The Dogs of War (1980)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

John Irvin

Writers:

Frederick Forsyth (novel)
Gary DeVore (writer) ...

Release Date:

13 February 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | War | Action

Tagline:

Cry 'Havoc!' And Let Slip The Dogs Of War

Plot:

Jamie Shannon is a soldier of fortune, a mercenary who will stage a coup or a revolution for the right price...

Plot Keywords:

Mercenary | Revolution | Soldier | Africa | Beret

Cast

Christopher Walken	...	Jamie Shannon
Tom Berenger	...	Drew
Colin Blakely	...	North
Hugh Millais	...	Endean
Paul Freeman	...	Derek
Jean-François Stévenin	...	Michel
JoBeth Williams	...	Jessie
Robert Urquhart	...	Capt. Lockhart
Winston Ntshona	...	Dr. Okoye
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	The Captain
Harlan Cary Poe	...	Richard
Ed O'Neill	...	Terry
Ernest Graves	...	Warner
Kelvin Thomas	...	The Black Boy
Shane Rimmer	...	Dr. Oaks

Runtime:

UK:118 min | USA:102 min | USA:104 min (TCM print) | Finland:114 min (cut) (1988) (video release) | Finland:105 min (cut) (1981) (cinema release)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1981) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1988) | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1980) | Brazil:16 | Sweden:15 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Norway:16 (1981) | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Belize City, Belize

Company:

Juniper Films

Trivia:

The song that plays over the end credits is the poem Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries by A.E. Housman, set to music.

Goofs:

Factual errors: 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. For more info, google "MM-1" or "Hawk Engineering Company".

Quotes:

Endean: Shannon, get him out of here! This whole country's bought and paid for!
Shannon: You're gonna have to buy it all over again.
[shoots Col. Bobi]

Movie Connections:

Edited into Stealth Fighter (1999)

The Code of War

A fine war movie. It tells more about gaining oneself dignity. I've never read the novel, but I guess it would emphasize more in Christopher Walken character, struggle between the code of honour. As appeared in the movie but not deep enough.

The road to invasion itself is very interesting and worth watching. Fine and detailed.

A classic war movie & political intrigues.