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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 |
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Title: The Dogs of War (1980)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Christopher Walken | ... | ||
| Tom Berenger | ... | ||
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Colin Blakely | ... |
North
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Hugh Millais | ... |
Endean
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| Paul Freeman | ... |
Derek
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Jean-François Stévenin | ... |
Michel
(as Jean François Stevenin)
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| JoBeth Williams | ... |
Jessie
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Robert Urquhart | ... |
Capt. Lockhart
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Winston Ntshona | ... |
Dr. Okoye
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| Pedro Armendáriz Jr. | ... |
The Captain
(as Pedro Armendariz Jr.)
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Harlan Cary Poe | ... |
Richard
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| Ed O'Neill | ... |
Terry
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Isabel Grandin | ... |
Evelyn
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Ernest Graves | ... |
Warner
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Kelvin Thomas | ... |
The Black Boy
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Plot Summary
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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 »
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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
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (TCM print) | (cut) (1988) (video release) | (cut) (1981) (cinema release)Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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(uncredited)
Music by Robert Sauer
Lyrics by Maryhale Woolsey
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The "dogs of war" phrase takes its literary origins from William Shakespeare. It appears in Act 3, Scene 1, line 273 of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. It reads: "Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war". This Shakespearian phrase was actually used as a tagline for this movie. 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 »Soundtracks
"When It's Springtime in the Rockies"(uncredited)
Music by Robert Sauer
Lyrics by Maryhale Woolsey
See more »
Lean, pared down to action, efficiently told story of a mercenary band with a code of honor worthy of Hemingway's life maxim "grace under pressure." Walken's performance is truly riveting, simply acting the truth without embellishment, this is professional soldier whose purpose --- loyalty to his fellow soldiers and dedication to his task --- is clean and spare: get in, win, get out, come home has been rarely topped in movies. A modern day samurai with fatalistic existential details all pass with utter credibility and uncluttered and unremarked on. Chillingly well told. Once it grips you, you will not be released until the end credits. Cuts to the bone. Jack Cardiff's cinematography is a textbook of low budget, maximum effect visuals. Walken seems skinned by combat; you never doubt this is a peak experience for him, there are no alternatives.