The Day of the Jackal

Amazon.com

With its high-intensity plot about an attempt to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle, the bestselling novel by Frederick Forsyth was a prime candidate for screen adaptation. Director Fred Zinnemann brought his veteran skills to bear on what has become a timeless classic of screen suspense. Not to be confused with the later remake The Jackal starring Bruce Willis (which shamelessly embraced all the bombast that Zinnemann so wisely avoided), this 1973 thriller opts for lethal elegance and low-key tenacity in the form of the Jackal, the suave assassin played with consummate British coolness by Edward Fox. He's a killer of the highest order, a master of disguise and international elusiveness, and this riveting film follows his path to de Gaulle with an intense, straightforward documentary style. Perhaps one of the last great films from a bygone age of pure, down-to-basics suspense (and a kind of debonair European alternative to the American grittiness of The French Connection), The Day of the Jackal is a cat-and-mouse thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until its brilliantly executed final scene (pardon the pun), by which time Fox has achieved cinematic immortality as one of the screen's most memorable killers. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2007-08-13

This excellent film from 1973 features Edward Fox as The Jackal. A man who is paid 1/2 a million dollars to kill Charles De Gaulle, the then President of France. This has a top notch cast including Maurice Denham, Cyril Cusack, Derek Jacobi, Donald Sinden and Michael Lonsdale. Perhaps the best of the cast is the impassive Lonsdale (who was the Samurai maker in Ronin 24 years later) as Lebel, the man who is tasked with stopping The Jackal.

This is very well directed by Zimmerman, who shot the film on location in Paris and London. The film never lets up and is a slow burning explosive ride from beginning to end. Be warned this is not a modern day action thriller, you won't find whole buildings exploding or unrealistic car chase carnage. This is shot in an almost documentary style, which should not put you off because like a number of other films from the early 70's (The French Connection/Godfather films spring to mind), this is a really entertaining film that you will want to see again and again.

Just see it.......2007-08-04

Quite possibly the best motion picture I have ever seen, they just don't make movies like this anymore. Once it gets going 2 hours go by in what feels like 15 minutes. Get this movie now, It'll blow you away.

Classic Version.......2007-07-19

This is an excellent film. It stays very close to the book from which it was taken. It is superior to the "new version." It is suspensful and has an interesting ending.

Nothing Like The Original.......2007-06-15

What a great film. It's thoroughly enjoyable to watch the incredible lengths that the film's heroes and anti-heroes go through to achieve their objectives. And more impressive is the film's precise relevance today, in our age of terrorism, even though it was released 35 years ago. An eerie tale, to say the least.

The cast is superb from top to bottom, and the director and editors deftly let you into the minds of both the Jackal and the Inspector ... keeping you fully engaged with each one's strategies and skills.

The Day of the Jackal.......2007-06-08

This is a great movie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat!

The Bourne Identity (1988) [Richard Chamberlain / Jaclyn Smith]

Average customer rating:

Bourne is a lot nicer than in the book.

The Bourne Identity (1988) [Richard Chamberlain / Jaclyn Smith]

Manufacturer: WARNER VIDEO
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

The Bourne Supremacy (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B0009IVBGK

Customer Reviews:

Bourne is a lot nicer than in the book........2005-06-24

This is an intriguing movie and it will hold your attention from beginning to end. The plot is well conceived and there are no holes to drive trucks through. They could not have picked better actors for the characters. They may not match the descriptions in the book; but this is not a book.

An introductory scene with a body (Richard Chamberlain) sinking slowly in the water. It may have a few holes in it. It is found and unceremoniously dumped at the door of a doctor (Denholm Elliott). As he recovers from his wounds we realize he has amnesia. People are out to kill him. He had a capsule embedded in his body that contained what looks like a code. He must find out how he is and why people are out to get him. In the process it looks more and more that he is a well known terrorist.

The Bourne in the movie is much nicer than the book version. You have to make allowances for the transformation to the screen. However he does a lot more borrowing instead of stealing and is not as vicious with people on his travels.

Average customer rating:

The Day of the Jackal [Region 2]
Starring: Edward Fox , Terence Alexander , Michel Auclair , Alan Badel , and Tony Britton
Director: Fred Zinnemann
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000056FLX

Average customer rating:

Superb
Just see it
Classic Version
Nothing Like The Original
The Day of the Jackal

The Day of the Jackal [Region 2]
Starring: Edward Fox , Terence Alexander , Michel Auclair , Alan Badel , and Tony Britton
Director: Fred Zinnemann
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000056CS3

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2007-08-13

Just see it.......2007-08-04

Classic Version.......2007-07-19

This is an excellent film. It stays very close to the book from which it was taken. It is superior to the "new version." It is suspensful and has an interesting ending.

Nothing Like The Original.......2007-06-15

The Day of the Jackal.......2007-06-08

This is a great movie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Average customer rating:

Superb
Just see it
Classic Version
Nothing Like The Original
The Day of the Jackal

The Day of the Jackal [Region 2]
Starring: Edward Fox , Terence Alexander , Michel Auclair , Alan Badel , and Tony Britton
Director: Fred Zinnemann
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Accessories:

Ladder Boss 90202 Tool Bag

ASIN: B00005225B

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2007-08-13

Just see it.......2007-08-04

Classic Version.......2007-07-19

This is an excellent film. It stays very close to the book from which it was taken. It is superior to the "new version." It is suspensful and has an interesting ending.

Nothing Like The Original.......2007-06-15

The Day of the Jackal.......2007-06-08

This is a great movie, it keeps you on the edge of your seat!

DVD:

DVD

DVD