A scene from 'September 5'Today's two films are gripping history that recounts the news coverage of the 1972 Olympics hostage-taking and a comedy horror written by and starring Nick Frost. September 5 - This film has been included in some of the Award-giving shows of the year; if not as Best Picture Drama, then for its screenplay. Led by a cast that includes Peter Saarsgard, John Magaro, Leonie Benesch, Ben Chaplin, and Zinedine Soualem; and directed by Tim Fehlbaum, who co-writes and co-produces, it’s clear what would have been the problem in marketing the film.
It tackles the news coverage of the 1972 Munich Olympics by the ABC crew from the USA. Actors portray real life figures like Roone Arledge and Peter Jennings, and extensive footage showing anchor Jim McKay is likewise employed. But if you go down the roster from the Swiss Director to the competent but relatively unknown actors, the film doesn’t carry a big enough Hollywood stamp to give it a real chance at making a buzz.
And that is a shame as the film is brilliantly conceived and executed. As is mentioned by the protagonists, when the Arab terrorists infiltrated the Athlete’s Village and took hostage several Israeli athletes and coaches, it was effectively a watershed event. It was the first time that terrorism was being beamed Live by satellite into American living rooms.
While it was happening, while the fate of the lives of the hostages, and terrorists, were in the balance, America was watching - and it was.
