Der Commander (1988)

Director:

Antonio Margheriti

Writers:

Tito Carpi, Arne Elsholtz (screenplay),

Stars:

Lewis Collins, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lewis Collins	...	Major Colby
Lee Van Cleef	...	Col. Mazzarini
Donald Pleasence	...	Henry Carlson
Manfred Lehmann	...	Mason / Hiccock
Brett Halsey	...	McPherson
Chat Silayan	...	Ling
Hans Leutenegger	...	Gutierrez
Christian Brückner	...	Frank Williams
Frank Glaubrecht	...	Lennox
Thomas Danneberg	...	Gustafson
Anita Lochner	...	Mrs. Mason
Wolfgang Kühne	...	Krüger
Paul Muller	...	Carbalo
Bobby Rhodes	...	Kongo Klaus
Romano Puppo	...	Angelo

Storyline

---

Plot Keywords:

exploding helicopter | narcotics | mercenary | 1980s | drugs

---

Genres:

Action | War

---

Details

Country:

West Germany Italy

Language:

German

Release Date:

28 April 1988 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

The Commander

Filming Locations:

Amalfi, Salerno, Campania, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ascot Film, Prestige Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 84 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some model shots of silos from Code Name: Wild Geese are reused with new sequences shot on the same location for this film - this location and the use of a flamethrower are a reference to the earlier film which had many of the same personnel.

---

Goofs

When one of the commandos is met by the Thai lady commando at the airport, the MG car's left indicator is flashing when she gets out, but it is off when they get in the car in the shot from the back of the vehicle.

---

Connections

Follows Code Name: Wild Geese (1984)

---

Soundtracks

Performed by Eloy
Music Equipment by Yamaha

User Reviews

Third installment in ¨Commando trilogy ¨ directed by Antonio Margheriti and starred by Lewis Collins

This action-packed film deals about some stalwart mercenaries . A team formed by a misfit troop of commando-for hire are contracted (by Lee Van Cleef, Paul Muller) to attack a lord-ringer's stronghold and retrive a floppy disk. They're commanded by a tough and two-fisted Major (Lewis Collins) helped by a war veteran (Manfred Lhemann). The band of mercenaries (Romano Puppo, Mike Monty, Bobby Rhodes : customaries in Italian B series) land deep into jungle to obliterate some drug-lords in Asia's infamous Golden triangle and much movement and danger ensues. The bunch includes a Thai native girl who falls in love with the veteran war.

This fast-paced movie contains adventures, thrills, mindless agitation and lots of noisy action for the most part. Big name cast by known actors as Lee Van Cleef and Donald Pleasance in a histrionic and sympathetic role. Screenplay by usual Tito Carpi but some spectacular action scenes cannot a silly script save. Stirring final full of explosions, shootouts and burning installations ; furthermore some plot twists. Cinematography is quite well, capturing the atmosphere of everywhere, in addition some moving images shot with camera above the shoulder. Embarrassment musical score composed by synthesizer isn't composed by Ennio Morricone. The picture is produced in average budget by Erwin C. Dietrich, ordinary producer and director of soft-core genre and Jess Frank's habitual financier. The motion picture is regularly directed by Antonio Margheriti. The film was realized in the wake of ¨Wild Geese¨ (Andrew V McLagen) and ¨Wild Geese II¨(Peter Hunt). And belong a trilogy constituted by ¨Codename : ¨Wild geese (1984)¨ and ¨Command leopard(1985)¨ starred by similar actors and same technical equipment and director. This jungle-setting exploitation movie will appeal to Eurotrash buffs.