Dog Soldiers (2002)

Director:

Neil Marshall

Writer:

Neil Marshall (written by)

Release Date:

10 May 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Horror

Tagline:

Six soldiers. Full moon. No chance.

Plot:

A routine military exercise turns into a nightmare in the Scotland wilderness.

Plot Keywords:

Scotland | Full Moon | Training Mission | Special Forces | Soldier

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Sean Pertwee	...	Sgt. Harry G. Wells
Kevin McKidd	...	Pvt. Cooper
Emma Cleasby	...	Megan
Liam Cunningham	...	Capt. Ryan
Thomas Lockyer	...	Cpl. Bruce Campbell
Darren Morfitt	...	'Spoon' Witherspoon
Chris Robson	...	Pvt. Joe Kirkley
Leslie Simpson	...	Pvt. Terry Milburn
Tina Landini	...	Camper
Craig Conway	...	Camper
Vilrikke's Acer	...	Sam the Dog
Bryn Walters	...	Werewolf
Brian Claxton Payne	...	Werewolf
Ben Wright	...	Werewolf

Directed by
Neil Marshall

Writing credits
Neil Marshall		(written by)

Produced by
David E. Allen	....	producer
Vic Bateman	....	executive producer
Keith Bell	....	co-producer
Christopher Figg	....	producer
Harmon Kaslow	....	executive producer
Brian Patrick O'Toole	....	co-producer (as Brian O'Toole)
Tom Reeve	....	producer
Romain Schroeder	....	executive producer
Caroline Waldron	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Mark Thomas

Cinematography by
Sam McCurdy

Film Editing by
Neil Marshall

Casting by
Andrea Clark		(as Andrea Clarke)
Jeremy Zimmerman

Production Design by
Simon Bowles

Art Direction by
Christina Schaffer

Set Decoration by
Sonja Klaus

Costume Design by
Uli Simon

Makeup Department
Dave Bonneywell	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Lisa Crawley	....	special makeup effects artist
Peter Hawkins	....	special makeup effects artist
René Jordan	....	hair designer
René Jordan	....	makeup artist
Bob Keen	....	special makeup director
Matthew O'Toole	....	special makeup effects artist (as Matt O'Toole)
Anthony Parker	....	work shop crew
Justin Pitkethly	....	special makeup effects artist
Katja Reinert-Alexis	....	makeup designer (as Katja Reinert)
Katja Reinert-Alexis	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Laurent Dumas	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Enrico Accetto	....	third assistant director
Hélène Coker	....	third assistant director
Ralph Eisenmann	....	second assistant director (as Ralf Eisenmann)
Sam Harris	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Boris Bartholomäus	....	carpenter
Paul Biwer	....	master model maker
Claudio Campana	....	assistant art director
Claudio Campana	....	draughtsman
Guy Hebeler	....	model maker
Svet Hrouchoff	....	props runner
François Mast	....	carpenter
Pascale Michalski	....	model maker
Olivier Printz	....	picture car coordinator
Stephanie Rass	....	assistant art director
Stephanie Rass	....	model maker (as Stéphanie Rass)
Tiffany Rodenfels	....	props
Gerold Schmidt	....	stand-by props
Zoe Smith	....	assistant props buyer
Petra Weber	....	props buyer
Petra Weber	....	set dresser
Bruno Zenatello	....	construction manager

Sound Department
James Boyle	....	sound editor
Peter Burgis	....	foley artist
Paul Carr	....	post-production sound mixer
Paul Conway	....	supervising sound editor
Andie Derrick	....	foley artist
Alain Goniva	....	boom operator
James Harrison	....	sound editor
Jacques Leroide	....	foley editor
Nick Thermes	....	production sound mixer
Iain Eyre	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Colin Lang	....	sound designer (uncredited)
Andy Ludbrook	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Randolph Saucedo	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Richard Darwin	....	animatronic model designer
Roland Goddijn	....	special effects
Tacy Kneale	....	workshop
Martin Lader	....	special effects
Andy Lee	....	foamer
Edward Wiessenhaan	....	special effects
Harrie Wiessenhaan	....	physical effects supervisor (as Harry Wiessenhaan)
Rick Wiessenhaan	....	special effects
Robert Zepers	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Neil Culley	....	compositor
Bob Keen	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Roland Goddijn	....	stunts
Martin Lader	....	stunts
Edward Wiessenhaan	....	stunts
Harrie Wiessenhaan	....	stunt coordinator (as Harry Wiessenhaan)
Rick Wiessenhaan	....	stunts
Robert Zepers	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Alex Aach	....	clapper loader: second camera
Paul Alexander	....	Steadicam operator
Sergio Bernuzzi	....	key grip
Riccardo Besantini	....	focus puller: second camera
Mathilde Bouts	....	clapper loader
Etienne Braun	....	still photographer
Gilbert Degrand	....	best boy
Mick Durlacher	....	gaffer
Graham Johnston	....	clapper loader: second camera
Clayton Ramsey	....	assistant grip
Catherine Richard	....	video assist operator
Carlo Thiel	....	camera operator: second camera
Wolfgang Wesemann	....	focus puller
Jon Garwes	....	assistant camera: aerial unit (uncredited)
Phil Humphries	....	assistant camera: aerial unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Monique Durlacher	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Silke Reinards	....	wardrobe assistant
Uli Zegers	....	wardrobe assistant

Music Department
Rupert Bopape	....	composer: song "Tom Hark" (as R. Bopape)
John Boughtwood	....	music supervisor
James Collins	....	music scoring mixer
Mark Thomas	....	conductor
Mark Thomas	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Kevan Willis	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Marguerite Auberger	....	location assistant
Pascal Charlier	....	location manager
Paul de Bourcy	....	studio manager
Kirsten Ferwerda	....	production assistant
Richard Glass	....	contact lenses
Kristjan Hardarson	....	assistant accountant (as Kristjan Hardarsson)
Harmon Kaslow	....	financial structuring and legal
Christopher P. Kibbey	....	vice president of production: Carousel Picture Company (as Chris Kibbey)
Sheila McNaught	....	script supervisor
Simon Ricketts	....	script editor
Luc Schroeder	....	production accountant
Katja Wolf	....	assistant to executive producer
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative (uncredited)
Philip James Morgan	....	location scout (uncredited)
Matthew O'Toole	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Stephane Wasila	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Kismet Entertainment Group
• The Noel Gay Motion Picture Company
• Carousel Picture Company, The
• The Victor Film Company (in association with) (as The Victor Film Group)
• Luxembourg Film Fund (with the support of)

Distributors

• Pathé Distribution (2002) (UK) (theatrical)
• Ekaterinburg Art (EA) (200?) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (2002) (Finland) (theatrical) (limited)
• Indies Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• SND (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Xanadeux Company (2003) (Japan) (theatrical) (Tokyo)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Artisan Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Future Film (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• H.O.M. Vision bv, Spakenburg (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• THINKFilm (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Velocity Home Entertainment (2002) (Canada) (VHS) (Canada only)
• Wide Sight Entertainment Limited (200?) (Hong Kong) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Image FX

Other Companies

• Bollux  film stock provided by
• Bollux  grip rental company
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sound Design Company, The  post-production sound services
• Wood Hall Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Night of the Werewolves (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence/gore and language.

Runtime:

105 min | Japan:104 min

Country:

UK | Luxembourg | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-18 (video premiere) | France:-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Italy:T | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Luxembourg

Company:

Kismet Entertainment Group

Trivia:

The insurance did not cover the actors jumping out of the helicopter early in the film. As most of the crew were ex-army they jumped out of it instead. The crew also doubled up as Sgt Well's soldiers for some of the tabbing shots.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the team reaches the destroyed special forces position there are 105mm charges and ammunition amongst the equipment present. The 105mm is an artillery piece unlikely to be used in a wood, and definitely not by special forces.

Quotes:

Ryan: We're on a different level here, Cooper. For that, I need men of action, not deeds.

Movie Connections:

References Love, Honour and Obey (2000)

Soundtrack:

Clair de Lune

Sausages.....!!

There is a little sub genre of horror that involves people with guns vs. monsters. The most famous are of course Aliens, but there are few others (28 days later is another example).

Soldiers are the people of our society to whom we give the latest technology for killing, train them in this art to basically make monsters out of men and then their job is defend civilization against the monsters (where it is Osoma Bin Ladin or Werewolves, it doesn't matter).

Having said or that, this low budget, but well made horror flick has a squad of soldiers wandering around Scotland on a routine training mission, only to find out they are really there as bait for werewolves.

Lots of guns, guts (sausages) and gory glory. Heaps of pop culture references, fine acting, some scares, but lots of action. The werewolves are cool, the military action is authentic enough, and the analogy of the pack of werewolves and the squad of soldiers is a good one. It never had theatrical release in America, but did very well for itself in the UK.

Overall a good movie, with some flaws such as plot twists either being obvious (but then I tend to get most of them right away) or just silly and much of the time they are playing the movie for laughs when the audience is more into the tension and is there for the scare.

You won't see many horror films like this, so if you like soldier movies, horror movies, low budget movies or just want something a little different, see it.