The reason behind the movie title "Dog Day Afternoon"
So I recently was able to watch the movie Dog Day Afternoon and finally realized what a great movie it is! This movie surely made me a fan of Al Pacino.
Now, normally the title of a movie depicts what the movie is all about, or gives a small gist of the movie, or has some reference to the story in a way or another. I believe a proper title for a movie plays a role in creating some eagerness for those who are unaware of that movie or have only read something about that movie.
However the title of this movie wasn't that clear to me and made me wonder, What is the reason or story behind the title of this movie?
Best Answer
What does the title mean?
The phrase dog days refers to the hot, sultry days of summer (July and August in the Northern hemisphere and January and Februrary in the Southern hemisphere). The name comes from the ancient Roman dies caniculares, which was associated with the 'dog star' Sirius (so named because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major [Large Dog]). The Romans sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather. In modern times, the term refers to those hot, sleepy afternoons when dogs (and people) prefer to lay around and languish in the summer heat.
The title refers to the sultry "dog days" of summer.
Pictures about "The reason behind the movie title "Dog Day Afternoon""
Why is the film called Dog Day Afternoon?
Lumet wanted to convey "a hot boring day, a dog day afternoon". The director shot the footage from a station wagon, and ended in front of the bank, showing the robbers. The footage was silent, as Lumet decided that he did not want a score for the film.What does dog days mean slang?
Hot, sultry summer weather; also, a period of stagnation. For example, It's hard to get much work done during the dog days, or Every winter there's a week or two of dog days when sales drop dramatically.What is the theme of Dog Day Afternoon?
The reminder of the uncontrolled slaughter of prisoners at that jail allowed Sonny to get the crowd on his side while it also defended him against the cops' guns. Dog Day Afternoon portrays the foolishness of human nature by showing how the crowd cheers on the criminal just because they can.Based on a True Story: Dog Day Afternoon
More answers regarding the reason behind the movie title "Dog Day Afternoon"
Answer 2
I hope this also gives you an new slant on the meaning. A Dog(s) Day in Australian slang and also will fit in with the title is as follows.
"A dog (of a) day " means a variety of things but in summating it means Everything and anything, plans made, emotions, work, friendships, weather etc has turned Bad very Bad unexpectedly and Quickly and whith little or no recourse or chance of making better.
Below is a link to Australian Slang explaining many varied uses and combinations used. Source : Me being Australian and http://www.slang-dictionary.org/australian-slang/Dog
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Tima Miroshnichenko, Pixabay, Brett Sayles, Monstera