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Amazon.co.uk Review
A gripping true crime yarn, a juicy slice of overheated New York atmosphere and a splendid showcase for its young actors, Dog Day Afternoon is a minor classic of the 1970s. The opening montage of New York street life (set to Elton John's lazy "Amoreena") establishes the oppressive mood of a scorching afternoon in the city with such immediacy that you can almost smell the garbage baking in the sun and the water from the hydrants evaporating from the sizzling pavement. Al Pacino plays Sonny, who, along with his rather slow-witted accomplice Sal (John Cazale, familiar as Pacino's Godfather brother Fredo), holds hostages after a botched a bank robbery. Sonny finds himself transformed into a rebel celebrity when his standoff with police (including lead negotiator Charles Durning) is covered live on local television. The movie doesn't appear to be about anything in particular, but it really conveys the feel of wild and unpredictable events unfolding before your eyes, and the whole picture is so convincing and involving that you're glued to the screen. An Oscar winner for original screenplay, Dog Day Afternoon was also nominated for best picture, actor, supporting actor (Chris Sarandon, as a surprise figure from Sonny's past), editing, and director (Sidney Lumet of Serpico, Prince of the City, The Verdict and Running on Empty). --Jim Emerson
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DVD 5
English
English
Region 2
Mono English
Mono
Interactive Menus
Production Notes
Scene Access
Arabic
English
DVD 5
English
English
Region 2
Mono English
Mono
Interactive Menus
Production Notes
Scene Access
Arabic
English
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This cracking little thriller really surprised me. It was a non-stop edge of your seat bank heist where I really couldn't guess what was going to happen next.
When Al Pacino and his partner try to rob a bank, things start to go wrong. It becomes a media circus, and little by little facts about Pacino and why they were robbing a bank start to come out.
Once again, Pacino pulls out a superb performance, and it's his energy that really keeps this film flowing. He's a huge ball of action, and it's great to see his character slowly lose control of the heist situation.
The film slightly drags two thirds of the way in when a lot of conversation is conducted over a telephone, and the action slows down to a stillness. But it isn't long before it picks up again for the finale.
Everything that could happen does happen in that bank, and you really feel for Pacino's character and his partner. You want them to succeed, but then they are breaking the law, so should they be allowed to get away with it? Exciting and nail biting, this was brilliant entertainment I would recommend to anyone.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Recently I encountered a TV review with Al Pacino (at 2004 Golden Globe ceremony perhaps), where he was asked to tell the names of three greatest films in his career. The answer: "Serpico", "Scarecrow", and "Dog Day Afternoon"
Directed by veteran director Sidney Lumet, "Dog Day Afternoon" captures masterfully the social and political zeitgeist of the early 1970s, where optimism and morale was shaking due to post-Vietnam trauma, cynicism, new wave of Communist threat, distrust of any authority, oil crisis and imminent stagnation in economy. In this background, humane but equally awkward Sonny Wortzik (played by Al Pacino) come on the scene as an ANTI-HERO with a Brooklyn bank robbery, which would end up with a real tragedy.
The movie have them all: robbery, hostages, negotiations, ineptness, cunningness, frustration, deception and death. The direction and characterizations are sharp and brilliant. Lumet makes perfect use out of limited locations. Although 80 percent of the movie takes place inside the bank, there's never a dull or wasted moment. It is beautifully scripted and shot all along. Pacino gives a stellar performance as Sonny, one of the most interesting movie characters in motion picture history. Performances of John Cazale as Sonny's sociopathic accomplice, Sal and Charles Durning as Detective Moretti were wondrous too.
I must admit that this is a kind of movie that really does deserve special edition treatment. Eventually, this new 30th-Anniversary 2-disc edition has a great collection of extras. Most notably, it contains a commentary by Sidney Lumet which is amazing to hear from that great director. Second disc has an extensive documentary "The Making of Dog Day Afternoon" that consists of 4 featurettes (including interviews with Lumet, Pacino, Durning and Sarandon) that can be viewed separately or altogether. Not just Lumet or Pacino fans, this is a must have for any movie collector.
Directed by veteran director Sidney Lumet, "Dog Day Afternoon" captures masterfully the social and political zeitgeist of the early 1970s, where optimism and morale was shaking due to post-Vietnam trauma, cynicism, new wave of Communist threat, distrust of any authority, oil crisis and imminent stagnation in economy. In this background, humane but equally awkward Sonny Wortzik (played by Al Pacino) come on the scene as an ANTI-HERO with a Brooklyn bank robbery, which would end up with a real tragedy.
The movie have them all: robbery, hostages, negotiations, ineptness, cunningness, frustration, deception and death. The direction and characterizations are sharp and brilliant. Lumet makes perfect use out of limited locations. Although 80 percent of the movie takes place inside the bank, there's never a dull or wasted moment. It is beautifully scripted and shot all along. Pacino gives a stellar performance as Sonny, one of the most interesting movie characters in motion picture history. Performances of John Cazale as Sonny's sociopathic accomplice, Sal and Charles Durning as Detective Moretti were wondrous too.
I must admit that this is a kind of movie that really does deserve special edition treatment. Eventually, this new 30th-Anniversary 2-disc edition has a great collection of extras. Most notably, it contains a commentary by Sidney Lumet which is amazing to hear from that great director. Second disc has an extensive documentary "The Making of Dog Day Afternoon" that consists of 4 featurettes (including interviews with Lumet, Pacino, Durning and Sarandon) that can be viewed separately or altogether. Not just Lumet or Pacino fans, this is a must have for any movie collector.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I am utterly convinced that this is Pacino's best performance, to the point where nobody could convince me otherwise! This film is literally brimming with energy and the acting is pretty much impeccable. It's got drama, humour, and a poignant ending. You end up feeling like you knew the central characters, particularly Pacino's ever optimistic Sonny. Watch this at least once, you won't regret it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great Movie!
I remember seeing this movie as a teenager - and I really enjoyed it this time around as well, Al Pacino is a great actor!
Melb Girl
Melb Girl
Published 4 months ago by Melb Girl
Not even a dog's breakfast
Dog Day Afternoon (Sydney Lumet, 1975)
Al Pacino plays one of two crooks robbing a bank in Brooklyn - or trying to. Read more
Al Pacino plays one of two crooks robbing a bank in Brooklyn - or trying to. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Dr René Codoni
BRILLIANT!
This film, based on a true story, concerns two inept bank robbers, Sal and Sonny, played by John Cazale, and Al Pacino respectivly. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Graham
If you're going to rob a bank, wear a mask
Its clear from the first scene that these armed robbers aren't exactly, well, professionals.
This is my favorite Sidney Lumet film. Read more
This is my favorite Sidney Lumet film. Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2009 by The Big Pink One
is it a typical bank robbery
I'd always heard about this movie, it being classified as a " classic". Al Pacino naturally is the drawcard because in my opnion he is a good actor. Read more
Published on 15 Nov 2009 by Jooblings
Neo-realism meets Hollywood
Other reviewers have rightly singled out Pacino's performance as a career best, as Sonny, the twitchy eternal optimist ("We're going to make it, right? Read more
Published on 24 Nov 2008 by Peter Scott-presland
Dog? Where?
I saw a bit of Dog Day Afternoon when I was about nine years old and left it this long before actually focusing on watching the whole film. Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2007 by Inspector Gadget
Pacino does comedy
I keep thinking I have seen all Al Pacino's great films, and then I discover Dog Day Afternoon. This film shows Al developing the strand in his character that is amplified to such... Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2007 by William Cohen
Perfection from Pacino !!!
I saw this film many years ago, and recently watched it again. It is still as good as ever. It is very rare that Al Pacino makes a bad movie. Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2007 by G. Kyriacou
one of the greats
released in 1975 and directed by acclaimed director sid lumet,dog day afternoon tells the tale of a bank robbery,hostage take and the events that followed,inspired by real life... Read more
Published on 22 Mar 2007 by sean paul mccann
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