JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonThe Dirty Dozen (1967) - Trailer Included
October 31st 2007 00:00
The Fleshy Sinew of War
Director: Robert Aldrich
Starring: Lee Marvin, John Cassavetes, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, Telly Savalas, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Ralph Meeker
Savaged by the critics, loved by audiences ever since, The Dirty Dozen was an exploding grenade to the back of the head of the traditional war propaganda film when it was released. Tough minded, the beastly face of war is shown through a boys own adventure story with charismatic criminals.
Chewing on bullets Lee Marvin plays Major Reisman, the man told to recruit 12 vicious death row prisoners for a suicide mission into Kraut territory. The film opens with a convict brutally hanging then Reisman is assigned interviews his potential crew, one at a time in their cells.
An undisciplined pack, in most cases psychologically unhinged, all have a problem with authority. There’s the racially downtrodden (Jim Brown), the dopey (Donald Sutherland) and a hulk with anger issues, (Clint Walker) plus, an adversarial sociopathic loner (John Cassavetes) and a psychotic religious zealot with rape on the brain (Telly Savalas).
Then comes the former officer, an intelligent brute (Charlie Bronson) who can speak German and ends up serving as a reluctant hero.
It is Reisman’s job to crack these individuals and make them a lethal fighting force who’ll operate as a team. Training them in violence, nurturing and honing their killer instincts so they can be unleashed on the Nazi’s and fulfil their deadly orders.
John Doe says:
Burning brighter than the oil wells used too in Iraq, this gung ho evil men doing evil things epic is a covert operation in anti war reality, cleverly displaced within the framework of a John Wayne type invincible men yarn.
The simple sounding plot, which has attempted to be replicated ever since is brilliantly bullet holed through volatile characterization from the cast and maximum coverage demanded by their leader.
Veteran Director Robert Aldrich (Whatever Happened to baby Jane, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, Kiss Me Deadly, Flight of the Phoenix, Attack, Vera Cruz, The Killing of Sister George) was one tough hombre and he had a lot to say about mortal combat and the justice system. So much so that there is a rumour that persists to this day that had he cut out one of the shocking scenes in the film an Oscar was all but guaranteed.
Wrangling the macho men of arms to stage and handle the action set pieces, framed for impact then edited like they were WMD’s against the viewer. The grim atmosphere is punctuated by larger than life moments that lure you into going along for the ride despite the fact the consequences have been made abundantly clear.
Alderich loved capturing obtuse angles and acute POV shots to be spliced into the motif and again suspense and tension are heightened by there inclusion. The cinematography guides us with warnings and punctuation through the lens.
The final viles of nitro-glycerine are the script and score. The edgy, less is more Nunnally Johnson screenplay (Man in the Grey Flannel Suit, How to Marry a Millionaire, Grapes of Wrath) only has lines when absolutely necessary because most of the leads are the strong silent types.
The military cadence of Alderich’s regular music man, Frank De Vol establishes a melancholy doom later recreated in Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch.
The temperamental perfectionist John Cassavetes (Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Rosemary’s Baby, Husbands, The Killers) was nominated for an Oscar for his heavily improvised performance.
Lee Marvin’s (Point Blank, The Big Red One, Death Hunt) battle weary gravitas through ordering men to their destiny is unmatched.
By this time Charles Bronson (Once Upon A time in the West, The Mechanic, Red Sun, The Valachi Papers, magnificent 7, the Great Escape) had chiselled back his rugged loner persona so his eyes and face say more than his dialogue.
One time Football legend Jim Brown (Mars Attacks, I’m Gunna Git You Sucker, Three The Hard Way, Slaughter, 100 Rifles) made his film debut in this and he does a fine job in a field of supernova talent.
Telly Savalas (Kojak, Capricorn One, Escape To Athen) slaughters with Bravado portraying the demented Jesus loving predator.
This is also the film where Donald Sutherland (The Split, Kelly’s Heroes, Klute, Johnny Got His Gun, Don’t Look Now, Day of the Locust, The Eagle Has Landed, Murder by Decree, Invasion of the Body Snatchers) packing only a couple of lines managed to get noticed by Robert Altman and was cast in M.A.S.H.
Robert Ryan, Ralph Meeker and Ernest Borgnine, all the cast seem to bring personal experiences to their parts.
This is a one of those films that always enters the fray when the topic turns to best war movies of all time…and rightfully so. John Doe grew up watching this film and it is one that evolves with time. Each subsequent viewing it’s that little more sombre, that richer in detail and skilful storytelling, Refreshing in its conclusion, thrilling entertainment but if you look closer there is more.
The Original Trailer
The Dirty Dozen 2 Disc available in Australia
Starring: Lee Marvin, John Cassavetes, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, Telly Savalas, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Ralph Meeker
Savaged by the critics, loved by audiences ever since, The Dirty Dozen was an exploding grenade to the back of the head of the traditional war propaganda film when it was released. Tough minded, the beastly face of war is shown through a boys own adventure story with charismatic criminals.
Chewing on bullets Lee Marvin plays Major Reisman, the man told to recruit 12 vicious death row prisoners for a suicide mission into Kraut territory. The film opens with a convict brutally hanging then Reisman is assigned interviews his potential crew, one at a time in their cells.
An undisciplined pack, in most cases psychologically unhinged, all have a problem with authority. There’s the racially downtrodden (Jim Brown), the dopey (Donald Sutherland) and a hulk with anger issues, (Clint Walker) plus, an adversarial sociopathic loner (John Cassavetes) and a psychotic religious zealot with rape on the brain (Telly Savalas).
Then comes the former officer, an intelligent brute (Charlie Bronson) who can speak German and ends up serving as a reluctant hero.
It is Reisman’s job to crack these individuals and make them a lethal fighting force who’ll operate as a team. Training them in violence, nurturing and honing their killer instincts so they can be unleashed on the Nazi’s and fulfil their deadly orders.
What do you mean you didn't like Paint your Wagon?
John Doe says:
Burning brighter than the oil wells used too in Iraq, this gung ho evil men doing evil things epic is a covert operation in anti war reality, cleverly displaced within the framework of a John Wayne type invincible men yarn.
The simple sounding plot, which has attempted to be replicated ever since is brilliantly bullet holed through volatile characterization from the cast and maximum coverage demanded by their leader.
Veteran Director Robert Aldrich (Whatever Happened to baby Jane, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, Kiss Me Deadly, Flight of the Phoenix, Attack, Vera Cruz, The Killing of Sister George) was one tough hombre and he had a lot to say about mortal combat and the justice system. So much so that there is a rumour that persists to this day that had he cut out one of the shocking scenes in the film an Oscar was all but guaranteed.
Wrangling the macho men of arms to stage and handle the action set pieces, framed for impact then edited like they were WMD’s against the viewer. The grim atmosphere is punctuated by larger than life moments that lure you into going along for the ride despite the fact the consequences have been made abundantly clear.
Alderich loved capturing obtuse angles and acute POV shots to be spliced into the motif and again suspense and tension are heightened by there inclusion. The cinematography guides us with warnings and punctuation through the lens.
The final viles of nitro-glycerine are the script and score. The edgy, less is more Nunnally Johnson screenplay (Man in the Grey Flannel Suit, How to Marry a Millionaire, Grapes of Wrath) only has lines when absolutely necessary because most of the leads are the strong silent types.
The military cadence of Alderich’s regular music man, Frank De Vol establishes a melancholy doom later recreated in Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch.
The temperamental perfectionist John Cassavetes (Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Rosemary’s Baby, Husbands, The Killers) was nominated for an Oscar for his heavily improvised performance.
Lee Marvin’s (Point Blank, The Big Red One, Death Hunt) battle weary gravitas through ordering men to their destiny is unmatched.
By this time Charles Bronson (Once Upon A time in the West, The Mechanic, Red Sun, The Valachi Papers, magnificent 7, the Great Escape) had chiselled back his rugged loner persona so his eyes and face say more than his dialogue.
One time Football legend Jim Brown (Mars Attacks, I’m Gunna Git You Sucker, Three The Hard Way, Slaughter, 100 Rifles) made his film debut in this and he does a fine job in a field of supernova talent.
Telly Savalas (Kojak, Capricorn One, Escape To Athen) slaughters with Bravado portraying the demented Jesus loving predator.
This is also the film where Donald Sutherland (The Split, Kelly’s Heroes, Klute, Johnny Got His Gun, Don’t Look Now, Day of the Locust, The Eagle Has Landed, Murder by Decree, Invasion of the Body Snatchers) packing only a couple of lines managed to get noticed by Robert Altman and was cast in M.A.S.H.
Robert Ryan, Ralph Meeker and Ernest Borgnine, all the cast seem to bring personal experiences to their parts.
This is a one of those films that always enters the fray when the topic turns to best war movies of all time…and rightfully so. John Doe grew up watching this film and it is one that evolves with time. Each subsequent viewing it’s that little more sombre, that richer in detail and skilful storytelling, Refreshing in its conclusion, thrilling entertainment but if you look closer there is more.
The Original Trailer
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Comment by Sports Insider
AFL Insider
Was George Kennedy also in the movie, both he and Lee Marvin joined Chuck Norris later in Delta Force.
Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Where's the Thesaurus - too many superlatives for my vocab.
Nice work JD.
MNG
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I hoped that caption would get a laugh. No surprises there are a lot of fans of the Dozen.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I always try to avoid spoilers in the plot details so I can let loose with my opinionated view later...
Appreciate the kind words from a word smith of your caliber.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
George Kennedy (Cool Hand Luke, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) is in this too, just so many talented stars to name.
Have you seen Death Hunt? If not its got Lee Marvin hunting down Charlie Bronson in the Canadian Rocky's. If your interested you can read my review HERE.
PS: I watched Delta Force for the first time in ages recently and sadly it didn't stand up to my memories of it.
Comment by Sports Insider
AFL Insider
Not sure, but it looks like I better watch it. Charles Bronson is getting hunted in so many movies it is hard to keep track of them all, like Chato's Land when Jack Palance and an ever decreasing posse are after him.
Delta Force is great, one of the best ever movies. Just fast forward the parts that Chuck Norris isn't in during the middle part of the movie.
You seem to be a movie expert of great knowledge. Would you know the name of a movie where a few people were being chased by laser-firing remote-controlled helicopters? They may have also been driving a red Jeep. Probably made in the 1980s.