Based on a True Story

Again, this is what I like about Documentaries. Although I never had seen Dog Day Afternoon, I knew it starred Al Pacino, and was about some sort of bank robbery. What I never knew was it was, yes, based on a true story. Funny how it took this long for a documentary about the participants in the robbery and a reflection from the lead characters. Problem is, John Wojtowicz, the main culprit, the guy Al Pacino played in 'Afternoon', isn't too willing to appear without conditions and money money money. Luckily, Walter Stokman, the director, has lots of willing subjects to talk about the robbery including tellers that were in the bank, robbery including tellers that were in the bank, cops that were on the scene, and even the screenwriter of the movie, and Sidney Lumet, who directed it (who rather amusingly tries to shield the fact he's apparently had a stroke). And amusingly, Stokman also uses time to document his struggles to get Wojtowicz on Camera (he corner Wojtowicz during a special screening of Dog Day with the screenwriter). Interestingly, Al Pacino isn't interviewed at all, I wonder why.

Stokman has created a very good documentary, the big problem I have is that the film is way way WAY too grainy. Like he shot it on, I don't know, a pixelvision, and blew it to 35mm. What was with the grain?