Black Sunday (1977)

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Thomas Harris (by)
Ernest Lehman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 March 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

There has never been a motion picture adventure like...

Plot:

An Isreali anti-terrorist agent must stop a disgruntled Vietnam vet cooperating in a plot to commit a terrorist plot at the Super Bowl.

Plot Keywords:

Blimp | Violence | American Football | Psychopath | Syringe

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Robert Shaw	...	Kabakov
Bruce Dern	...	Lander
Marthe Keller	...	Dahlia
Fritz Weaver	...	Corley
Steven Keats	...	Moshevsky
Bekim Fehmiu	...	Fasil
Michael V. Gazzo	...	Muzi
William Daniels	...	Pugh
Walter Gotell	...	Colonel Riat
Victor Campos	...	Nageeb
Joseph Robbie	...	Joseph Robbie
Robert Wussler	...	Robert Wussler
Pat Summerall	...	Pat Summerall
Tom Brookshier	...	Tom Brookshier
Walter Brooke	...	Fowler
James Jeter	...	Watchman
Clyde Kusatsu	...	Freighter Captain
Tom McFadden	...	Farley
Robert Patten	...	Vickers
Than Wyenn	...	Israeli Ambassador
Jack Rader	...	Pearson
Nick Nickolary	...	Simmons (as Nick Nicolary)
Michael Joseph Reynolds	...	Jackson
Hunter von Leer	...	T.V. Cameraman
Sarah Fankboner	...	V.A. Receptionist
Kathy Thornton	...	Head Nurse
Frank Logan	...	Lansing
Frank Man	...	Desk Clerk - Miami
Kenneth I. Harms	...	S.W.A.T. Captain
Kim Nicholas	...	Girl Hostage
Bert Madrid	...	Bellhop
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sherman 'Big Train' Bergman	...	Football Fan (uncredited)
Terry Bradshaw	...	Himself (uncredited)
Ian Bulloch	...	Secret Service Agent (uncredited)
Paul Fahrenkopf	...	Spectator (uncredited)
John Frankenheimer	...	TV director (uncredited)
Robert Ito	...	Japanese Man (uncredited)

Directed by
John Frankenheimer

Writing credits
Thomas Harris		(by)
Ernest Lehman		(screenplay) &
Kenneth Ross		(screenplay) and
Ivan Moffat		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Evans	....	producer
Alan Levine	....	associate producer
Robert L. Rosen	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo

Film Editing by
Tom Rolf

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Art Direction by
Walter H. Tyler		(as Walter Tyler)

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Ray Summers

Makeup Department
Sugar Blymyer	....	hair stylist
Robert Dawn	....	make-up artist (as Bob Dawn)
Brad Wilder	....	make-up artist

Production Management
Jerry Ziesmer	....	unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.	....	executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Larry J. Franco	....	second assistant director (as Larry Franco)
Marc Monnet	....	second unit director
Jerry Ziesmer	....	assistant director

Art Department
Nikita Knatz	....	production illustrator
Ray Mercer Jr.	....	property master (as Ray Mercer)

Sound Department
Howard Beals	....	sound effects editor
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	sound mixer (as Gene Cantamessa)
John Wilkinson	....	re-recording mixer (as John K. Wilkinson)

Special Effects by
Logan Frazee	....	special effects man

Visual Effects by
Bill Hansard	....	process consultant
Gene Warren Jr.	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Everett Creach	....	stunt coordinator
Jay Amor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Caruso	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bobby Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Erik Cord	....	stunts (uncredited)
Everett Creach	....	stunts (uncredited)
Howard Curtis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roberto Escobar	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Holt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Minor	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Moio	....	co-stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Dean Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Washington	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Ziker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Sabol	....	cameraman: N.F.L. Films, special football sequences
Rexford L. Metz	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Beverly McDermott	....	location casting: Miami

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shelly Levine	....	costumer: men (uncredited)

Music Department
June Edgerton	....	music editor
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrations

Other crew
Charlsie Bryant	....	script supervisor
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot (as James Gavin)
Nat Moore	....	football technical advisor
Nick Nickolary	....	pilot: Goodyear blimp (as Nick Nicolary)
Cathy Chazan	....	assistant: Mr. Evans (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• CIC (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1979) (USA) (TV)
• Fotomat (Drive-Thru Movies) Video (1979) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Cinema Research (optical effects and titles)
• Modern Film Effects (special photographic effects)

Other Companies

• Connaught Productions  services
• NFL Films  special football sequences

Runtime:

143 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Movielab)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:18A (Ontario) | West Germany:18 (nf) | Argentina:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (certificate #24543) | Netherlands:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Carson, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

In the book Black Sunday the attack was set to take place at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans during a Super Bowl between the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The president shown attending Super Bowl X was Pres. Jimmy Carter. Super Bowl X was held in January 1976. Pres. Carter was elected in November 1976 and took office in January 1977. Pres. Ford was in office during Super Bowl X.

Quotes:

Major David Kabakov: Don't be so rude to everybody.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Predator (1987)

Soundtrack:

The Star Spangled Banner

Where's the DVD???

With so much crap on the dvd store shelves, you gotta wonder who's in charge from preventing this (sadly) prophetic minor classic from being available.

Unless this is presented in widescreen, I refuse to see it again because the pan & scan version skips out half of the visuals; it's just not the same movie.

I saw this in 77' at the theater and again at the drive-in and my heart raced twice as fast (the 2nd time seeing it) during the last half of the movie because Frankenheimer had such a grasp on building tension. A couple of years later, I saw it broadcast on CBS, Sunday night AFTER the televised Pittsburg vs Dallas Super Bowl (in the late 70's, the Super Bowl started much earlier...CBS executives must of had a field day on the irony of that match up). I couldn't believe the epic scope that was lost on the pan & scan.

Everyone is top notch (yes, I had read the book). The 'good' guys are almost as ruthless as the terrorists in their quest to prevent thousands of innocent lives lost. Don't expect any snappy one liners after someone is dispatched; these are harsh, brutal portrayals. In these times, the movie is no longer escapism, but a frightening reality that (arguably) may be preventing the dvd release.

And the world lost so much with Robert Shaw's untimely passing. What a range of talent!

8.5 out of 10! One of the most gripping thrillers I've ever seen.