Rating: 
Summary: fascinating subject, disappointing documentary
Review: A film by Kevin MacDonald"One Day in September" is a documentary film dealing with the terrorist attack at the 1972 Olympic Games held in Munich, Germany. On September 5, 1972, eight Palestinian terrorists stormed the Olympic Village and killed two Israelis athletes and took another nine Israelis hostage. This began the standoff between the German police and the terrorists. The documentary starts by letting us know who some of the victims are (though, I suppose if you had no idea what this was about you wouldn't know they were the future victims). The film focuses on one particular Israeli and his wife speaks about him and what kind of man he was. We also get the perspective of Jamal al-Gashey, one of the terrorists. He speaks on camera (though obscured by lack of light) about the planning for the incident. The documentary then tells us about the hopes for the Munich games, the first Olympic games since the 1932 Berlin games when Hitler was the host. The hope was that the games could be a reconciliation after World War II. But then the attack occurred and the standoff began. From the start, nothing went right. "One Day in September" shows the ineptitude of the German police throughout the event. One example is that the police put together a task force to rescue the hostages at the Olympic village. Sounds great, but they were doing it in daylight and there were television crews covering the standoff and they barely realized in time that every room in the Olympic village had a television and the terrorists were likely watching every move the police made. It got worse from there. It wasn't until the final rescue attempt at the airport that the ineptitude reached a critical level. I couldn't believe how many things were not taken into consideration, such as the sniper team had no communication with the police so they did not know how many terrorists there were, and two of the snipers didn't have helmets or bulletproof vests so they were pinned down and couldn't take a shot. I have two main thoughts running through my head about this film. The subject of the film is fascinating. This is something that I want to know about and it is a huge moment in Olympic history (and gets alluded to in the two Steve Prefontaine movies). The other thought is that while the subject was incredibly interesting and the movie won the 1999 Academy Award for Best Documentary, I don't feel that it was as well made as it could have been. The documentary was somewhat boring, very slow moving (a documentary can move at a swift pace even for an event covering a short period of time), and was not very engaging. It is a movie that I wanted to like, but I think it was only average. It lingered too long at times and did not move on in telling the story fast enough.
Rating:
Summary: fascinating subject, disappointing documentary
Review: A film by Kevin MacDonald "One Day in September" is a documentary film dealing with the terrorist attack at the 1972 Olympic Games held in Munich, Germany. On September 5, 1972, eight Palestinian terrorists stormed the Olympic Village and killed two Israelis athletes and took another nine Israelis hostage. This began the standoff between the German police and the terrorists. The documentary starts by letting us know who some of the victims are (though, I suppose if you had no idea what this was about you wouldn't know they were the future victims). The film focuses on one particular Israeli and his wife speaks about him and what kind of man he was. We also get the perspective of Jamal al-Gashey, one of the terrorists. He speaks on camera (though obscured by lack of light) about the planning for the incident. The documentary then tells us about the hopes for the Munich games, the first Olympic games since the 1932 Berlin games when Hitler was the host. The hope was that the games could be a reconciliation after World War II. But then the attack occurred and the standoff began. From the start, nothing went right. "One Day in September" shows the ineptitude of the German police throughout the event. One example is that the police put together a task force to rescue the hostages at the Olympic village. Sounds great, but they were doing it in daylight and there were television crews covering the standoff and they barely realized in time that every room in the Olympic village had a television and the terrorists were likely watching every move the police made. It got worse from there. It wasn't until the final rescue attempt at the airport that the ineptitude reached a critical level. I couldn't believe how many things were not taken into consideration, such as the sniper team had no communication with the police so they did not know how many terrorists there were, and two of the snipers didn't have helmets or bulletproof vests so they were pinned down and couldn't take a shot. I have two main thoughts running through my head about this film. The subject of the film is fascinating. This is something that I want to know about and it is a huge moment in Olympic history (and gets alluded to in the two Steve Prefontaine movies). The other thought is that while the subject was incredibly interesting and the movie won the 1999 Academy Award for Best Documentary, I don't feel that it was as well made as it could have been. The documentary was somewhat boring, very slow moving (a documentary can move at a swift pace even for an event covering a short period of time), and was not very engaging. It is a movie that I wanted to like, but I think it was only average. It lingered too long at times and did not move on in telling the story fast enough.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly boring
Review: A reviewer called this film "tense" and "visceral." I agree with one of those adjectives -- visceral. But the movie just doesn't move fast enough to keep my attention. Overall, good movie to see to remind yourself of the world that was, and still is. But it's not a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly boring
Review: A reviewer called this film "tense" and "visceral." I agree with one of those adjectives -- visceral. But the movie just doesn't move fast enough to keep my attention. Overall, good movie to see to remind yourself of the world that was, and still is. But it's not a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Rating: 
Summary: "The Myth of Utter German Ruthless Efficiency"
Review: An excellent documentary that demonstrates in crystal-clear fashion the danger that fundamentalist Muslims pose to the civilized world, and how the Palestinians were every bit as cold-blooded, fanatical, and murderous as kidnappers in 1972 as they are today as homicide-bombers. During the 1972 Munich Olympics, eight terrorists waltzed into the Olympic compound right under the nose of German authorities and held 11 Israeli athletes hostage, demanding that Israel release 200 terrorists held as prisoners. Long story short, one hostage was shot in front of the others, one pitched out a window, and the rest were slaughtered at a German airport, in the terrorists' botched attempt to flee the country with the athletes still captive. The film is as visually stimulating as it is informative. The standoff and negotiations between the Palestinians and Germans were captured in their entirety on film, as was the ensuing journey to the airport; interspersed with the live footage were current news reports, including portions of the ABC sports broadcast and commentary about the scene at hand. Anything not captured live on film was photographed, and the film's music was artfully chosen to convey the events' drama and anguish. Amazingly, the sole surviving Palestinian terrorist was interviewed incognito for the film, who said about the initial hostage capture, "I felt very proud that for the first time I was able to confront the Israelis." The shots of the slain athletes (both at the compound and the airport) are a brutal reminder of what the Palestinian idea of "confronting" innocents entails. One Day in September also shows that the Germans hadn't traveled very far from Nazism by 1972, except that their military ineptitude had grown in leaps and bounds. Not only did the German police and Olympic authorities handle the crisis as effectively as a cross between Gilligan, Mr. Magoo, and Inspector Clousseau, but they were more concerned with continuing the games than they were with saving the lives of the hostages. Furthermore, they held the Mossad at bay and prevented it from getting the job done; the Israeli squad, like so many others, was unfortunately initially fooled by what one called "The Myth of Utter German Ruthless Efficiency." German cluelessness and cowardice abounded: the police tried to raid the compound from the roof, only to learn just in time that the terrorists could watch their every move on live TV coverage; agents got cold feet and bailed at the last second before descending on the terrorists; at the airport, they didn't even use real snipers, and had their men positioned in one another's lines of fire; one of the Germans accidentally shot a hostage. In the interviews given by the Germans for the documentary (especially that of General Wegener), the tone can best be described as a shrug of the shoulders and a, "Hey, what can you do?" The greatest insult of is that the Germans allowed the three surviving terrorists to escape during their transport, as cowardly means of insurance against future acts of terrorism. The terrorists received a hero's welcome in Libya. An amazingly sad story, captured as vividly as can be- One Day in September is the essence of what documentaries of historical events should be. The only happy ending is that the Mossad later killed two out of the three terrorists- it's just too bad the remaining one couldn't have been shot in the face as soon as his interview for the project finished.
Rating:
Summary: "The Myth of Utter German Ruthless Efficiency"
Review: An excellent documentary that demonstrates in crystal-clear fashion the danger that fundamentalist Muslims pose to the civilized world, and how the Palestinians were every bit as cold-blooded, fanatical, and murderous as kidnappers in 1972 as they are today as homicide-bombers. During the 1972 Munich Olympics, eight terrorists waltzed into the Olympic compound right under the nose of German authorities and held 11 Israeli athletes hostage, demanding that Israel release 200 terrorists held as prisoners. Long story short, one hostage was shot in front of the others, one pitched out a window, and the rest were slaughtered at a German airport, in the terrorists' botched attempt to flee the country with the athletes still captive. The film is as visually stimulating as it is informative. The standoff and negotiations between the Palestinians and Germans were captured in their entirety on film, as was the ensuing journey to the airport; interspersed with the live footage were current news reports, including portions of the ABC sports broadcast and commentary about the scene at hand. Anything not captured live on film was photographed, and the film's music was artfully chosen to convey the events' drama and anguish. Amazingly, the sole surviving Palestinian terrorist was interviewed incognito for the film, who said about the initial hostage capture, "I felt very proud that for the first time I was able to confront the Israelis." The shots of the slain athletes (both at the compound and the airport) are a brutal reminder of what the Palestinian idea of "confronting" innocents entails. One Day in September also shows that the Germans hadn't traveled very far from Nazism by 1972, except that their military ineptitude had grown in leaps and bounds. Not only did the German police and Olympic authorities handle the crisis as effectively as a cross between Gilligan, Mr. Magoo, and Inspector Clousseau, but they were more concerned with continuing the games than they were with saving the lives of the hostages. Furthermore, they held the Mossad at bay and prevented it from getting the job done; the Israeli squad, like so many others, was unfortunately initially fooled by what one called "The Myth of Utter German Ruthless Efficiency." German cluelessness and cowardice abounded: the police tried to raid the compound from the roof, only to learn just in time that the terrorists could watch their every move on live TV coverage; agents got cold feet and bailed at the last second before descending on the terrorists; at the airport, they didn't even use real snipers, and had their men positioned in one another's lines of fire; one of the Germans accidentally shot a hostage. In the interviews given by the Germans for the documentary (especially that of General Wegener), the tone can best be described as a shrug of the shoulders and a, "Hey, what can you do?" The greatest insult of is that the Germans allowed the three surviving terrorists to escape during their transport, as cowardly means of insurance against future acts of terrorism. The terrorists received a hero's welcome in Libya. An amazingly sad story, captured as vividly as can be- One Day in September is the essence of what documentaries of historical events should be. The only happy ending is that the Mossad later killed two out of the three terrorists- it's just too bad the remaining one couldn't have been shot in the face as soon as his interview for the project finished.
Rating: 
Summary: free palestine!!!
Review: An overal decent documentary yet lacks the social & political context which led to such extreme measures taken to draw attention to the eveyday stuggle of a people under occupation.
free palestine!
Rating:
Summary: Maddening, Compelling
Review: As a child, I was too young to fully understand this tragedy when it happened. As an adult, there are many aspects I still can't understand: The callousness of the Olympic Committee; the blundering of the German officials; the monstrous irresponsibility of the media; the joyous celebration of the Palestinians when the bodies of their "heroes" returned home; the enduring pride of the remaining terrorist, now a husband and father, in the role he played. Several times, overwhelmed by my own emotions of anger and frustration, I had to stop the video and take a breather. What I felt was missing was a deeper explanation as to why the Palestinian "Black September" group felt compelled to act as they did. I don't think I will ever be able to empathize with people who kill unarmed civilians, but I would at least like a better understanding, if possible, of their motivations. Another aspect might have been interviews with the reporters who were on the scene, broadcasting every move of the German response team in advance: Do they now feel they should have handled this differently? On the other hand, maybe I don't want to know the answer.
Rating:
Summary: An engrossing movie about a tragedy of errors
Review: As I stated in my earlier review of the book of the same name, the film "One Day In September" reminded me of the day when I learned, in my then 12-year-old innocence, that nothing is sacred to terrorists, not even the Olympics. I needn't worry about revealing "spoilers" in this review, since probably anyone who would have an interest in seeing this film already knows its horrendous outcome. I have a great love of historical dramas - "Titanic" and "JFK" are among my favorite films - but unlike these (and the earlier docudrama "21 Hours At Munich"), this film has much more to offer - specifically, the perspectives of those parties directly involved. The relatives of Andre Spitzer and Jacov Springer give voice to the dead (although, truthfully, I would like to have heard from the other families - Ankie Spitzer, while a great lady, is interviewed EVERY time this subject comes up). In a real coup for the producers and director of this film, the last survivor of the Munich murderers, Jamal Al-Gashey, crawled out of hiding long enough to proudly recount the deeds of his terrorist compatriots (A question - why is this man still alive? Mossad, where ARE you?). Several of the German police and government officials speak about their attempts to resolve the crisis without (for the most part) shirking their responsibility for the tragic ending (although one will be quite off-put by General Wegener's seeming callousness and the Keystone Kops-like bungling in general). Newsreel footage brings the events of 1972 back to life in all its' horrendous flower. As a word of caution, I recommend that any viewer should steel him/herself for the last 10 minutes of the film. If the images don't infuriate you, they should at least make you cry. If neither happens, you have no soul.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting account of unfolding tragedy
Review: Even though you know the outcome--11 Israeli Olympians and coaches killed by terrorists--this Academy Award-winning documentary will keep you on the edge of your seat. "One Day in September" depicts the tragic hostage crisis at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Among those interviewed is the one surviving terrorist, who describes his training and how thrilled he felt to be doing something for Palestine. The recollections of Ankie Spritzer, widow of the Israeli fencing coach, particularly make the viewer experience the horror of having a loved one held captive. Mrs. Spritzer describes how she wondered whether her husband was alive or dead when the news reported than an unnamed hostage had been murdered, and later, her elation at reports that the remaining hostages were safe at the airport, and finally, how she received the horrible news that the rescue attempt had gone terribly wrong. Seeing the daughters who grew up never knowing their fathers brings home the continuing sadness of this event. Kevin Macdonald's documentary also includes an interview with the head of the Massad who was denied permission to send in an Israeli rescue team and was assured that the Germans could manage the situation. The Massad chief bitterly recalls the numerous unthinkable errors that the Germans made: Extremely light security to avoid the impression of being heavy handed. Failing to seal off the Olympic Village from news crews, which resulted in tipping off the terrorists when an early rescue attempt was broadcast on live TV. Underestimating the number of terrorists and placing insufficient sharpshooters at the airport when the terrorists were allowed to leave with the hostages. Lack of radio communication, rescuers without bulletproof vests and helmets, failure to order the armored cars that were planned to transport the hostages to safety once the "commando" team went into action,.... The "commando" team actually was made up of police officers who volunteered and stated that they were familiar with using firearms--not a specially trained unit. Most interviewed concluded that the German and Olympic officials were more interseted in resuming the Olympic Games than in rescuing the hostages. In fact, the Olympic officials initially didn't hault the games, despite the early deaths of two hostages. The three terrorists who survived the assault at the airport never stood trial. They were released in exchange for a handful hijacked airline passengers and crew. "One Day" reveals that this hijacking and terrorist exchange was a set-up. I watched this documentary in conjunction with "Revenge!"--a History Channel documentary on how the Massad later tracked down and killed all but one of the terrorists believed responsible for the Munich Massacre. "Revenge!" provides more details about the PLO-Black September ties, as well as a Massad assassination against a man who was wrongly believed to have masterminded the Olympic hostage incident.
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