I didn’t know the story behind the live reporting of the hostage fiasco that was the 1972 Munich Olympics. Sure I knew that 11 Israeli athletes and their coaches were held at gunpoint by members of the black September terrorist group and that all of the hostages were killed mainly due to the inept response by the German police, but what I didn’t know what it was the first international terrorist attack that was filmed and reported on live television.
September 5 is a gripping, claustrophobic and taunt retelling of the story from the perspective of the American ABC on site sports department team, who assumed responsibility ( over the US based News Team) to run and report the drama.
Although a professional tv team, the technicians and producers, were totally out of their depth , however they did rise to the occasion ( helped by a quick thinking and cool German interpreter Leonie Benench.)
Rookie producer Geoffrey Mason ( a sexy, intense John Magaro) leads the team well through the crisis supported by the always interesting Peter Sarsgaard as his tv veteran boss, and everything is filmed by hand held cameras giving the film an authentic 1970s feel to it.
The inexperience of the sports reporters showed in one pivotal moment when they all suddenly realised that the terrorists were actually gaining the upper hand by watching their live feed on tvs in the Olympic village
. A Chilling and terrifying moment in an impressive historical drama
I loved it
I remember the horror of this tragic event happening in Munich and think I'll give this account a miss.
ReplyDeleteHugs!
The terrorists were members of the Black September Organization terrorist group, not the Black Panthers.
ReplyDeleteI will correct thank u
DeleteEffectively.Keyboard errors can happen.CatherinefromFrance.
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember the awful events. I'm not sure it's one for me, though. xx
ReplyDeleteCary (my wife)and I got our first television to watch the '72 games. We watched the drama unfold, couldn't believe what was happening. It was botched by the German squad trying to deal with it...it became the training film for countries military and police how to deal with scenarios like this. I was only 3 years out of our military, and it affected me for some time.
ReplyDeleteThe mail reason we watched was because a fellow from Oregon, Steve Prefontaine, was running the 10k...he finished fourth.
That sounds like my cup of tea John. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteI remember that so vividly. I was in high school by then, and we were all waiting for their release. When it was finally reported that they had all died, I couldn't believe it. It was just disbelief that something that awful could happen. Yet it did. We've seen so many horrible things since, haven't we.
ReplyDeleteNope, not right now, real current events are more than enough trauma for me. But I do remember when this happened, so clearly. This whole "living in interesting times" thing is stressful!
ReplyDeleteCeci
Another memory of the incident is of Jeremy Corbyn laying flowers on the grave of the man who masterminded the whole thing. Unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteI remember it well, but then I was in my mid-20s at the time. Not sure about seeing the film, though. These days I get ever more distressed at horror stories either invented or re-created as actually happened like this one attempts to be.
ReplyDeleteLike so many other commentators here, I remember this vividly, even now. Don't think I need to watch a film that relives this horror of officialdom inefficiency, but glad to see it has been made to show this world event, and to bring the lessons of it to a young unaware audience, rather like the more recent retellings and horrors of Nazism, for all of which there will always be idiot deniers. And so glad you appreciated the film itself.
ReplyDeleteNot for me, I think films like this give idiots ideas. Gigi
ReplyDeleteOK, good to know! I enjoyed "Munich" many years ago (despite the traumatic story) and my background as a journalist makes me think I'd like this one too.
ReplyDeleteI'll put this movie on my "to see" list, thanks. I too remember the horror of seeing that unfolding news coverage on TV.
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