Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

One of the Greatest

This is one of the best movies I've ever seen and DVD quality picture only makes it more fun to watch. The interactive menus are nice, but I still go back to the movie. August 25, 2008

Gold Lumet

As far as oppressively humid hostage dramas go, this 1975 "true crime" classic from the great director Sidney Lumet easily out-sops the competition. The air conditioning may be off, but Al Pacino is definitely "on" in his absolutely brilliant portrayal of John Wojtowicz ("Sonny Wortzik" in the film), whose botched attempt to rob a Brooklyn bank turned into a dangerous hostage crisis and a twisted media circus (the desperate Wojtowicz was trying to finance his lover's sex-change operation). Even though he had already done the first two Godfather films, this was the performance that put Pacino on the map. John Cazale is both scary and heartbreaking in his role as Sonny's dim-witted "muscle". Keep an eye out for Chris Sarandon's memorable cameo. Frank Pierson's whip-smart screenplay was based on articles by P.F. Kluge and Thomas Moore. The two-disc edition is outstanding, with a great transfer and film-buff friendly extras. July 17, 2008

Every dog has its day; this day is glorious...

In 1975 there was one film that completely swept the Oscars, winning awards for Picture, Screenplay, Director, Lead Actor and Lead Actress; a feat that has only been accomplished three times in the history of the Academy Awards. That film has gone on to become on of the most highly lauded and respected films of all time, `One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest'. While I am utterly astounded by each and every frame of that fantastic movie, I feel that it was the wrong film to take the sweep. Instead, I would have cast my vote for Sidney Lumet's powerful `Dog Day Afternoon', for while it may not be as heavily rooted in deep meaning as `Cuckoo' it is an embracive and powerfully commanding film that, to me, was the best of the year. I hate it when two films I adore (both would make my `Top 100 Films Ever Made' list) are released in this same year because it makes it so difficult for me to rally heavily behind one particular film.

If I had to choose a side though, this would be the side I would choose.

Lumet tells us the true story of Sonny Wortzik (whose real name is John Wojtowicz), who for apparently no reason at all decided to rob a bank in Brooklyn. What was supposed to be quick and clean wound up being a long drawn out affair that captured the attention of the media and turned a few heads in the process. The opening scenes set up the event, with Sonny and his partner Sal entering the bank, waiting for the lonely customer to leave and then taking the bank tellers and manager hostage for the loot. When someone across the street sees the ruckus going on within the bank the police are contacted and what could have been a quick `in and out' type heist winds up being much more than expected. With Police Detective Moretti breathing down Sonny's neck it appears that his options are slim, but as he devises his own plans of escape the film opens up and soon all is revealed.

`Dog Day Afternoon' is a brilliant film about desperation and last resorts, a film about the power of misguided passion and how one man can be pushed to his limit when he feels trapped or pressed into a corner. Al Pacino brilliantly captures Sonny's state of mind, delivering what may very well be his finest performance ever. Watching a film like `Dog Day Afternoon' tends to frustrate me, for it causes me to realize what a force Pacino used to be and then focus on what a eyesore he has become.

But eyesore he is not, at least not here. His manipulation of the audience is beautifully controlled. He glides through panic with ease and charisma and then nests firmly into defiance and a false sense of dominance as he believes he has a handle on the situation. There is so much said with just the unease within his stare that it pains me to think he lost the Oscar. I adore Nicholson and consider him the finer actor all around (Nicholson never lost it) but when I stack up the two performances from this given year I can't help but feel that this should have gone to Pacino, despite the fact that Nicholson was flawless (and comes in a very close second for me).

The rest of the cast is also brilliant, especially Charles Durning (who should have received the Oscar nomination over Chris Sarandon). As the main detective on the case, Durning is a powerful presence, one of reason. He floats through each scene with such confidence and maturity. Chris Sarandon has a few strong scenes and adds a twist to the film (I know that his character has been spoiled by quite a few reviews here but I won't do it) and he manages to draw on audience sympathy (maybe that's why he was awarded with the Oscar nomination). John Cazale is somewhat lost in this film for me. He fades into the background (not unlike his `Godfather' character) when placed on the screen alongside the power that is Pacino. He doesn't deliver a bad performance; he just is not as memorable as Durning or Allen.

Sidney Lumet directs `Dog Day Afternoon' with ferocious intensity, an intensity that matches Pacino's fearless (yes, I threw that word in there) performance perfectly. `Dog Day Afternoon' never lets go of the audience but holds them at bay for its entirety and that is a magical thing. It creates a feeling of paranoia as you struggle to figure out the next move, and it miraculously remains grounded when it could have easily gone awry. I love films based on real life events because they help you to see that true life is often more engrossing, disturbing and downright mesmerizing than fiction. `Dog Day Afternoon' is proof of that very statement. June 26, 2008

HAH!

What a great movie. This is classic!! Great movie, great second disc, great everything. This is probably one of the funniest "based on a true story" movies I've ever seen. Pacino was great in this. I mean, G-R-E-A-T! You will sit back and laugh at the whole scenario. But, like I say, it is a great movie. May 19, 2008

A Masterpiece

Wow. What an extraordinary movie. Al Pacino has never been better than here (and that's saying a lot), as a man who robs a bank to pay for his male lover's sex operation. That Dog Day Afternoon is based on a real case proves that Ted Turner was right: there's nothing more interesting than real life. John Cazale says everything with his eyes and very few words. Sidney Lumet is at the top of his form. This is truly a must-see movie.
March 27, 2008

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