(Larger Image)
|
One Day in September
by (Cinematographer: Alwin H. Kuchler) (Cinematographer: Neve Cunningham) (Editor: Justine Wright) (Producer: Andrew Ruhemann) (Producer: Arthur Cohn) (Producer: John Battsek) (Producer: Lillian Birnbaum)
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Product Group: Video
Studio: Sony Pictures
ISBN: B000059HD7
EAN: 9780767865913
UPC: 043396063570
VHS Tape
Running Time: 94 minutes
Original Release Date: 1999-01-01
Theatrical Release Date: 1999
Release Date: 2001-09-04
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
SKU: 07120346
Condition: Very Good Very Good
Comments: VHS tape in very good shape. From library with usual library markings and plastic clamshell case. Original artwork within clamshell case. Play-tested and has very good video and audio. Very nice tape.
|
Editorial Reviews
|
Amazon.com essential video
On September 5, 1972, eight Palestinian terrorists killed two Israeli athletes and took nine others hostage at the Munich Olympic Village. The event stopped the games, gripped the world, and perhaps for the first time fully illustrated the volatile state of affairs in the Mideast to the world. Kevin Macdonald's 1999 Academy Award(r)-winning documentary painstakingly reconstructs the events, shedding light on what the world saw on television with the exasperating revelation of behind-the-scenes blunders. This visceral, tense film uses riveting news footage to great effect, weaving in affecting interviews. Macdonald mourns the deaths of the innocent Olympic hostages and dutifully gives a voice to the Palestinian cause through interviews with Jamal al-Gashey, the only survivor of the eight terrorists, who briefly came out of hiding for the film. He earnestly but half-heartedly sketches a picture of the social and political situation that fueled the act, reserving his anger for the grossly unprepared German police force. The tragedy that erupted at the Fürstenfeldbruck air base becomes all the more upsetting in light of the incompetence and unforgivable mistakes: botched rescues, poor planning, bad intelligence, and lack of contingency plans. Even the irresponsibility of the media circus gets off lightly. It's a sobering, angering, often frustrating piece of non-fiction cinema, a thorough piece of historical research brought to life with an angry immediacy. Macdonald simply doesn't know what lessons to draw from it all. --Sean Axmaker
|
Customer Reviews
|
The real "Munich" is surprisingly boring
Rating  (3)
Date: 2007-12-01
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
Another reviewer called this film "tense" and "visceral." I agree only with one of those adjectives -- visceral. The movie just doesn't move fast enough to keep the typical viewer's attention. Overall, good movie to see to remind yourself of the world that was, and still is, but it won't keep you on the edge of your seat.
|
|
This could be you and yours
Rating (3)
Date: 2007-03-12
4 out of 8 customers found this reveiw helpful
There is much about this film that will revolt you: the way the film-makers try to be "even and balanced" by giving Jama Al Gashey (the surviving terrorist) yet another chance to portray himself as a hero; the way a German politician looks the camera in the eye and proclaims that he "liked Issa" (the negotiator for the terrorists and arguably the most revolting man of the lot); the non-stop laughter from another German politician which starts when he recounts that the Israelis wanted to send a team in (ha ha); the complete indifference of the Olympic Committee then and now (they just wanted the hostages moved from the Village so the Games could continue); the collusion between the German Government and the Palestinian terrorists and so much more.
But perhaps the most revolting thing about this admittedly engrossing movie is that the film-makers and the producers and everyone else involved in it just don't get it. They don't get that this could be their family tomorrow. It could be my family, it could be your family.
I wish there was another movie of the horror of 1972 that talked about the victims but (to the best of my knowledge) there isn't. And so (very reluctantly) I recommend it.
Watch it. Because this could be you and yours.
|
|
Terror of an Olympic Proportion
Rating  (5)
Date: 2007-03-05
1 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
I was in college from 1970-74 and I missed out on a lot of news during those years primarily because I rarely ever watched TV then. (There were far too many other things to do). I saw "Apollo 13" and wondered, Wow! When did that happen? Of course, when I realized it was during that time frame, I understood just how cut off I was. The Munich Olympics did not entirely escape my attention but I wasn't exactly an expert on the subject either. That is why I enjoyed the documentary "One Day in September" recently. I knew the basics but I hadn't realized that the whole story had so much more to it.
In "One Day in September", we are giving a step by step account of exactly what DID happen in Munich. In fact, after a good background intro, the film shows us the exact time of each incident or event as they ocurred. Much of the action (and inaction) is documented with newsreel footage of the times. There are a number of eyewitness interviews many of which appeared to have been conducted later for this film. The narration is limited and seems to have been used only to bridge sequences and/or inform us of background activities not otherwise documented by film or interview. Most of the information I saw I either never knew or had long forgotten. I am glad that I saw this film because I won't forget this again.
The film, I believe, actually opens with an on-camera interview with one of the perpetrators which had the eerie effect of letting us know that there was some element of "success" for the terrorists. The interview with this individual is interspliced throughout the movie and is quite helpful (although it may be bothersome to some that he survived the terrorist action). There are a number of interviews with German officials who seemed to have a knack for phrasing things in just the wrong way. Indeed, I recalled that the German government came off looking bad but I'd forgotten or didn't know just how bad. Things just seemed to get worse and worse largely due to the ineptitude of the German authorities.
Documentaries are often seen and then forgotten. Maybe there's a documentary channel somewhere I haven't heard about but I don't think so. "One Day in September" has reappeared recently on TV recently and I'm glad it has.
|
|
Profoundly disturbing, but unfortunately a true story...
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-11-22
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
I already knew about the horrible events of the Munich games and the deaths of the Israeli athletes at the hands of the fanatic Palestinians, but I was not aware that there were many opportunites to save the Israeli team, but were horribly bungled by the Germans.
This tragedy was preventable, but due to gross mishandling of this incident by the German authorities, every single Israeli hostage was killed.
This documentary will upset you, move you, anger you and ultimately make you ask the question every has asked...why?
|
|
Watch, learn and remember.
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-11-10
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
I recently saw this film on Bravo, and after viewing it immediately went online to Amazon to see if it was availble on DVD; it was, and I ordered it. I was only 10 years old when these events took place, and had only a vague recollection that something "bad" happened. To see the complete and total ineffectiveness and incompetence exhibited by the Germans in dealing with this crisis would be almost laughable if it hadn't produced such catastrophic and appalling results. I realize that at the time we in the west were relatively "newcomers" to terrorism and terrorist activities, but we were hardly babes in the woods. The idea that the Germans would refuse Israeli assistance when they had absolutely no idea of how to deal with this type of situation strikes one as though it must have been driven by pure ego. This film demonstrates in an unapologetic and unabashed way in microcosm what we are confronted with in the world today; emboldened Islamo-fascists who will demand 100% complete submission, surrender and conversion or your death. There was no negotiating with these extremists back in 1972 and if anything the situation has deteriorated. If there was a lesson that was learned from this tragedy it is that Germany formed GSG9, (their specialized anti-terrorist squad), as did many other western countries in the aftermath of this murderous catastrophe. That is small comfort I suspect, though, to the families and loved ones who paid the ultimate price to teach us this lesson. Golda Meir is quoted as having said "until they love their children, more than they hate us, we will not have peace". Today, we all can utter this quote with equal applicability.
By the way, before anyone might be tempted allege that I am Jewish and merely spouting rhetoric I am a Catholic-American of French, Lithuanian, Czech descent.
One last question that I have maybe someone can help me with. When I watched this film I began to wonder if the nation of Israel had participated in any olympic games since the summer of 1972, and I have not been able to find out the answer. Thanks.
|
|
|