The Day of the Jackal (DVD)

When I ruminate over my fate of having the Four Seasons Mall on my head,I often come to the conclusion that my grisly fate was sealed due to my lack of careful planning. A good source of tactical data for would be hitmen can be found in this 1973 classic based on the novel by Frederick Forsyth.Set during the turbulent 1970's in France we find the local terrorists doing a poor job on the assassination front.Despite the worst of intentions they can't quite pull off the big hit that might just unseat the unpopular Government.Running low on men they decide to channel their remaining resources into hiring the best,an enigmatic Englishman code named the ...  Read the complete review

I have seen "The Day of the Jackal" a few times now, and have to say that I found it to be excellent. Previously, I had read the book by Frederick Forsythe, and unlike some films, it hasn't lost any of the quality of the book. It is fascinating to see how the Jacal obtains his forged papers and the like, and to see the cold- hearted way in which he kills anyone who stands in his way. It is also interesting the way he goes to the forest with the melon to test out his gun and the way he plans and calculates so precicsly how to execute the killing. This film is a brilliant adaptation of a thriller novel which carries on the painstaking detail that is in the book. ...  Read the complete review

The novel ,The Day of the Jackal , a thriller was published in 1971 by Frederick Forsyth.The story is about a professional assassin who is contracted by the right-wing OAS French terrorist group , to kill Charles de Gaulle, the President of France. The novel had a carefully thought out plot. This fast-paced novel was based in part on the actual events that occurred in 1960s France. The revolt in 1954 Algeria that brought Charles De Gaulle to power in 1958.Elements in France and Algeria blamed De Gaulle for this political decision. They formed the Secret Army Organization (OAS), and decided to remove De Gaulle from power.. The swift moving plot, ...  Read the complete review

This 1973 movie based on the novel by the excellent Frederick Forsyth is one of the most watchable pieces of cinema in motion picture history. Starring Edward Fox as the would be assassin of France's President De Gaulle the film tracks "The Jackal's" progress towards pulling the trigger as he makes his way through various locations whilst continually changing his identity so to keep at least one step ahead of the pursuing police and investigative authorities who are not so hot on his trail. Interwoven into this plot is a certain amount of espionnage and a now somewhat nostalgic look back at what certain places, fashions, cars etc looked ...  Read the complete review

This is one of the very few films I couldn't pick out any flaws in! Completely riveting from start to finish. Extremely well acted by everyone, especially Michael Lonsdale (whom you might recognize as the villain Drax in "Moonraker"), and Edward Fox. Attention is paid to detail, and there is never anything that happens that struck me as contrived or unbelievable. Zinnemann took a slight risk by using little or no dialogue in some scenes, and having such a quick, abrupt ending, but these things work to the film's benefit. The entire movie is a tension filled story of how the Jackal prepares for his last, biggest, career-ending hit; the cops' ...  Read the complete review