Official Synopsis:
They are convicts, psychos, lunkheads, losers - and champs at the box office and in movie lore. Decades after it burst onto the scene, The Dirty Dozen remains a milestone among ensemble action flicks. Lee Marvin portrays a tough-as-nails major volunteered, in the Army way, to command a squad of misfits on a suicide mission against Nazi brass. Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Trini Lopez, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland and Clint Walker are among the 12 jailbirds who will earn their freedom if they survive. And Robert Aldrich (The Longest Yard) directs, blending anti-authority gibes with explosive excitement. Nominated for four Academy Awards®, The Dirty Dozen won for Best Sound Effects.
Our Take:
The Dirty Dozen was the Full Metal Jacket of its time, before there was a Full Metal Jacket for film critics to compare war films to. It was one of the first films to stray away from the genre of film that simply glamorized war and never showed the realities of the suffering that people go through in combat. It was also a film that assembled some of the big screen’s finest talent, and managed to find room for all of stars, as well as the actors that would go on to become stars.
The new Dirty Dozen: Special Edition DVD is packed with extra features over two-discs. Here’s what’s included:
Disc 1:
* Introduction by Ernest Borgnine (6 minutes) - Just like his character on screen, we see little of Borgnine in this set. However, this short introduction to the film is as meaningful as his part in the film. Watch it before you watch the film.
* Commentary - With multiple participants, including actors Jim Brown and Stuart Cooper, producer Kenneth Nyman, novelist E.M. Nathanson, film historian David J. Schow and veteran military advisor to movies Capt. Dale Dye, and more. This is quite a commentary; with so many participants it certainly mixes things up quite a bit. It ranges from the actors reminiscing about the film to the film historian remarking about the significance of the film to the military advisor picking the film apart. I’ve never felt like I’ve been talked down to on an audio commentary before until I heard Capt. Dale Dye speak. This track is a must listen for any fan of the film.
* Operation Dirty Dozen (9 minutes) - A vintage featurette from late ‘60s made for the promotion of the film. It focuses on Lee Marvin, and shows him with some of the actors both at work and at play. It’s pretty cheesy, but amusing to watch. It makes one wonder how the featurettes made today will be seen forty years from now.
Disc 2:
* Bonus Movie: The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission (96 minutes) - A 1985 made-for-TV sequel starring Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine reprising their roles from the original Dozen. Not as good as the first, but still worth a look. It follows its predecessor’s plot, but mixes it up a little in the end. Film: C+
* Armed and Deadly: The Making of The Dirty Dozen (31 minutes) - Featuring interviews from most of the major actors participating in the film. A nicely put together retrospective, and a must watch.
* The Filthy Thirteen: Real Stories from Behind the Lines (47 minutes) - Focuses on real life stories, and the inspiration from which the film was made.
* Marine Corps Combat Leadership Skills (30 minutes) - A vintage recruitment documentary featuring Lee Marvin
The Dirty Dozen isn’t necessarily a war movie; it’s a movie that takes place in the setting of war. It’s a bit slow in the beginning, but once given enough time to set up the story and characters, it is quite enjoyable. If you want to turn your mind off, but still be able to tell people you’re watching a “classic” film, then definitely check out The Dirty Dozen.
Overall Picture:
Movie: A
DVD: A+
- Chris Lawrence
Staff Writer
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