Product Details

• Actors: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon, Sully Boyar
• Directors: Sidney Lumet
• Writers: Frank Pierson, Leslie Waller, P.F. Kluge, Thomas Moore
• Producers: Martin Bregman, Martin Elfand, Robert Greenhut
• Format: NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English, Arabic
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Run Time: 125 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004CX8B
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #286,435 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Dog Day Afternoon [Region 2]" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

A gripping true crime yarn, a juicy slice of overheated New York atmosphere, and a splendid showcase for its young actors, Dog Day Afternoon is a minor classic of the 1970s. The opening montage of New York street life (set to Elton John's lazy "Amoreena") establishes the oppressive mood of a scorching afternoon in the city with such immediacy that you can almost smell the garbage baking in the sun and the water from the hydrants evaporating from the sizzling pavement. Al Pacino plays Sonny, who, along with his rather slow-witted accomplice Sal (John Cazale, familiar as Pacino's Godfather brother Fredo), holds hostages after a botched a bank robbery. Sonny finds himself transformed into a rebel celebrity when his standoff with police (including lead negotiator Charles Durning) is covered live on local television. The movie doesn't appear to be about anything in particular, but it really conveys the feel of wild and unpredictable events unfolding before your eyes, and the whole picture is so convincing and involving that you're glued to the screen. An Oscar winner for original screenplay, Dog Day Afternoon was also nominated for best picture, actor, supporting actor (Chris Sarandon, as a surprise figure from Sonny's past), editing, and director (Sidney Lumet of Serpico, Prince of the City, The Verdict, and Running on Empty). --Jim Emerson

Amazon.com

A gripping true crime yarn, a juicy slice of overheated New York atmosphere, and a splendid showcase for its young actors, Dog Day Afternoon is a minor classic of the 1970s. The opening montage of New York street life (set to Elton John's lazy "Amoreena") establishes the oppressive mood of a scorching afternoon in the city with such immediacy that you can almost smell the garbage baking in the sun and the water from the hydrants evaporating from the sizzling pavement. Al Pacino plays Sonny, who, along with his rather slow-witted accomplice Sal (John Cazale, familiar as Pacino's Godfather brother Fredo), holds hostages after a botched a bank robbery. Sonny finds himself transformed into a rebel celebrity when his standoff with police (including lead negotiator Charles Durning) is covered live on local television. The movie doesn't appear to be about anything in particular, but it really conveys the feel of wild and unpredictable events unfolding before your eyes, and the whole picture is so convincing and involving that you're glued to the screen. An Oscar winner for original screenplay, Dog Day Afternoon was also nominated for best picture, actor, supporting actor (Chris Sarandon, as a surprise figure from Sonny's past), editing, and director (Sidney Lumet of Serpico, Prince of the City, The Verdict, and Running on Empty). --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pacino Heats Up The Screen, February 2, 2001

By	Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Dog Day Afternoon (DVD)

Al Pacino burns up the screen in Dog Day Afternoon which is based on a true story and confirms that fact that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Mr. Pacino plays Sonny who teams up with the dullard Sal (John Cazale) to rob a Brooklyn bank on a sweltering summer afternoon. Sonny was a one-time bank employee, so he knows all the tricks of the trade to thwart bank robbers. Unfortunately for the robbers, the bank virtual has no money do to having made a deposit only hours before the robbery attempt. A shopworker across the street from the bank notices the strange proceedings and calls the cops. Before you know it, the bank is completely surrounded by cops. The cops (led by Charles Durning & James Broderick) start a hostage negotiation with Sonny. Even though Sonny's a crook, he isn't all bad and he, Sal and the hostage bank workers form a strange kinship. The story is shown on TV and a crowd gathers in the streets as well and Sonny becomes something of a cult hero. His scenes on the street outside the bank are scintillating including his famous Attica chant. Sonny is married with kids, but it turns out that he was robbing a bank to pay for a sex change operation for his gay lover, Leon (Chris Sarandon). The movie closes out at night at the airport in dramatic fashion. Sidney Lumet does a fine job translating the heat and humidity of the day and you can feel yourself sweating along with the characters. Mr. Pacino has been more heralded for his Godfather roles, Scarface, Serpico and Scent Of A woman, but in my book, he was never finer than he was in this movie.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Bank Robbery Gone Terribly Wrong, October 28, 2001

By	The Groove (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Dog Day Afternoon (DVD)

Without showing a trace of his icy performance as Michael Corleone in "The Godfather" parts 1 & 2, Al Pacino made a radical departure by playing a bisexual bank robber in "Dog Day Afternoon." Here's a hilarious (but apparently true) story about Sonny (Pacino) who stages a bank robbery to finance his lover's sex change operation. Within minutes, the attempted robbery heads for disaster, as the police and media surround the bank while Sonny holds the employees hostage for the entire day. Even after nearly 30 years, "Dog Day Afternoon" is a marvel to see. This film won a well-deserved 1975 Academy Award for its witty screenplay, and Pacino's performance ranks among his best. Unfortunately, those who are looking for a deluxe-edition DVD will be sorely disappointed with this release. The picture is incredibly grainy, with spots, hairs, and marks. The sound is 1-channel mono, instead of a 5.1 surround remix. But the biggest slap on the face is the virtual lack of features on this DVD: we don't even get a trailer. All we get are production notes. Movie buffs and Pacino diehards will pick this up, but everyone else should hold off, rent the film, and hope that Warner Bros. will release a special edition of this great movie.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A bank robbery gone very very wrong, February 7, 2003

By	mabus (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dog Day Afternoon (DVD)

Al Pacino's glorious little film about a couple of would be bank robbers who simply have a really bad day. Brought to you by the same team that would also bring us Serpico, Pacino is simply electrifying in this film about a bank robbery in New York City that simply turned into a media circus on live television. Filmed soon after Pacino's stunning entry into the hollywood lights as Michael Corleone in Coppola's Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon cemented Pacino as a legitimate star in his own right. With a rivetting performance Pacino simply oozes panic and sheer hysteria.

The film begins when Pacino and two friends enter a bank and begin the heist. The film makes little effort to set things up, prefering to get right into the action. Once it starts it never stops. Just moments after the bank robbery begins one of the would be thieves simply loses his nerve and walks out. Things get worse from there. From a little homemade fire to snipey cops ready to blow his brains out on the tarmac this movie simply screams tension. It was one of the very first Bank robbery movies which were rather popular for a long time. Pacino is simply terrific in this film as an on the edge psychopath who simply wants to pull the job off. But he's clearly in over his head and sinking fast.

This movie isn't for everyone. It's not one of the best movies ever, and it's simply not for all tastes. But if you are a Pacino fan or love high tension drama's you may enjoy this. There's never a dull moment and it's beautifully scripted. The weirdest part of the whole thing is that it's largely based on a true story, if for no other reason than that, this movie should be seen. If you are an Al Pacino fan, this is a brilliant must have.