John Cazale is famous for how all the films he appeared in throughout his short career were nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture, but his performance in this film was the only time he himself received a nomination — with the Golden Globes for Best Supporting Actor. He still didn't win.
Charles Durning's excellent work also managed to get in at the Globes, but much like Cazale he didn't make the cut at the Oscars.
Awesome Music: The opening montage of New York City is set to Elton John's "Amoreena", nicely setting up the tone of the film. Especially notable as it's the only music used in the entire film.
Fair for Its Day: Sonny's motive is to raise money for his wife (a pre-operative trans woman)'s gender reassignment surgery. While some characters express thoughts that would be considered ignorant today, overall, the movie's narrative treats Sonny's motive in a completely sympathetic, non-stereotypical and matter-of-fact way and his partner Leon in a sympathetic light.
Harsher in Hindsight: A hostage offers cigarettes to Sal (played by John Cazale) but he declines, saying "I don't want to get the cancer." Cazale died of cancer after making The Deer Hunter.
Memetic Mutation: "Attica! Attica!" (Actually that's from the real life version of these events, but most people know it from this film.)
One-Scene Wonder: The pizza delivery man, who's so thrilled to be involved in the incident that he does a dance for the cameras.
Retroactive Recognition: One of the FBI agents on-scene is played by then-unknown Lance Henriksen. He's a silent background character until the end, when he's the one that kills Sal.
