Plot: What’s it about?
In the mid-1970s, two studios had rival “disaster films” based on novels depicting a tragic event at a pro football game. In the winter of 1976, Universal had George La Fountaine Sr.’s “Two Minute Warning” with Charlton Heston leading an all-star cast about a psychotic sniper taking aim at innocent bystanders during a football game. Paramount released their film four months after that making the tragedy part of the climax of an intelligent international and suspenseful thriller called “Black Sunday” based on a best selling novel by author Thomas Harris pre-Hannibal Lecter.
Major David Kabukov (Robert Shaw) has been on the trail of the Black September group from an surprise infiltration that lead to a seizing of a tape recording to a girl in a shower (Marthe Keller) he left behind leaving a message on that tape recording specifying a possible attack on American soil. Meanwhile, Michael J. Lander (Bruce Dern) a former decorated Vietnam Veteran is an upstanding individual making a living piloting the Goodyear blimp during telecasts of football games. On his offtime, in cooperation with the Black September movement, he’s been plotting a terrorist act with use of the blimp during the biggest pro football game, The Super Bowl.
To call this movie a disaster film is an understatement. This is more in the intense thriller genre which started off an international intrigue thriller structure that would be brought back a little more than a decade later in the form of the Tom Clancy pictures (Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games, etc.) by the same studio.
The movie starts off with excitement from the first minutes on with the attack on the hideout of Black September to the final minutes of the siege of the Goodyear blimp. One of the things that really move this intense thriller nicely is the presence of Robert Shaw and Bruce Dern.
Kabukov and Lander are worthy advisaries with checkered past but will stop at nothing to accomplish their mission, even if it means bending some of their routine. The other thing that makes this a memorable thriller is the direction by John Frankenheimer, who makes a cameo as the TV director inside the van during The Super Bowl.
There are some intelligent investigative scenes between Kabukov and his associates, a few twists and some great action scenes. Add to that a wonderful score by pre-Star Wars John Williams and some beautiful cinematography by John A. Alonzo, “Black Sunday” remains one of the better international thrillers from start to finish.
Video: How does it look?
Black Sunday is presented in it’s original Panavision ratio of 2.35:1. The opening credits of this film are windowboxed, due to past widescreening cutting off names in the credits. This is not the first Paramount title to start like this (Marathon Man) and the images are clear and gorgeous with an occasional blemish on darker scenes. The colors are not overly saturated and John Alonzo’s cinematography guides a nice balance given the source material of 70’s film. A very good transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
Black Sunday has been given a 5.1 remix and it’s range sounds better than the previous laserdisc release. Most of what was used in the source materials came from the front and the score and effects never sounded better. The track also kicked up a notch when the setting changed to the football stadium hearing the crowd and the score mixed in. A very good track. This disc also has a Restored English mono soundtrack and a French Mono track along with English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Sadly, Frankenheimer passed away before the film was released on DVD so there is no commentary track or featurette and despite what was displayed in “The Kid Stays In The Picture”, there is no theatrical trailer. No features, period. Despite it all, a very good Paramount Picture with a good DVD release.
