|
The Dogs of War (1980) 6.2
Mercenary James Shannon, on a reconnaissance job to the African nation of Zangaro, is tortured and deported. He returns to lead a coup. Director:John Irvin |
| 0Share... |
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: The Dogs of War (1980)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Learn more
People who liked this also liked...
Where Eagles Dare
(1968)
Certificate: M
Action
|
Adventure
|
War
Director:
Brian G. Hutton
Stars:
Richard Burton,
Clint Eastwood,
Mary Ure
Von Ryan's Express
(1965)
Action
|
Adventure
|
War
Director:
Mark Robson
Stars:
Frank Sinatra,
Trevor Howard,
Raffaella Carrà
The Guns of Navarone
(1961)
Action
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Director:
J. Lee Thompson
Stars:
Gregory Peck,
David Niven,
Anthony Quinn
Action
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Director:
Peter Weir
Stars:
Russell Crowe,
Paul Bettany,
James D'Arcy
The Blue Max
(1966)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
War
Director:
John Guillermin
Stars:
George Peppard,
James Mason,
Ursula Andress
The Duellists
(1977)
Drama
Director:
Ridley Scott
Stars:
Keith Carradine,
Harvey Keitel,
Albert Finney
The Desert Rats
(1953)
Action
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Director:
Robert Wise
Stars:
Richard Burton,
James Mason,
Robert Newton
Saints and Soldiers
(2003)
War
|
Action
|
Drama
Director:
Ryan Little
Stars:
Corbin Allred,
Alexander Polinsky,
Kirby Heyborne
The Wild Geese
(1978)
Drama
|
Action
|
War
Director:
Andrew V. McLaglen
Stars:
Richard Burton,
Roger Moore,
Richard Harris
The Devil's Brigade
(1968)
War
Director:
Andrew V. McLaglen
Stars:
William Holden,
Cliff Robertson,
Vince Edwards
Dark of the Sun
(1968)
War
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Director:
Jack Cardiff
Stars:
Rod Taylor,
Yvette Mimieux,
Peter Carsten
Action
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Director:
Raoul Walsh
Stars:
Gregory Peck,
Virginia Mayo,
Robert Beatty
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Christopher Walken | ... | ||
| Tom Berenger | ... | ||
 |
Colin Blakely | ... |
North
|
|
|
Hugh Millais | ... |
Endean
|
| Paul Freeman | ... |
Derek
|
|
|
|
Jean-François Stévenin | ... |
Michel
(as Jean François Stevenin)
|
| JoBeth Williams | ... |
Jessie
|
|
|
|
Robert Urquhart | ... |
Capt. Lockhart
|
|
|
Winston Ntshona | ... |
Dr. Okoye
|
| Pedro Armendáriz Jr. | ... |
The Captain
(as Pedro Armendariz Jr.)
|
|
|
|
Harlan Cary Poe | ... |
Richard
|
| Ed O'Neill | ... |
Terry
|
|
|
|
Isabel Grandin | ... |
Evelyn
|
|
|
Ernest Graves | ... |
Warner
|
|
|
Kelvin Thomas | ... |
The Black Boy
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Jamie Shannon is a soldier of fortune -- a mercenary who will stage a coup or a revolution for the right price. He is hired by British mining interests to scout out Zangaro, a small African nation with rich mineral deposits but a brutal and xenophobic dictatorship. Arrested soon after his arrival, Shannon is imprisoned as a spy, badly beaten, and tortured. While in prison he meets one of the country's leading intellectuals, Dr. Okoye, also imprisoned by the regime. Eventually released, he returns to London and is subsequently offered to opportunity to secretly invade Zangaro's capital and lead a military coup. Shannon accepts, but quietly has his own agenda to pursue. Written by garykmcd
Taglines:
Cry 'Havoc!' And Let Slip The Dogs Of WarParents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
13 February 1981 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Cães de Guerra See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (TCM print) | (cut) (1988) (video release) | (cut) (1981) (cinema release)Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
See more »
Sung by Gillian McPherson
Music by Geoffrey Burgon
Poem by A.E. Housman
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
John Irvin had previously filmed amidst real life battles when he worked in a television news crew in Vietnam during the 1960s. Irvin once said: "Unlike most young film directors, I've been in battle. Throughout the sixties I went to various war zones and I met numerous mercenaries in Algeria and South East Asia, so I had my own personal strings to draw on. I would say our depiction of mercenaries is pretty accurate. We talked to a lot of mercenaries and were able to get a lot of information from them about how they would have handled the operation." See more »Goofs
The original Manville Gun was designed in 1935 by Charles Manville as a 12gauge multi-barrel shotgun (24 shot capacity). However, the XM-18 in DOW is based on an updated 1936 design as a 25mm grenade launcher with an 18 shot capacity (hence the "18" in XM-18). The movie version was still considerably more powerful than WWII era 25mm grenades were capable of. Unable to interest the military in his design, Manville's company stopped making the weapon. Ironically, in the early 1980's, the movie Dogs of War served to generate some interest from the military. Utilizing updated manufacturing processes and materials, the XM-18 type grenade launcher has actually seen some military service as a 25mm (18 shot) or 40mm (12 shot) grenade launcher. It is used by US Special Forces as well as some South American and African countries. With a range of between 150-350 meters, and with modern explosive technology, the 25mm grenade is fully capable of causing as much or more damage as was portrayed in the film. The 40mm grenade version uses the same projectile as is used in the Mk 19 grenade launcher which is widely used in the US Army. The current manufacturer is the Hawk Engineering Company who makes it under the designation MM-1. See more »Quotes
Shannon: [to the other mercenaries] Remember; you have to make it home to get paid.See more »
Soundtracks
"Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries"Sung by Gillian McPherson
Music by Geoffrey Burgon
Poem by A.E. Housman
See more »
That is, not for those with child like tastes. If you require non-stop action ... move along. The characters are set up nicely and Walken is just too cool, I think it's his best performance. Most of his fans don't know about this movie but it's a gem. There are a few scenes I would have left on the cutting floor but they can be overlooked. There's a scene with his doctor that is worth watching the whole movie over. But there's plenty more. There's good dialog, nice scenery, some action and some characters you actually care about. This is not an assault on your senses; you will have to pay attention to enjoy it. But it will be worth your time. If you are a fan of Christopher Walken, then it will be well worth your time.