On a day when the world woke up to a nightmare in progress, they were in the control room
As a film enthusiast with a deep appreciation for historical accuracy and the human spirit, I found myself utterly captivated by the making of “September 5.” The film’s dedication to authenticity, from its faithfully re-created control room setup to the inclusion of actual footage from the ABC broadcast, is nothing short of remarkable. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring impact of live events, as demonstrated by the groundbreaking work of Howard Cosell and his team at ABC.
On September 5, 1972, Geoffrey Mason, the producer, and his ABC Sports team started their day just like any other, preparing to record the excitement and heartbreak of the Summer Olympics in Munich. However, as the sun rose, the control room received troubling news about an unexpected situation.
Information came to light. Members belonging to the Palestinian militant organization Black September seized 11 Israeli athletes as hostages, requesting the liberation of numerous prisoners confined within their nation’s prisons. Instead of broadcasting athletic achievements, staff at ABC Sports were unexpectedly reporting on a critical situation unfolding in close proximity, with mere hundreds of meters separating them from the real-time crisis, as an anxious world bore witness to the events unfold.
At some stage, the control room doors suddenly burst open and German law enforcement officers, brandishing machine guns, entered, instructing us to shut down the camera. This incident, as Mason, aged 84 and the last surviving member of the core ABC team, recounted during a recent Zoom call from his Florida home, was particularly significant because it made us understand that our actions were causing real change. Regrettably, several hours later, a botched rescue effort at a nearby airfield resulted in the loss of all the hostages, as well as five attackers and a West German police officer.
50 years after the event, the gripping period thriller “September 5” (releasing Nov 27) revives the nerve-wracking moments when a terrorist attack was broadcast live across the globe for the first time. Unlike previous films such as the Oscar-winning 1999 documentary “One Day in September” and Steven Spielberg’s 2005 “Munich,” which covered the events from a wider angle, director Tim Fehlbaum focuses solely on the confined control room setting. Here, John Magaro and Peter Sarsgaard lead the cast as Mason and ABC Sports president Roone Arledge, respectively, as they face unparalleled ethical quandaries and technical challenges under immense pressure within this tight space.
As a passionate cinephile, I found the intrigue in crafting a narrative solely within that confined room and using cameras as the lens to the unknown exterior, remarkably captivating. While I’d never dare equate myself with the masterful Hitchcock, one can’t help but draw parallels with his timeless work “Rear Window.” In essence, this film evolved into a profound exploration of the influence that visuals hold in our world.
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can’t help but express my excitement about the film titled “September 5,” which has been generating a lot of buzz ever since its simultaneous debuts at the Venice and Telluride film festivals. Interestingly, with last year’s tragic Hamas terror attacks on Israel that led to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, this movie seems even more relevant today. However, it’s essential to note that the film itself avoids taking a direct political stance. Instead, it delves into the crucial role of media during real-time crises and how they influence our collective understanding of events unfolding around us.
The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has its roots traced back to 1948, although some might argue it goes even further into history. Magaro’s statement introduces a film discussion focusing on media consumption and our role as citizens. It questions whether the portrayal of violence on television contributes positively to our voting decisions. While Magaro doesn’t have an answer, he suggests that the movie could foster conversations among individuals with differing viewpoints.
In light of intensifying tensions and strong political sentiments in the Middle East, there’s uncertainty about how people will respond to a movie that delves back into a painful event that continues to resonate deeply for many. Notably, in 2022, families of the deceased Israeli athletes reached an agreement with the German government for $28 million in compensation, acknowledging their shortcomings during the crisis. Some viewers might appreciate the film’s intricate exploration of media accountability, while others may struggle to distinguish its historical perspective from the passionate realities of the present day.
Since October 7, “September 5” has taken on a fresh significance that isn’t entirely pleasant. However, its creation was a painstaking process that took years to perfect. Fehlbaum, one of the scriptwriters alongside Moritz Binder and Alex David, heavily utilized Mason’s insights and memories, as he played a significant role as a consultant during the production.
In a later retelling of the story, Mason remarked that certain details had slipped his mind for years. He facilitated Fehlbaum and Magaro’s visit to a CBS control room for research purposes. “Back then, events seemed to be coming at us from all directions with little time to pause and ponder, ‘How are we doing?’ We relied on our mutual trust and instincts for live coverage. Our primary focus was on telling stories not about ice skates or baseball bats, but about the human experience,” Mason stated.
In Munich, close to where real incidents unfolded, Fehlbaum aimed to keep a raw, authentic feel on set, reminiscent of confined movies such as Wolfgang Petersen’s 1981 submarine film “Das Boot”. As Sarsgaard explains, “Often in period films, the clothes are pressed and everything is spotless. We were soaked in sweat throughout. Tim was never satisfied with the amount of sweat we had. The worn-out clothing, the ash trays – they all contribute to a tangible reality.
To ensure an authentic portrayal, Fehlbaum and his crew procured vintage equipment from former TV stations and collectors for their setup, a good portion of which was still functional. They aimed to recreate the analog control room setup as accurately as possible. For added realism, the film incorporated actual footage from that day’s ABC broadcast, rights to which Mason managed to secure just before filming commenced. “I had previously told the producers, ‘If you can’t license the footage, I won’t make the movie,'” Fehlbaum states.
During postproduction, on September 5, the October 7 attacks rekindled the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, giving the film an unforeseen contemporary significance. Although the events portrayed in the movie transpired over half a century ago, Sarsgaard expects that some cinema-goers might bring their personal opinions about the ongoing Middle East crisis into the theater. “People’s reactions can’t be controlled,” he states.
In his words, “It’s difficult to predict the audience’s emotional response towards this heartbreaking scenario.” On a different note, the conflict remained unresolved, only to worsen once more. However, our approach was to concentrate on the media’s viewpoint, and the movie serves as an examination of how we absorb such dramatic narratives.
For Mason, understanding the true importance of his team’s achievement that day required some time. “Whether we were on a mountain peak in Innsbruck or in a skating rink in Hungary, we knew how to convey stories about people, both good and bad,” he explains. “And it seems that we did so effectively. Since then, I have been filled with immense pride over how skillfully we utilized the resources available to us under Arledge’s leadership, and the positive influence it had on the broadcast of live events, sports, or news in our field.
Following the unfortunate event, after approximately 21 hours of uninterrupted, high-energy live reporting, Mason and his ABC partner Don Ohlmeyer went back to their connected rooms at the Sheraton Munich hotel, where they had been lodged.
Mason recalls creating a massive mixed drink, perching on the edge of the bed, and shedding tears like infants. That was the moment when we finally experienced that intense emotion. Up until then, we’d been so engrossed in narrating our tale that we hadn’t taken the time to truly feel it.
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2024-11-20 14:32