Dog Day Afternoon: Special Edition

Al Pacino delivers a tour de force Oscar-nominated performance in 1975's Dog Day Afternoon as Sonny, a bisexual bank robber hoping to fund a sex-change operation for his lover Leon (Chris Sarandon). Based on a true story, Sidney Lumet's taut film opens with Sonny and his partner in crime Sal (John Cazale) attempting to rob a cash-poor bank, only to quickly find themselves surrounded by the police and FBI. Inside the bank, Sonny spends his afternoon talking on the phone to his hysterical wife and suicidal boyfriend, escorting hostages on bathroom breaks, haggling with the authorities, and—on his occasional ventures outside—inciting the huge, mainly supportive crowd of onlookers and media personnel (strutting up and down the sidewalk, in one famous sequence, chanting “Attica!” “Attica! “Attica!”). Amazingly, given the claustrophobic setting, Lumet has created a swiftly-paced, humorous thriller that especially benefits from the inspired interplay (some of which was improvised) between Pacino and Cazale. Nominated for Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actor (Sarandon), and a winner for Best Screenplay, Dog Day Afternoon is presented with an excellent transfer in this double-disc special edition boasting DVD extras including an audio commentary by Lumet, an insightful hour-long four-part “making-of” documentary, and the vintage featurette “Lumet: Film Maker.” Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)