Opening Statement

When Sidney Lumet directed Dog Day Afternoon, in the mid-seventies, I wonder if he expected that the issues in the movie would still be critical forty years later. That those without privilege would still be struggling against those with too much of it – by Felicia Elliott, December 12, 2016

Every Dog Has Its Day: Counterculture Cinema

In the wake of cultural events such as the assassination of an American president, the Civil Rights Movement, and America’s military interventions in Vietnam, cinema that invoked ideas that were not immediate to the current American culture were no longer getting people to spend their money at the movies – by Zachary Davis, December 13, 2016

First Viewing

I expected a heist movie, and to be sure that’s what Dog Day Afternoon is—but the way it seamlessly and effortlessly contextualizes the events of this one day within the larger framework of American counterculture, a post-Vietnam world, and gay rights is absolutely stunning – by Sarah Gorr, December 14, 2016

Scenessential: Hectic Things Taking Their Time

Dog Day Afternoon is rightly loved for the dynamite lead performance by Al Pacino: brash, brave, and full of brio, his Sonny Wortzik is one of the iconic characters of ‘70s cinema. But John Cazale’s Sal Naturile, Sonny’s partner, is no less memorable – by Maddie Freeman, December 15, 2016

Further Streaming: Transgender Stories

Recently, a more diverse group of transgender stories have come from young independent filmmakers. The following streaming recommendations account for the ever-growing and more thoughtful genre – by Aaron Pinkston, December 16, 2016

Related Review: The Dog

The truth is stranger than fiction, and Dog Day Afternoon proves that better than most movies in history. The 2014 documentary The Dog seeks to add context and an extra layer of truth to what Sidney Lumet and company presented four decades earlier – by John Gilpatrick, December 16, 2016