Pushing the Boundaries: Dog Day Afternoon (1975) 4K Restoration
Director: Sidney Lumet Run Time: 125 min. Rating: R Release Year: 1975
Starring: Al Pacino, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon, James Broderick, John Cazale
Country: United States
Language: English
The 1970s: Pushing the Boundaries
A Film Center retrospective on the most groundbreaking films to come out of the 1970s.
See more Pushing the BoundariesAbout the film:
Based on the true story of would-be Brooklyn bank robbers John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile. On one of the hottest days of August 1972, amateur bank robbers Sonny and Sal attempt a bank heist which quickly turns sour and escalates into a hostage situation and stand-off with the police. As Sonny’s motives for the robbery are slowly revealed and things become more complicated, the heist turns into a media circus.
“Pacino’s inner alienation transforms this film into something far beyond a simple historical recreation of an ‘actual’ event.”
—Michael Blowen, Boston Globe
About the filmmaker:
Sidney Lumet is an American film director who started his career in theatre and then transitioned to making New York dramas that highlighted and tackled the working class and social injustices. He received four Academy Award nominations for Best Director for his work on 12 Angry Men (1957), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Network (1976), and The Verdict (1982). Lumet’s film Prince of The City (1981) earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, and his film Network (1976) received 10 Academy Award nominations, including five wins.
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