September 5

 

     Co-written and directed by Tim Fehlbaum, this new drama is based on the real life massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich Germany. What's different about this film it that it is told from the perspective of the ABC Sports crew covering the ordeal as it's happening in real time.

     Peter Sarsgaard stars as Roone Arledge but it is John Magaro who really shines as Geoffrey Mason, who is left in charge of the control room by Arledge. Ben Chaplin co-stars as Marvin Bader, Mr. Mason's direct boss and they, along with the other technicians, reporters and cameramen faithfully recreate the controlled chaos of reporting the horrible events happening around them.

    The film also co-stars Leonie Benesch as Marianne Gebhardt, a German translator pressed into more than she bargained for, since she's the only staff member who speaks fluent English and German. Benjamin Walker does a good impression of Peter Jennings, the news reporter on the scene and actual footage of Jim McKay, the ABC Sports Olympic anchor, is also used strategically throughout the film.

    To realistically recreate the TV control room, all analog equipment was used without the use of CGI. The editing by Hansjorg Weibrich and music by Lorenz Dangel work together to keep the tension high and nothing is wasted in the ninety five minute runtime.

    The film raises many moral and ethical questions about reporting tragic events live as this was really the first of it's kind, watched by 900 million people around the world in real time. Questions that still exist today.

    As you watch the film, even if you remember the outcome,  you will still feel the suspense and tension, almost hoping for a different result. It's a sad reality that tragedies like this continue today.