular culture
"44 Minutes44 Minutes
"44 Minutes" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, which appears on their twelfth studio album, titled Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009, written by frontman Dave Mustaine...
" is a song by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, which appears on their twelfth studio album, titled Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009, written by frontman Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
. The third song on the album, the song's lyrics portray the events of the North Hollywood shootout
North Hollywood shootout
The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed bank robbers and officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997...
, that occurred in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on February 28, 1997. Though never released as a single from the album, the song has been played live by the band on several occasions. The name is derived directly from this film.