Rating: 
Summary: Can't wait for the DVD
Review: I saw this film when it was released back in 1977. In fact, I saw some of the actual filming of it in Miami. It was great watching Robert Shaw's stunt double being placed on the blimp's (Goodyear's Mayflower, N1A, for you airship enthusiasts) fin by a helicopter as it hovered over the Orange Bowl! When I saw the film, the aerial photography looked great. 20 years later, I rented the film, and was very disappointed with the way it looked. The cropped screen really killed the aerial photography as well as the special effects. The color was muddy. Lifeless. Although it did give the film a creepy feel to it, especially the scenes that took place in the Middle East with the terrorists. The film should be released on DVD and in widescreen. That would bring all those great aerial shots back to life.Pity, shots like that wouldn't be filmed this way today due to Hollywood's intoxication with computer generated images.By the way, for you airship enthusiasts again, two blimps were used for the suspenseful conclusion. The base scenes were shot in California using the Columbia. The Super Bowl scenes were shot in Miami using the Mayflower, being a smaller blimp than the Columbia. So the blimp in the movie shrinks, gets big and then shrinks again in size!
Rating: 
Summary: Black Sunday: Terrorists Playing at the Superbowl
Review: John Frankenheimer is an excellent action director. In Black Sunday he directs a thrilling story of terrorists trying to blow up the Superbowl with a blimp full of lethal darts. Bruce Dern is great as the bitter blimp pilot who throws his lot with Martha Keller, a Palistinian, who just barely keeps Dern from cracking up. Robert Shaw is excellent as the Iraeli agent tracking down the villians, from the first roots in the Middle East, leading eventually to America, and terminating in a showdown at the Superbowl.The action is good and the actors are well directed by Frankenheimer, who of course did the immortal "Manchurian Candidate," and pilots this action film to a smashing climax. Even after first seeing this movie, I am still haunted by Dern's sad portrait of a broken man and the horrific experiment he performs on an unsuspecting man of his exploding darts that make hamburger out of the man posing for what he thinks is a strange camera. A good example of Frankenheimer's style and art of direction.
Rating:
Summary: Too Close For Comfort
Review: John Frankenheimer's BLACK SUNDAY, based on Thomas Harris' novel of the same name, is a frightening glimpse through a glass darkly at history that hasn't happened yet, and hopefully never will, a terrorist attack on the Super Bowl. Robert Shaw (in his last major performance) plays the Israeli agent Kabakov with a convincing strength, despite his disconcerting Welsh accent. Bruce Dern plays a deranged Vietnam vet (a role which led to a career of typecasting) who decides to destroy the Super Bowl by rigging the obligatory blimp with explosives and detonating it above the game. He is helped in this mad plan by Palestinian terrorist Dahlia Iyad (Marthe Keller), who turns in a fine performance. The film seems slow-moving now, compared to the pace of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie, but for 1974, it was absolutely breathless. The plot, once considered impossible, is too much of a probability now. An excellent film, with excellent production values, and a story that won't quit, BLACK SUNDAY holds its own after three decades.
Rating:
Summary: Still Effective Thriller
Review: Let me preface my review by saying that Thomas Harris, the author of the book that this film is based is one disturbed individual. With "Black Sunday" and the Hannibal Lecter series, Harris concocts effective thrillers that could only ferment in a sick mind. That said, this film is a rousing thriller that holds up remarkably well. The story, about a plot by Palestinian terrorists who plan a terrorist attack on the Super Bowl will have you on the edge of your seat. John Frankenheimer directs this film assuredly, maybe a notch below his other classic thriller, "The Manchurian Candidate". Robert Shaw is excellent as the Israeli officer who is trying to unearth the terrorist plot before it is launched. Bruce Dern, as the disillusioned unhinged Goodyear blimp pilot who is the pawn of the PLO is most effective, probably too much so. It's roles like these that typecast him in psycho roles throughout his career. Marthe Keller, the German Julia Ormond of the 1970's, doesn't fare as well. I think she was trying to tackle her command of the English language before she tried to effectively play a Palestinian terrorist. What was kind of neat in this film was it incorporated real NFL players into the film (Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw) and that gave it a flavor of authenticity.
Rating: 
Summary: Cinematic Study in Political Terrorism...
Review: Long before Thomas Harris conjured anti-fantasy genius gentleman (cannibal)killer, Hannibal Lecter, he projected an ultimate homicidal political sociopath: Captain Michael Lander. Lander is Vietnam war hero who has spent six years imprisoned and tortured in Hanoi. Upon release, he returns to witness his wife sexually gyrating over a family confidant entrusted to "guard his family while he is at war". The collapse of his family follows and the stage is set for one of the most terrifying projects of VENGEANCE against this nation conceivable. BLACK SUNDAY--to some extent reformulated by Tom Clancy in The Sum of All Fears--posits Black September engineered terrorist attack on the USA targeting THE SUPERBOWL as theater of blood for slaughter of 80,000 Americans(including the President). What drives the tale, however, is not Clancy-like spectacle in a violence-propelled high-tech manhunt; or the conflict between political ideologies of ever-victimized Israelis or dispossessed Palestinians. But rather: the character of Lander superbly played with pathos and utterly committed psychotic menace by BRUCE DERN. Dern's HATRED of the United States has transformed him into THE WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION capable of an act of annihilation against the people and homeland he once loved and suffered for as military martyr."THEY DID IT TO ME," states Landers/Dern (before Director John Frankenheimer presents rife with danger, visually stunning, apocalyptic climax)"WHY CAN'T I DO IT TO THEM!" The movie is only a movie.Yet made in 1977,it now poses questions which ring with uncomfortable verisimilitude that's more than disconcerting in a film that strikes more than merely as entertaining cinematic study in political terrorism...
Rating:
Summary: Thriller that really thrills in the good old style
Review: Once upon a time, they made thrillers like this: adult, intelligent, filled with real human characters, and using stuntment instead of CGI effects. Director John Frankenheimer excelled at this type of thriller (he also directed THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and RONIN), and BLACK SUNDAY is one of his later entries in this genre. After a somehwhat slow start, BLACK SUNDAY turns into a real nail-biter of an international thriller, shot with a kind of mid-70s documentary style. The film is actually much tenser today than it was in 1977 because of the unfortunate way that terrorism has become a day to day concern in America; it is all too easy to imagine terrorists hatching a plot similiar to the one used here. Irish actor Robert Shaw, fresh from JAWS, would seem to be an odd choice to play an Israeli government agent, but he attacks the part with tight-jawed, unflappable conviction; I certainly would pick him to lead a counter-terrorism operation. The last 40-minutes are one prolonged agony of suspense (shot at the actual Superbowl X) marred only by some clumsy special effects at the very end. The only real flaw in the film is Bruce Dern's occasional over-the-top performance. The DVD has a crystal-clear transfer and nice 5.1 sound to blare the thundering John Williams score (his last score before writing the music for STAR WARS), but there are no extras to be found anywhere -- not even a trailer!
Rating:
Summary: Can this picture really be 25 Years Old?
Review: So vastly underrated and never appreciated, this is one movie that I've touted for years as the best of its kind. Thomas Harris was years ahead of his time in writing a story that is as timely as tomorrow's headlines. The storyline is solid, the acting is superb(with maybe the exception of Marthe Keller). I've had copies of this on VHS for years and now finally have the pleasure of owning it on DVD in widescreen. Only now, in post 9/11 America, will viewers come to realize that although a work of fiction, the threat that it presents is very real. Its horror all too possible. The monsters depicted exist. A very powerful and disturbing movie with scenes that will burn their way into your mind forever. The action is unrelenting and you are placed on the edge of your seat from start to finish. This movie is in my top five favorites of all time. Robert Shaw's best work.
Rating:
Summary: Action Movie that is still Timely
Review: Some movies show their age shortly after they were made. This is one that was written by Thomas Harris that is still timely. At the time it was fresh to the terrorist taking over the Olympics, but now it seems timely because of the activities in the Middle East. Robert Shaw and Bruce Dern especially turn in fine performances. The support cast is good as well. The music by John Williams is good as always. The addition of shots of the real Goodyear blimp and the Superbowl X game add to the believability. We even see Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staughbach, and the other real players for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. During the scene where the people stampede, you may find yourself mooing. Fans of "Two Minute Warning" should love it. I bought this since it is still a good movie and the price is great. Not much in the way of extras, but excellent picture and sound quality.
Rating:
Summary: A fun thriller with a few flaws
Review: Synopsis:
Robert Shaw plays Kabakov, an Israeli operative tracking a dangerous Palestinian terrorist named Dahlia to the United States after recovering a tape recording intended for use after a terrorist attack on American soil. With help from Sam Corley (Fritz Weaver) of the FBI, he begins a race against time to stop the attack before it can be unleashed on the unsuspecting American public. Meanwhile, Dahlia (Marthe Keller) along with disgruntled Vietnam Vet Michael Lander (Bruce Dern) works to create a device that could cause the worst massacre on American soil since Pearl Harbor. About the Movie:
Black Sunday is one of those movies you see shown on independent TV stations on Sunday afternoon. It's a surprisingly complex movie, but one that is deeply flawed in a few vital spots, causing it to be relegated to the budget DVD section. All that said, there's a lot going for it. John Williams wrote the musical score for Black Sunday, and like most of his work, it is excellent, providing much of the intense tension a viewer will feel while watching this movie. It also proves that not all of his compositions sound like Star Wars. Directed by the legendary John Frankenheimer, Black Sunday shows much of his talent in constructing a compelling film. At the time of release, the plot undoubtedly seemed far fetched, but now, after September 11, 2001 it almost seems plausible and has gained new relevance that makes it worth watching. In some ways, this is a deeply psychological movie. The two main characters, Kabakov and Michael Lander are both deeply flawed characters, pushed by events into the actions they take, and the movie attempts to analyze them in some depth. Kabakov is flawed because all the killing he has been forced to do in Isreal's long fight, has finally taken their toll on him. The terrorist plan goes into effect because he flinches and doesn't kill when he needs to. The rest of the film is him atoning for his mistake. Robert Show plays the character with a quiet dignity that is entirely convincing, though this subplot is not entirely wrapped up by the film's end. Likewise, the character of Michael Lander is flawed. A Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war, he has lost his self respect, his family and his livelihood as a result of the war. His humiliation and psychological wounds drive him to his actions. The actor who plays him, Bruce Dern, shines in this movie. Dern portrays Lander so convincingly and with such passion that although he's clearly damaged, you cannot help but almost cheer for him to succeed in his nefarious plans. It's unfortunate that this role seems to have helped to typecast Dern into similar roles. Together, both actors, along with some spectacular visual sequences with the Goodyear Blimp create a story that while a little overplayed at times, is both entertaining and thought provoking. It has some minor flaws with story and continuity, and of course, like many action films of the pre-MTV era (we had longer attention spans then), it drags a little at times. The box cover and poster art this film was release acts as a bit of a spoiler for the movie. What inspired the film's producers to give away the climax of the film on the poster art is beyond me In the end, however, it is a major flaw that does the most damage to this film. Undoubtedly, this flaw accounts for why this movie is relatively unknown. It's not the acting or story that hurt it's longevity, it's the visual effects. It's a true shame that director Frankenheimer is no longer with us, or we might have seen a future director's cut with this problem resolved. The issue in question is two climactic explosions at the end of the film. Running short on time and money during production, the planned visual effects fell through, and the producers were forced to cut in animated explosions instead of more sophisticated effects. What resulted was a pair of split second campy, extremely cartoonish explosions that end up wasting the entire build up to movie's climax and turn it into something completely anti-climactic. It's a true same, because if done right, this movie could have a lot more impact than it ends up having. That said, if you're willing to overlook this problem, this is definitely one to watch, especially if you like deeper more psychological type films than basic shoot-em-ups. About the DVD
Black Sunday comes in a plastic hard case on a single sided in Widescreen format with Dolby Digital 5.1 or restored mono sound. It is translated into French and has available, English subtitles. The original audio track for this movie was mono, so while the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack makes the music sound bolder, it does little to improve the soundtrack elsewhere. Neither are fantastic, though John William's musical score is delightfully powerful in the Dolby format. Picture quality is decent, though the film grain is fairly obvious and the typical nicks and scratches you see in such films are there as well. This release has no special features whatsoever, marking it as an extremely basic DVD release. Bottom Line:
A fun, if flawed movie on a very basic release. 4 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Fine Film, Excellent Quality - No Extras!
Review: The film by the late John Frankenheimer wasn`t the success it was hoped for. Too bad, because "Black Sunday" would have been worth it. Although a big-budget film (a Robert Evans production) it is not superficial at all. It cares for its plot, which is not the cliché you can expect from actual productions of a similar theme. The 70`s were different, and Frankenheimer was a perfect director to create dramatic tension and believable characters. He is helped by excellent (though underrated) actors: the great Robert Shaw (maybe in his last fine film)plays the lead against Bruce Dern and Marthe Keller. The soundtrack by John Williams is equally fine (and develops the thrilling aspects of the movie). All in all this is a film which is impossible to make in the same way today. Just imagine a terrorist thriller nowadays: Produced by Michael Bay, starring Bruce Willis instead of Shaw and bad guys that are presented like the one from "Bad Boys 2"- pure horror...
The DVD by Paramount has a very good picture and the sound is available in restored mono and in perfect 5.1 surround. As Shaw and Frankenheimer are dead, I didn`t expect a making of or deleted scenes but I think a theatrical trailer should be the minimum for a DVD from such a big studio. Still, this is worth buying!
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