I recently re-watched Dog Day Afternoon (1975), having not seen it for a couple of years. Wow. Sidney Lumet's drama (based on a true story) about two men who hold up a bank in order to get the money for one of the men's husband's sex change operation is one of the strongest pieces of cinema in history. Lumet is one of the greatest directors of our time and never has he been so in control of his cinematic prowess than he is here. With Dog Day Afternoon he crafts a story so compelling and honest that even 31 years after it's release it is still powerful. The remarkable control Lumet possess over his and cinematographer Victor J. Kemper's camera combined with Dede Allen's frenetic editing help to create a tense and exciting backdrop for the stunning ensemble of actors to move around in. What you may not notice about the film is that it has no score- and thank Jebus it doesn't. Instead of forcing the audience to feel using an overwrought piece of music, Lumet trusts his audience to grasp what is happening onscreen themselves and come to their own conclusions. While he does let the action play out on its own, he's certainly not a 'put a camera on the actor and shoot' type of director- Lumet uses an arsenal of far more subtle tricks to create tension. The opening of shots of Brooklyn, bathed in heat, help to create a sense of the place all this takes place in and the quiet, almost wordless scene where Al Pacino and John Cazale walk into the bank is powerful because of the silence and not despite it. Notice how Kemper's camera, shooting scenes in an almost cinema verite style, makes you feel every bead of sweat on the character's faces, particularly in the scene where Pacino speaks to his lover. The sound designers aren't slouching either, the little sounds of footsteps, radios, people's voices and choppers flying overhead all work to give the film a realistic feel. And that's where the secret is, Dog Day Afternoon doesn't feel filmic, it feels like its really happening in front of our eyes.
Frank Pierson's Oscar-winning screenplay deserves a large sum of the credit, working around just 12 sequences that pop and fizzle with dialogue that is never showy but always sharp and naturalistic. It is important to note, however, that Lumet allowed the cast to improvise some of their dialogue and the heartbreaking scene between Pacino and Chris Sarandon, as his transsexual lover, on the phone was entirely improvised. This brings us to the focal point in the movie- the cast. Al Pacino is volcanic. The great actor gives one of his most ruthless, SUBTLE (and that's a big thing since this was one of the last times Pacino seemed to care about subtlety in his screen work), and terrifying performances as Sonny, a man who spirals out of control with good intentions but no clue how to deal with his problems: the performance is a towering example of what great acting is. The rest of the cast aren't far behind, particularly, Chris Sarandon (that's Susan's ex), Charles Durning, John Cazale and Penelope Allen who give brash, full-blooded characterizations that empower the film.
Dog Day is a film that one can watch over and over again and I implore you to do so- It never loses it power. It's a point where both director and star were on a hot-streak (Lumet with this, Network and Equus; Pacino with his remarkable run of The Godfather, Serpico, The Godfather Part II and this film) and this joining of great minds is a career peak for both. My only regret with the film is that it's most famous scene (the one quoted in the title of this post) has lost it's power since most people (myself included) have no idea what it refers to. Go here to read up- it adds to the film tremendously and is a very interesting read. That said, Dog Day Afternoon is still a masterpiece, one of the greatest films of the Seventies (and that's saying A LOT) and of all time.
Frank Pierson's Oscar-winning screenplay deserves a large sum of the credit, working around just 12 sequences that pop and fizzle with dialogue that is never showy but always sharp and naturalistic. It is important to note, however, that Lumet allowed the cast to improvise some of their dialogue and the heartbreaking scene between Pacino and Chris Sarandon, as his transsexual lover, on the phone was entirely improvised. This brings us to the focal point in the movie- the cast. Al Pacino is volcanic. The great actor gives one of his most ruthless, SUBTLE (and that's a big thing since this was one of the last times Pacino seemed to care about subtlety in his screen work), and terrifying performances as Sonny, a man who spirals out of control with good intentions but no clue how to deal with his problems: the performance is a towering example of what great acting is. The rest of the cast aren't far behind, particularly, Chris Sarandon (that's Susan's ex), Charles Durning, John Cazale and Penelope Allen who give brash, full-blooded characterizations that empower the film.
Dog Day is a film that one can watch over and over again and I implore you to do so- It never loses it power. It's a point where both director and star were on a hot-streak (Lumet with this, Network and Equus; Pacino with his remarkable run of The Godfather, Serpico, The Godfather Part II and this film) and this joining of great minds is a career peak for both. My only regret with the film is that it's most famous scene (the one quoted in the title of this post) has lost it's power since most people (myself included) have no idea what it refers to. Go here to read up- it adds to the film tremendously and is a very interesting read. That said, Dog Day Afternoon is still a masterpiece, one of the greatest films of the Seventies (and that's saying A LOT) and of all time.
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