Black Sunday is a 1977 movie directed by John Frankenheimer.
WHAT HAPPENS?
A terrorist group attempts to blow up a blimp hovering over the Super Bowl.
ONE LINE REVIEW
Black Sunday is a distinctly original, sophisticated thriller.
THE ACTORS
Marthe Keller plays Dahlia, the mastermind of the Black September terrorist group that plots to set off a bomb during the Super Bowl. Her Dahlia is a fascinating character – she’s a cold-blooded killer obsessed with executing her deadly mission. Yet, she also exhibits a motherly touch towards the emotionally broken Lander, played by Bruce Dern. Dern is excellent as the former POW Lander – he’s essentially bipolar. He possesses a charm and feeble confidence before splintering into a sobbing mess.
THE DIRECTOR
The scope of what Frankenheimer pulled off in Black Sunday is phenomenal. The movie’s narrative and acting are impressively natural and efficient. When we see violent exchanges between terrorists and their victims, there’s no lengthy, clever dialogue or gratuitous torture – the Black September group is driven to complete its mission. The remarkable feat sees Frankenheimer filming amongst the mass of Super Bowl X. The real players, coaches and fans comprising the event are a backdrop to the movie’s terror plot. The game adds an element of realism and danger that is difficult to match.
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