Rating: 
Summary: "Cancel the Super Bowl? That's like cancelling Christmas!"
Review: 'Round Super Bowl time I'll break out and watch this little 'what-if'-type (though not so 'what-if' as it used to be) action thriller. Although it might not be one of the all-time greats in the medium of suspense flicks, it contains a sufficient degree of excitement to keep me interested, as well as a decent combination of flubs, continuity errors, and plot holes to satiate the nitpicker in me. Probably the most notable continuity error here is the part featuring then-president Jimmy Carter arriving and attending the game-- which is kinda bizarre, seeing as how Gerald Ford was the president when Super Bowl X was played...I doubt they could've picked a better guy than Bruce Dern to play the disgruntled manic-depressive-former-Vietnam-POW-blimp-pilot (how's that for a character description!) whose plans to blow up the Super Bowl with the help of his mideast terrorist connection/lover gets the whole ball of wax rolling. If you've seen him do his thing in "The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant" and "Silent Running", it's apparent he's good at playing smoldering section eight types who come unhinged as the movie runs its course. This talent is showcased at several points throughout "Black Sunday", most notably after his character's test-firing of a sample weapon on an unsuspecting groundskeeper. His excited, almost child-like joy over the success of his efforts combined with his cold disregard for the life he snuffed out is one of the more disturbing action-cinema moments I've witnessed. On the opposite end of the casting spectrum, I'm not fully convinced the late Robert Shaw was the right fit for the ruthless Israeli commando protagonist, despite his reputed skill at playing similar characters. It didn't help that he looked like he was reading off of cue cards in a few scenes. On the upside, his movement around the sidelines at Super Bowl X during the movie's final half-hour gives me something to search for whenever I watch NFL highlight footage of the game. You know, a "Where's Waldo?" sort of deal. So far, my search for the man in any game footage other than the stuff shot for the movie has proven as fruitless as the Cowboys' final drive in the contest... 'Late
Rating:
Summary: "Cancel the Super Bowl? That's like cancelling Christmas!"
Review: 'Round Super Bowl time I'll break out and watch this little `what-if'-type (though not so `what-if' as it used to be) action thriller. Although it might not be one of the all-time greats in the medium of suspense flicks, it contains a sufficient degree of excitement to keep me interested, as well as a decent combination of flubs, continuity errors, and plot holes to satiate the nitpicker in me. Probably the most notable continuity error here is the part featuring then-president Jimmy Carter arriving and attending the game-- which is kinda bizarre, seeing as how Gerald Ford was the president when Super Bowl X was played... I doubt they could've picked a better guy than Bruce Dern to play the disgruntled manic-depressive-former-Vietnam-POW-blimp-pilot (how's that for a character description!) whose plans to blow up the Super Bowl with the help of his mideast terrorist connection/lover gets the whole ball of wax rolling. If you've seen him do his thing in "The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant" and "Silent Running", it's apparent he's good at playing smoldering section eight types who come unhinged as the movie runs its course. This talent is showcased at several points throughout "Black Sunday", most notably after his character's test-firing of a sample weapon on an unsuspecting groundskeeper. His excited, almost child-like joy over the success of his efforts combined with his cold disregard for the life he snuffed out is one of the more disturbing action-cinema moments I've witnessed. On the opposite end of the casting spectrum, I'm not fully convinced the late Robert Shaw was the right fit for the ruthless Israeli commando protagonist, despite his reputed skill at playing similar characters. It didn't help that he looked like he was reading off of cue cards in a few scenes. On the upside, his movement around the sidelines at Super Bowl X during the movie's final half-hour gives me something to search for whenever I watch NFL highlight footage of the game. You know, a "Where's Waldo?" sort of deal. So far, my search for the man in any game footage other than the stuff shot for the movie has proven as fruitless as the Cowboys' final drive in the contest... `Late
Rating: 
Summary: BLACK SUNDAY
Review: A great action film that is very relavent in today's climate.
I am very sad Robert Shaw is long dead, because he was a great actor. The chances of a British actor headlining a Mainstream action film is very unlikely. Black Sunday is still very violent after twenty seven years.
Rating:
Summary: Why do they insist on re-editing these movies?
Review: A number of comments made here are based on the TV screening of Black Sunday. Since this is an R rated movies and made for the widescreen, any such review is suspect to start with. This is especially true when the reviewer has only seen a network TV version. I saw the original version in the theater and it was fantastic. Then I bought the VHS version. Pan & scan I could almost tolerate, but I quickly noticed that the film had been edited. There are several, admittedly brief but certainly several, cut scenes in the tape. Proof of the cuts is even immortalized on the cover of one of the VHS editions. In the scene where Robert Shaw breaks into the bathroom and catches Marthe Keller in the shower, the original included ¾ coverage of Keller in frontal nudity. Her hands were drawn to her face in shock and fear. In the VHS version, and now the DVD version, the nude scenes have been deleted. These scenes were responsible for the original R rating of the film. Now only the head and shoulder shots are present. On the back of one of the VHS versions is a still photo from the Keller shower scene that can't be found on the tape but was in the theatrical release. Neither the VHS nor the DVD versions have a disclaimer saying they were edited for content, but they clearly have been edited. If you didn't see this movie in it's initial release, you missed a lot of the impact. Catching this on WB or USA is a better bet than the DVD.
Rating:
Summary: A One-of-a-kind nail-biter
Review: Adapted from the superlative Thomas Harris book, "Black Sunday" is one thriller that delivers a thought-provoking punch as big as the Goodyear blimp. The premise of terrorists absconding with the aforementioned "ship" in order to wipe out thousands of Super Bowl patrons is timely. With the respective bombings of the New York's World Trade Center and the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Americans are becoming aware of the threat posed by our country's enemies. The film hits home with dynamic performances by stars Robert Shaw, the always-super Bruce Dern, and Marthe Keller as one tough and determined anarchist. As of yet, the film's images are fictional; hopefully, they will not come to pass.
Rating:
Summary: Terrorists working on one hell of a half-time show.
Review: An intense action-thriller with a disaster flick effect to it. Terrorist hijack the Good Year blimp and are going to crash it and a bomb that they planted on it, into the Super Bowl. Enter our hero, Robert Shaw, who takes care of things. The film is well-paced, but tends to slow down at times, briefly. But, something intense always happens that will rejuvenate your interest. The plot is quite original, and the chase scene at the end of the film, is a blue print for similar ideas in action movies of today. A very satisfying movie, for the mid 1970's. Also uses actual Super Bowl footage. Another movie of similarity is Two-Minute Warning. Check this out too.
Rating:
Summary: Terrorists working on one hell of a half-time show.
Review: An intense action-thriller with a disaster flick effect to it. Terrorist hijack the Good Year blimp and are going to crash it and a bomb that they planted on it, into the Super Bowl. Enter our hero, Robert Shaw, who takes care of things. The film is well-paced, but tends to slow down at times, briefly. But, something intense always happens that will rejuvenate your interest. The plot is quite original, and the chase scene at the end of the film, is a blue print for similar ideas in action movies of today. A very satisfying movie, for the mid 1970's. Also uses actual Super Bowl footage. Another movie of similarity is Two-Minute Warning. Check this out too.
Rating:
Summary: Before their was Al Qaeda, there was
Review: Black September
A chillingly precise invocation of the darkest mid-70's paranoia, Frankenheimer's brilliant movie recreates both Israel's dark struggle against the palenstinion terror elite in Lebanon and the touching naivte of the US security apparatus--as yet untouched by savage anarchy. With the incomparable Robert Shaw as David Kabakov, the weary war horse, who threatens the Eygptian ambassador (pre-Camp David remember): "I wasn't going to say this . . . but now I think I will. Before you had a choice. Now: you have no choice. If you do not help me, you will have on your hands the blood of many thousand innocent Americans. And --if you do not help me--I am goingt o make this conversation very widely known."
"Good day Kabakov" says the Ambassador.
Later, after a highly dnagerous Balck September operative notices his surveillance in a Miami hotel and proceeds to lead the FBI in a devastating fire fight through downtown Miami that ends with Kabakov executing the man in the surf before he can kill the FBI directo Corelty (played by Dennis Weaver), Kabakov squints angirly and says: "I warned you about that man, Mr Corely. I should have let him shoot you"
Not to mention the brilliant performance by Bruce Dern as the psycho Vietnam vet who dreams of revenge on the America that betrayed him: "I see them every Sunday with their little weenies and a coke. ALl those upsturned faces, loving the bif game, cheering the big game like they cheer for all the good things . . . I just wanted to give them something to remember me by!"
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece of action and suspense
Review: Black sunday has to rank as one of the most gripping thrillers of all time. Disillusioned Vietnam war hero Bruce Dern joins forces with femme fatale Marthe Keller - a member of Black September terrorist organisation - to pull off the deadliest attack ever on US soil. Their target - 80,000 unsuspecting Superbowl spectators. Their weapon - a blimp full of millions of lethal darts. The one man who can stop them - Robert Shaw - is the ruthless Mossad agent known in close circles as The final solution, yet he has become a tired war veteran beginning to question the direction he is going. He must find and stop the threat before it is too late.... Made in 1977, this is probably going to be the most realistic portrayal of the threat to sovereign nations posed by terrorists that you are likely to see. Credit must go to director John Frankenheimer for this. His gritty film making style lends to razor sharp tension punctuated with bursts of intense screen violence - there are no punches pulled here, no political correctness thrown about. The strength of the movie is that its characters force you to see the situation from all points of view. In the end, you root for Shaw's character to stop the attrocity from taking place, but such is the ingenuity and determination from Dern and Keller that you wonder, can they actually pull it off? The chase scene with the blimp and the helicopter will have you on the edge of what's left of your seat. Soon to be released on dvd? I would love to see it happen, but with the current situation and uncertainty about how it would be received I highly doubt it. A remastered widescreen version on tape.....now that might be something worth having.
Rating:
Summary: Black Sunday
Review: Black Sunday is a prime example of great seventies movie making. Thomas Harris(Silence of the lambs, red dragon) gave John Frankenheimer a lot of meat Here, we are introduced to real characters. Who have real dilemmas. Bruce Dern is haunting as Lander -- a pilot who is pushed(some by his own doing) into insanity. Marthe Keller is wonderful as a terrorist who wants to see the "mission" through. And Robert Shaw. Robert Shaw. Boy do I miss him. Scenes where he is absolutely outstanding: questioning an importer, asking a favor from another terrorist, and of course the ending. Man I wish they would re-make this. But they would probably screw it up. The aerial photography is some of the best put on celluloid. And John Williams' score is awesome. See Black Sunday.
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