John Chard

A dead soldier dose not care who won or lost. Hunde, wollt ihr ewig leben (Dogs, do you want to live forever?) Is directed by Frank Wisbar and adapted to screenplay by Wisbar, Frank Dimen and Heinz Schröter from the Fritz Wöss novel. It stars Joachim Hansen, Wilhelm Borchert, Wolfgang Preiss and Carl Lange. Music is by Herbert Windt and cinematography by Helmut Ashley. It was a hell hole pocket. A little cracker jack of a war movie, coming at things from a German's point of view during the Battle of Stalingrad. Through the eyes of our protagonist we come to be part of his disillusionment with the Nazi ways, we witness cowardly majors and obstinate leaders who left the German troops and their allies ill equipped to fight the battle. A bitter Xmas present. As Hermann Göring preaches from his pulpit, many miles away from the battle, he's celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Third Reich, all while Stalingrad burns and his army lie dying or limbless in a makeshift grungy hospital. The impact is enough to sicken you to your stomach. Away from the anti-war thematic thrusts of the narrative, battle scenes are niftily constructed (though some of the spliced footage is incorrect to this battle). While the monochrome photography is in turns gorgeous and then potent to the horrors of war. Splendidly performed by the principals as well. As has been noted by others who have reviewed this little seen film, the subtitles are poor. Too fast to read sometimes while any language not in German (Eastern Europeans) isn't catered for. A shame, but in the wake of what a very good film this is, it's a small price to pay. 8/10