Planning to see "Munich"? Watch "One Day In September" first! (A review) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

One Day In September





Studio: Sony Classics
Year: 1999
Rated: R
Film Length: 97 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 16X9 Enhanced Widescreen (1.85:1)
Subtitles: English





Place me amongst the individuals that don't enjoy
the theatrical experience. One will rarely see me
at the local cinemaplex, that is unless there's a
new film by my favorite director, Steven Spielberg.

Over the next few weeks I plan on seeing Spielberg's
latest feature, Munich, a fictional movie
about Israeli agents who hunted down the Palestinian
terrorists responsible for the slaughter of Israeli
athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

I realized, however, that I knew very little about
the historic incident the film is partly based upon.
What I did know was that a documentary was made about
the terrorist attack and a quick search of the Internet
led me to One Day In September.

This outstanding 1999 Academy Award-winning documentary
gives a very chilling account of the event that
shocked the world in the early morning of September
5th 1972 as eight Arab terrorists climbed over the
fence of the Olympic Village and took 11 Israelis
hostage. The operation was carried out by the Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO) who called themselves
Black September.

The terrorists demanded the immediate release of
234 Arab prisoners in Israeli jails and Germany before
an initial noon deadline. If the demands were not
to be met, the hostages would be shot.

Narrated by Michael Douglas, One Day In September
is just as chilling to watch today as it was 33 years
ago. The seemingly endless amount of footage is
presented in a relentless timeline, complete with a
ticking clock that adds to the tense situation. The
footage is intertwined with two primary interviews.
The first is with the one surviving member of the
Black September terrorist squad, Jamal Al Gashey. The
other is with the wife of Andre Spitzer, the Israeli
team fencing coach, who recounts the ordeal through
her eyes.

What makes watching One Day In September such a
remarkable viewing experience is that the entire event
unfolds before your very eyes. It's no wonder -- with
television cameras so omnipresent, everything that went
on during those 24 hours was captured for a world-wide
audience. In fact, one would say that the overexposure
caused a lot of embarrassment for the German government
as viewers watched LIVE, police officers strolling
into the Village disguised as athletes, readying a
surprise assault on the terrorists. Little did the
police know that the terrorists were also watching this
action unfold on television. There are also other
numerous bumbled attempts by the German police to
resolve the situation.

Overall presentation of this DVD is very good,
mostly for the fact that the filmed footage is in
excellent condition.

Having bought this DVD blindly and knowing very
little about what I was to watch, I found One Day
In September to be a highly rewarding viewing
experience. There is no mistake that this film won
an Academy Award. The story is craftily told through
its use of interviews, graphic footage and computer
generated models highlighted by a '70s soundtrack
that takes you back to the day.

This is an absolute "must-see" documentary!

 

[oscar_merkx]

Hi Ron

Sold

Merry Christmas

 

[Marko Berg]

I've seen this documentary on television and thought it was quite well done. Glad to see it's available on DVD.

 

[ErichH]

Thanks for the review Ron.
Sounds like a perfect primer for Munich.

E

 

[Ravi K]

Thanks for the review. I saw Munich yesterday and will rent this one soon.

 

[Orlando]

Thanks Ron,

I just put it on the top of my Netflix list to get me ready for the new one.

Have a Great Holiday and a Happy and Health New Year.

Orlando

 

[Ray H]

Nice to see someone else doing the same! I borrowed One Day in September from my local library just last week.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

Looks like they have a new cover design on the DVD. Did they reissue this in time for Munich to hit theaters?

I agree 100 percent about this documentary. It is actually pretty disturbing to see how inept the security forces were. I was almost 8 when I watched this unfold on TV. I remember Jim McKay telling us "They're all gone" but I had little understanding of the issues surrounding the events.

My theatrical movie list is growing longer, but this week I hope to see at least King Kong and Munich.

- Steve

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Steve,

I ordered my copy through LasersEdge and there
were indeed two different versions available.

The new cover version (sans the yellow Academy
Award Winner banner across the top) was released
just last week. This is the cover depicted in my
review.

No mention anywhere of "Munich" on the packaging.

 

[Ray H]

If it matters, this new cover looks better than the other one IMHO.

 

[Paul.S]

Thanks Ron et al. Saw Munich Friday night and I've lobbed this into the top 20 of my Queue.

-p

 

[Mike Heenan]

Not ALL of the Israeli athletes were killed in the Munich Olympics... a few escaped, and several weren't even found (they were in adjacent rooms). That was thanks to the wrestling coach I believe. This is a great documentary, but aftermath is even more fascinating (if you're into spy stuff like I am). I wish they would make a documentary on that, maybe for the Munich DVD they will include some of that.

 

[Paul.S]

Spun it last night--an excellent docu. Some terrif montages to give a feel for the period with a nice use of music (including Elliot Goldenthal/the Kronos Quartet's "Heat" from the pic of the same name).

There was so much German governmental/police ineptitude surrounding these events that Steven does not get into in Munich (i.e., the contemplated police raid on the building, preparations for which were being watched on live TV by the terrorists; the failed plan to bring the terrorists so much food that more than just Issa had to emerge from the building to retrieve it; the disaster of no communication with the snipers at Furstenfeldbruck airport; the police taking a vote to abandon their positions in the airplane; and perhaps most significantly the possibility of German governmental complicity in the plane hijacking that lead to the German government's release of the three Palestinians who participated in Munich without even consulting the Israeli government)
, now I understand why some are criticizing Munich as anti-Israeli.

Would really love to hear an Arthur Cohn commentary on this one. For instance, how the hell did he find Jamal Al Gashey?

-p

 

[Tim-H.]

Bought this Tuesday and found it compelling, esp after seeing MUNICH. I'm a few years too young to remember the actual event (I remember Watergate vaguely) but the images are still strong enough to induce nightmares.
Quick question: Anyone have trouble with the subtitles? As they came on for other languages they stayed on, even when I tried turning them off. Player is JVC RX-DV31SL, maybe I'll try my all-region Malata.
I also popped it into my Mac and found the subs turned on/off as needed, but were cut off on the right side....very odd.

 

[Haggai]

Paul.S, I don't think it would have made much sense for Spielberg to cover the attack in as much detail as you mention. The W. Germans' ineptitude didn't have much direct impact on the story that he was interesting in exploring, about the hit squads who went after the terrorists. The subsequent plane hijacking you mentioned was indeed in the movie, although without much in the way of discussion about the W. Germans' possible complicity. But I think this was also a reasonable choice for Speilberg, given that the characters he was focusing on were not involved with any of those political aspects of what was going on.

 

[Paul.S]

Haggai:

I'm not making an argument for a level of specific inclusion of what Steven chose to exclude. Indeed, I understand that he apparently made a narrative choice to focus his eye elsewhere, specifically on a more personal, anti-"eye-for-an-eye" message. I'm saying that it's a problematic choice (and not the first time I've had issues with whose narrative voice Steven chooses to privilege in his dramas; Schindler's is the best example). In my opinion, that choice opens the door to how one might take issue with the pic's politics. Before seeing September, I didn't understand the criticisms of Munich voiced by some in the Jewish community.

-p

 

[PaulEB]

I was only 9 when this happened, but I can still remember the images on TV. Just reserved this at the library. Thanks for the tip Ron.

 

[Haggai]

Paul.S, I guess I see what you're getting at. Although, on the level of what actually happened at the Munich Olympics, two of the people in a best position to know have said that they're ok with how Spielberg's movie treated the events. There was a screening for two of the slain Olympians' widows, Ilana Romano and Ankie Spitzer (the latter of whom is a major figure in One Day in September), and they both said they didn't have any major complaints.

 

[PaulEB]

Always have to keep in mind that these are movies, not history books or documentaries. Some fact, some fiction.

 

[Paul.S]

Haggai: Of course I mean no disrespect to Mrs. Romano and Mrs. Spitzer, but--especially given some of the latter's comments in the September supps--I'd think it's safe to say that their primary concern was/is that the memory of their husbands was honored. I think some of the Munich criticisms have a broader focus in mind.

PaulEB: It's a complicated, perennial issue but I'd argue that films based upon such seminal historical events often have obligations which other kinds of work not based upon history perhaps don't share.

-p