MovieChat Forums > Dog Day Afternoon (1975) Discussion > This movie seriously holds up over time

This movie seriously holds up over time

posted 8 years ago by clockworkorange13
5 replies | jump to latest

I saw this movie around 10 years ago when I was a teenager, and then I watched it about two months ago and now I find myself thinking about it quite often. I watch a movie basically everyday and most of them are forgettable but Dog Day has been on my mind since my second viewing 2 months ago. I'm a sucker for a good character study and that's probably my favorite thing about Dog Day. I love how they show how vulnerable the main character is, with his depressing phonecalls... "You know about the pressures I've been dealing with..." Just great stuff all around.

[–] samoanjoes (53095) 7 years ago

A lot of it has to do with the lack of music. Usually that can date a movie.

[–] atd8vii (592) 6 years ago

Absolutely it does, it's one of my favourite films and I think a lot of it stems from the acting which is very natural and realistic. I think Dog Day Afternoon and The Godfather II are Al Pacino's best roles acting wise.

[–] EricCartmanBrah (428) 6 years ago

Agreed

[–] atd8vii (592) 6 years ago

I think a lot of it is due to how naturalistic the acting is, it doesn't come across as overdone or hammy, just real. Someone else mentioned that it doesn't have any music and I agree, that's part and parcel with it but overall I think it's the performances that sell it. Obviously it's very 70's but it does hold up well over time regardless.

"And what about the sh*t weasels, the one's that blast out the basement door?" - Col. Curtis

[–] jasonbourne (1027) 6 years ago

Thanks for appreciating the movie. I thought it had been tossed to the scrap heap even though it was a good movie. It's not a big bank heist movie planned by smart, tough, veteran crooks, but amateur ones and turns into what they go through. It's probably why it doesn't get respect.