Based on the Thomas Harris novel, John Frankenheimer's gripping 1977 adaptation stars Robert Shaw as an Israeli commando trying to stop an embittered Vietnam ex-P.O.W. (Bruce Dern) and a steely-eyed Palestinian terrorist (Marthe Keller) from using a Goodyear blimp to attack a Miami Super Bowl crowd that includes the President. Dern's whacked-out vet has been copied (even by himself) but seldom exceeded; Shaw, best known as the shark hunter in Jaws, is typically compelling; and Keller's convincing resolve compensates for her woefully out of place German accent. Sporting on-location footage shot during an actual championship game, Black Sunday's slowly building suspense benefits from John Williams' urgent soundtrack. Boasting a clean widescreen transfer and remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 sound on an otherwise extra-less disc, this is recommended. (T. Rich)
Black Sunday
Paramount, 143 min., R, DVD: $19.99 Volume 19, Issue 1
Black Sunday
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