Events

Come see Dog Day Afternoon presented on stunning 35mm film on the big screen in L3!

Dog Day Afternoon strikes me as one of Sidney Lumet’s most fascinating movies. Often hailed as one of the best crime movies of the New Hollywood period, I deeply admire Lumet’s presentation of the fine line between hero and anti-hero, and how the general media manipulate these archetypes to their advantage. Based on a 1972 hostage situation, Lumet’s drama follows a tense showdown between the Brooklyn police force and bank robbers John Wojtowicz (Al Pacino) and Salvatore Naturile (John Cazale) after they take workers of a bank hostage. Whilst Wojtowicz initially seems a deranged criminal, there is from the outset a sentimental edge to him, which only becomes clearer after we discover his rationale for the robbery at the end of the first act. In a typical Pacino performance, he takes what should be a 5 to an 11, but always keeps that sentimental edge to him, and with that edge more at the forefront here it turns Wojtowicz into one of Pacino’s more nuanced and layered performances, (after his performance in Jack and Jill of course!) Presented to us as it would’ve been over 50 years ago on 35mm, I really encourage you all to enter the mindset of someone watching this for the first time in 1975, especially given how shocking the first act twist would have been. This film has truly stood the test of time, from being parodied on Bob’s Burgers, to now a current play on Broadway starring Mr Distributor of Information himself, Jon Bernthal. Dog Day Afternoon is a highlight amongst Lumet’s astonishing filmography, and I cannot wait for a rewatch! Also, in a career that was cut short due to his unfortunate death from cancer in 1978, – John Cazale starred in The Godfather films, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon and The Deer Hunter. No one can rival that. [Isaac Bennett-Gregory]

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