Shock Troop

This German war film with English subtitles is a powerful and moving piece of cinema. It is similar to Warfront, another powerful WW 1 film produced by Germany long after the war was over. Both films have strong anti-war sentiments, which are much-deserved. After all, who in their right mind thinks that either of these films show the glory of war? War is a filthy, gruesome business, where hours of tedium are punctuated by a few minutes of unbelievable violence. The cinematography of this film and Warfront was magnificent. The camera captures everything you might imagine about the horror of WW1 and some things you can't imagine. The acting is first-rate and understated, and the direction is impeccable. My grandfather was in this war, and would never talk about it. Now, I see why. Men sleeping while standing in close quarters in holes in the ground, steeped in urine up to their ankles, getting gassed, and enduring bombardment for up to 8 days at a time in the dark. How humans survived these conditions is beyond my comprehension. Must be seen to be appreciated.