Based on a best selling novel. The book, which I have never read, probably is in the style that Tom Clancy made famous, with a slow methodical setup of the small details of creating the bomb and getting it to the target. In the movie version of "The Sum of all Fears", they threw out all the slow build-up, and made a crackerjack modern thriller. When Black Sunday was made in 1976, John Frankenheimer decided to stick with the slow buildup. IMDb trivia remarks that it has one of the slowest editing rates of a major film. (5.3 seconds). Perhaps influenced by the hand-held documentary style of the cinematography in the successful "French Connection", many scenes are played out with a hand held camera walking around the room as the characters interact. In action scenes, too, the cameraman follows the characters as they infiltrate the compound for Black September.
My recollection of this film when I saw it for the first time on TV, was the big climax scene was choppily edited and looked fake. I also couldn't help but react like everyone else to the ploddy pacing. Which is too bad, because within the extended build-up, there are well executed actions scenes and a well directed thriller. Frankenheimer had a deep well of supporting actors and a good sense of dialogue from directing drama for television. In fact, it seems like they had a tie-in with CBS, with familiar actors from 'Hawaii 5-O' or perhaps 'Kojak'. But for today's audiences, editors know their attention span and edit the pace of the film accordingly. A good contrast was the reaction to the wildly successful "Exorcist" when it was re-released in theatres on the 2000s. I could feel the impatience as I sat with an audience during a showing. The editing pace in the 70s was much slower. The idea of shooting every scene with multiple cameras was not common. Directors such as Spielberg preferred playing out scenes in a wide shot, letting the audience "edit" for themselves by choosing what to look at. It is a brilliant technique that only works if the scene is staged cleverly.
There are many points where the slow pacing of this film tries your patience, even back then. Bruce Dern is fun to watch as a crazy guy, but his scenes are allowed to ramble on too long. Robert Shaw is an Israeli commando. Marthe Keller is fantastic as the lead, a beautiful woman playing a terrorist. Her performance could have been as Oscar nominee if it wasn't for the clunky finale.
Frankenheimer also had expert help with Tom Rolf editing and John Williams (who also worked with Frankenheimer in TV) composing. So it is hard to fault this film. But there are just too many scenes that drag out the plot or the characters when there is not enough time. For instance, after Shaw is injured, he and his partner talk about the complications involved with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is relevant and provides depth to the plot, but the movie runs 2 hours and 23 minutes. The subject matter does not justify extended runtime.
It is really too bad the level of sophistication with effects were still not developed when this movie was made. Ironically, ILM was born the same year as Black Sunday was released in 1977. The screenplay and dialogue are smart and the subject matter is ripped from the headlines. With a ton of gravitas supporting the film, it only falters as it tries to drum up the tension as Shaw tries to stop the blimp at the end.
See it for the intelligent drama, forgive the laughable effects.
My recollection of this film when I saw it for the first time on TV, was the big climax scene was choppily edited and looked fake. I also couldn't help but react like everyone else to the ploddy pacing. Which is too bad, because within the extended build-up, there are well executed actions scenes and a well directed thriller. Frankenheimer had a deep well of supporting actors and a good sense of dialogue from directing drama for television. In fact, it seems like they had a tie-in with CBS, with familiar actors from 'Hawaii 5-O' or perhaps 'Kojak'. But for today's audiences, editors know their attention span and edit the pace of the film accordingly. A good contrast was the reaction to the wildly successful "Exorcist" when it was re-released in theatres on the 2000s. I could feel the impatience as I sat with an audience during a showing. The editing pace in the 70s was much slower. The idea of shooting every scene with multiple cameras was not common. Directors such as Spielberg preferred playing out scenes in a wide shot, letting the audience "edit" for themselves by choosing what to look at. It is a brilliant technique that only works if the scene is staged cleverly.
There are many points where the slow pacing of this film tries your patience, even back then. Bruce Dern is fun to watch as a crazy guy, but his scenes are allowed to ramble on too long. Robert Shaw is an Israeli commando. Marthe Keller is fantastic as the lead, a beautiful woman playing a terrorist. Her performance could have been as Oscar nominee if it wasn't for the clunky finale.
Frankenheimer also had expert help with Tom Rolf editing and John Williams (who also worked with Frankenheimer in TV) composing. So it is hard to fault this film. But there are just too many scenes that drag out the plot or the characters when there is not enough time. For instance, after Shaw is injured, he and his partner talk about the complications involved with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is relevant and provides depth to the plot, but the movie runs 2 hours and 23 minutes. The subject matter does not justify extended runtime.
It is really too bad the level of sophistication with effects were still not developed when this movie was made. Ironically, ILM was born the same year as Black Sunday was released in 1977. The screenplay and dialogue are smart and the subject matter is ripped from the headlines. With a ton of gravitas supporting the film, it only falters as it tries to drum up the tension as Shaw tries to stop the blimp at the end.
See it for the intelligent drama, forgive the laughable effects.