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| Special Features: |
Trailers for three other films.
Talent Files.
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| Video Format: |
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)
[SS-SL]
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| Languages: |
English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
German (Dolby Digital 2.0)
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| Captions: |
English, Spanish.
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| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
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Most of us are aware of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, which ended in ultimate tragedy, as a group of
Palestinian terrorists held 11 Israeli athletes hostage in the Olympic compound, eventually killing all 11.
But what most of us do not know is the conspiracy behind the tragedy, and just how avoidable the
horrific conclusion was.
ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER is the gripping and powerful documentary detailing the events which led up to the
terrorist attack by the Palestinian group code named “Black September”, and the heartbreaking chain of
events which eventually lead to the murder of 11 Israeli Olympians, caused in no small part from the
pitiful way the German government handled the crisis.
Through news footage of the actual event, interviews, and narration by Michael Douglas, director
Kevin MacDonald has created one of the most intense documentaries in history, one that netted him
an Oscar for Best Documentary in 2000. His use of abrupt cuts, a 1970s laden soundtrack and score,
promotional videos and in-depth interviews with both the lone surviving member of the Black September
terrorist group, Jamal Al Gashey (his only public appearance since the incident),
and Ankia Spitzer, widow of an Israeli fencing coach killed in
the attack, bring a compelling suspense and poignancy to the unfolding drama.
The most frustrating moments of the documentary are the shocking ineptitude and indifference of the West German authorities, as well as the Olympic Committee, who coldly pushed the Olympic Games onward as the hostage situation unfolded right in front of their eyes. It is a sad tale in the ever growing battle between Israel and Palestine, and a cautious lesson to all of us about careless naivety.
Not a tremendous amount of stuff going on in this DVD. Solid audio and video transfer, easy to navigate menu, but zero extra features.
Picture Quality: 7/10
Understand that the various footage is grossly outdated and worn, particularly the home video footage used throughout the film showing many of the athletes. Still, Kevin MacDonald's clever use of striking cuts between news footage, black and white footage, and modern day footage still show brilliantly in the DVD transfer.
Sound Quality: 8/10
It's a dialogue-heavy documentary. No complaints here. In fact, the opening sequence played out surprisingly strong on my system, despite being only two channels.
Menu: 8/10
Simple, easy to navigate chapter selection. Haunting opening menu still, also used in posters for the film.
Extra Features: 1/10
Three trailers for other lesser known films and a total piece of junk "talent files".
The Final Word:
A superb and gut-wrenching documentary that you must experience at some point in your life. If you can't find it
at your local video store, try renting it online at cafeDVD.com.
Stephen Wong
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