“Is there any special country you want to go to?”
What you are about to see is true---It happened in Brooklyn, New York on August 22, 1972. Warner Brothers continues its two-disc special editions of media themed controversial classics with Dog Day Afternoon – where Al Pacino gives an electrifying performance as Sonny, the mastermind behind the botched robbery. The movie was nominated for 6 Academy awards (including Best Picture) and winning for Frank Pierson’s screenplay.
Dog Day Afternoon tells the story of Sonny (Al Pacino) and Sal (John Cazale – Fredo from the Godfather films). They’re a pair of “optimistic losers” who set out to rob a bank. The only plan they have in mind is how to get into the bank, but after that things sink into chaos. All of this takes place on a very hot, miserable day in Brooklyn. They botch the robbery and it descends into a hostage situation as Sonny and Sal are holed up in the bank.
In fact, the money has been picked up already and there’s only $1100 in the safe. The police arrive and Seargent Maretti (Charles Durning) sets up communication with the robbers. The FBI is also on the scene (James Broderick and Lance Henriksen). The New York cops are just as nervous and chaotic as the robbers since this is the first case of a mass hostage situation in the city. The media is on the scene and as the situation goes on the neighborhood begins to get crowded with onlookers.
However, as time goes on the hostages begin to sympathize with their captors. Tempers flare in the heat, the air conditioning is turned off in the bank, and nobody knows if anyone will make it out of this situation alive. More surprises are in store, just wait till you find out WHY Sonny is robbing the bank.
This is Pacino’s show and a famous scene is when he incites the crowd by shouting “Attica.” Attica was an infamous prison riot where New York police officers and National Guardsmen stormed the prison and rumor has it that a lot of the prisoners where shot in the back and was seen as an example of police brutality. Fine performances all around and not just from Pacino. Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon, Penelope Allen, Susan Peretz (as Sonny’s wife), and Judith Malina (as Sonny’s mother) turn in fine performances.
The movie is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Warner Brothers again puts some nice features on this two-disc set. Disc one contains a commentary by director Sidney Lumet. He reveals that Cazale’s line above was a complete improvisation and that improvisation was used quite a lot on the film. There is also a theatrical trailer.
Disc two contains an hour long documentary on the making of Dog Day Afternoon. It has interviews with producer Martin Bregman, screenwriter Frank Pierson, director Sidney Lumet, editor Dede Allen, director of photography Victor J. Kemper, assistant director Burtt Harris and actors Al Pacino, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon (this was his first picture), and Lance Henriksen (this was also his first picture). There is also a ten-minute vintage documentary entitled “Lumet : Film maker.”
Dog Day Afternoon is a very good movie and Al Pacino commands the screen. Fine supporting actors round out that cast and the iconic scene about Attica will be one of Pacino’s great screen moments. Dog Day Afternoon is definitely a movie that a film lover’s will want in their collections. The DVD is available as a separate release but it is also part of a box set called Controversial Classic Vol. 2: The Power of the Media. This set also contains Network and All the President’s Men in new two disc special editions.
Dog Day Afternoon is available at Amazon and AmazonUK . Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
Controversial Classics Vol. 2: The Power of the Media is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
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