The Dirty Dozen (1967)
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(2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5) 
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When you think of war movies, there are a few movies that should immediately pop into your mind. Tora, Tora, Tora. Saving Private Ryan. Platoon. And of course, The Dirty Dozen.
The story of twelve convicted death-row and long-term army misfit prisoners chosen to lead a covert operation behind enemy lines during the height of the war. Of course that exercise takes less than half of the movie. The fun part is getting there.
Half comedy and half action-flick, The Dirty Dozen delivers in just about every way possible. You've got Lee Marvin as the maverick officer leading this bunch. Donald Sutherland as the goofy-crazy one. Telly Savales as the psycho-scary one. Jim Brown as the big silent one. Charles Bronson as the smart one. I could go on but that'd get boring!
And that's something you're not going to be during this. There's nary a dull moment. The between-action-moments are full of comedy relief. In particular the "visiting officer" scenes are hilarious, followed closely by the "war games" sequence.
It's also proof that you can deliver a sound action picture without obnoxious amounts of swearing and graphic violence. Sure there's lots of lives forfeited, mostly on the Axis side...(hey its a war movie fer cryin out loud!) But we get to feel the loss as not everyone makes it out alive. Which is equally important.
Sure it gets a little corny and 60's-kitschy at times, but it doesn't matter. Watch The Dirty Dozen. Again and again and again. And then go shave with cold water you pansies!
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The Dirty Dozen (Two-Disc Special Edition) List Price: Sale Price: $9.58 You save: $17.41 (65%)  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days  |
Description
Two-DVD Special Edition. Further details as they become available.
A model for dozens of action films to follow, this box-office hit from 1967 refined a die-hard formula that has become overly familiar, but it's rarely been handled better than it was in this action-packed World War II thriller. Lee Marvin is perfectly cast as a down-but-not-out army major who is offered a shot at personal and professional redemption. If he can successfully train and discipline a squad of army rejects, misfits, killers, prisoners, and psychopaths into a first-rate unit of specialized soldiers, they'll earn a second chance to make up for their woeful misdeeds. Of course, there's a catch: to obtain their pardons, Marvin's band of badmen must agree to a suicide mission that will parachute them into the danger zone of Nazi-occupied France. It's a hazardous path to glory, but the men have no other choice than to accept and regain their lost honor. What makes The Dirty Dozen special is its phenomenal cast including Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, George Kennedy, Ernest Borgnine, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, Jim Brown, Clint Walker, Trini Lopez, Robert Ryan, and others. Cassavetes is the Oscar-nominated standout as one of Marvin's most rebellious yet heroic men, but it's the whole ensemble--combined with the hard-as-nails direction of Robert Aldrich--that makes this such a high-velocity crowd pleaser. The script by Nunnally Johnson and Lukas Heller (from the novel by E.M. Nathanson) is strong enough to support the all-star lineup with ample humor and military grit, so if you're in need of a mainline jolt of testosterone, The Dirty Dozen is the movie for you. --Jeff Shannon
DVD Information
Binding: DVDAspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Brand: Warner Brothers
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Original Release Date:
Actors:
- Lee Marvin
- Ernest Borgnine
- Charles Bronson
- John Cassavetes
- Telly Savalas
Features
- 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 w
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